Shloka 56
Daṇḍa-svarūpa-nirūpaṇa
The Nature, Forms, and Function of Daṇḍa
एतान् मयोक्ताश्नर राजधर्मान् नृणां च गुप्ती मतिमादधत्स्व । अवाप्स्यसे पुण्यफलं सुखेन सर्वो हि लोको नृप धर्ममूल:
etān mayoktān nara-rāja dharmān nṛṇāṁ ca guptīṁ matim ādhatsva | avāpsyase puṇya-phalaṁ sukhena sarvo hi loko nṛpa dharma-mūlaḥ ||
Bhishma berkata: Wahai raja di antara manusia, terimalah dalam pikiran dan laksanakanlah dharma raja yang telah kuajarkan ini, serta curahkan diri pada perlindungan dan pengaturan rakyat. Dengan demikian engkau akan dengan mudah meraih buah kebajikan dan kesejahteraan; sebab, wahai penguasa, seluruh dunia berakar pada dharma.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
A ruler should internalize and practice rājadharma—especially the safeguarding and welfare of the subjects—because social order and prosperity rest on dharma, and such conduct yields merit and well-being.
In the Śānti Parva, Bhishma instructs the king (Yudhishthira) on statecraft and righteous rule; here he urges the king to follow the royal duties he has explained and to focus on protecting the people.