Shloka 52
Daṇḍa-svarūpa-nirūpaṇa
The Nature, Forms, and Function of Daṇḍa
अनीतिजं यस्य विधानजं सुखं हठप्रणीतं विधिवत्प्रदृश्यते । न विद्यते तस्य गतिर्महीपते- न विद्यते राज्यसुखं हानुत्तमम्
anītijaṁ yasya vidhānajaṁ sukhaṁ haṭhapraṇītaṁ vidhivatpradṛśyate | na vidyate tasya gatir mahīpate na vidyate rājyasukhaṁ hy anuttamam ||
Bhishma berkata: Wahai raja, kebahagiaan yang lahir dari ketidakbenaran—diraih dengan paksaan dan keangkuhan—dapat saja, oleh putaran takdir, tampak seolah-olah diperoleh secara sah. Namun bagi penguasa yang tidak sungguh memahami dharma raja, tiada akhir yang baik; dan kenikmatan kerajaan yang tampak paling luhur itu pun tidak bertahan.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Happiness gained through injustice and coercion may temporarily look legitimate due to circumstances, but it has no stable foundation in dharma; such a ruler has no auspicious destiny, and his royal enjoyment cannot last.
In the Shanti Parva discourse on raja-dharma, Bhishma instructs Yudhishthira about the moral responsibilities of kingship, warning that power and pleasure obtained by adharma—even if it seems sanctioned by fate—lead to ruin and instability.