Shloka 34
राजधर्मः—प्रजापालनं दानयज्ञश्च
Royal Duty—Protection of Subjects, Generosity, and Sacrificial Discipline
भीष्य उवाच यस्मिन् भयार्दित: सम्यक् क्षेमं विन्दत्यपि क्षणम् । स स्वर्गजित्तमो<स्माकं सत्यमेतद् ब्रवीमि ते,भीष्मजीने कहा--राजन्! भयसे डरा हुआ मनुष्य जिसके पास जाकर एक क्षणके लिये भी भलीभाँति शान्ति पा लेता है, वही हमलोगोंमें स्वर्गलोककी प्राप्तिका सबसे बड़ा अधिकारी है, यह मैं तुमसे सच्ची बात कहता हूँ
bhīṣma uvāca yasmin bhayārditaḥ samyak kṣemaṃ vindaty api kṣaṇam | sa svargajittamo 'smākaṃ satyam etad bravīmi te ||
Bhishma berkata: “Wahai raja, orang yang di hadapannya seseorang yang dilanda ketakutan dapat menemukan perlindungan dan ketenteraman sejati—meski hanya sekejap—dialah, di antara kita, yang paling layak menaklukkan surga. Inilah kebenaran yang kukatakan kepadamu.”
भीष्य उवाच
Educational Q&A
The highest moral worth is attributed to one who becomes a refuge for others: if a fear-stricken person can gain genuine peace and safety even briefly by approaching someone, that person is supremely deserving of heavenly merit. Dharma is measured here by the capacity to protect and console.
In the Shanti Parva instruction, Bhishma addresses the king (Yudhishthira) and emphasizes a standard of righteousness: the truly great are those whose presence grants security to the frightened, and such beneficence is praised as a direct cause of attaining heaven.