Shloka 5
आपद्धर्मनिर्णयः — विश्वामित्र-श्वपचसंवादः
Apaddharma Determination: Dialogue of Viśvāmitra and the Śvapaca
विषमस्थं हि राजानं शत्रव: परिपन्थिन: । बहवोडप्येकमुद्धर्तु यतन्ते पूर्वतापिता:
viṣamasthaṃ hi rājānaṃ śatravaḥ paripanthinaḥ | bahavo 'py ekam uddhartuṃ yatante pūrvatāpitāḥ ||
Yudhiṣṭhira berkata: “Sebab ketika musuh—para perampok jalanan dan orang-orang yang memusuhi—melihat raja jatuh dalam kesukaran, mereka, banyak bersama-sama, berusaha mencabut dan menjatuhkan penguasa yang seorang diri dan tak berdaya itu, terutama mereka yang dahulu pernah dihukumnya.”
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
A ruler’s vulnerability invites coordinated aggression: when authority is weakened, hostile forces—especially those previously restrained—quickly unite to overthrow order. The verse underscores the ethical and practical need for stable governance and preparedness.
In the Śānti Parva’s discussion of rājadharma, Yudhiṣṭhira observes that enemies and bandits watch for a king’s misfortune; seeing him in crisis, they band together to depose him, particularly those who had earlier suffered punishment under his rule.