Shloka 12
Vyavahāra-Śuddhi and Rājadharma: Clean Administration, Counsel, and Proportional Punishment
Chapter 86
ततः सम्प्रेषयेद् राष्ट्रे राष्ट्रियाय च दर्शयेत् । अनेन व्यवहारेण द्रष्टव्यास्ते प्रजा: सदा
tataḥ sampreṣayed rāṣṭre rāṣṭriyāya ca darśayet | anena vyavahāreṇa draṣṭavyās te prajāḥ sadā |
Bhishma berkata: “Sesudah itu, hendaklah raja menyampaikannya secara resmi ke seluruh negeri dan membuatnya diketahui oleh setiap warga. Dengan menjalankan urusan seperti ini—melalui pengumuman yang jelas dan kesadaran publik—engkau harus senantiasa mengawasi kesejahteraan serta keadaan rakyatmu, wahai Yudhishthira.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
A ruler should govern through transparent, publicly communicated decisions and continuous oversight of the people’s welfare; administration must be accountable to the realm and oriented toward protecting and monitoring the condition of the subjects.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on kingship, Bhishma continues advising Yudhishthira on practical statecraft: once a decision is settled, it should be officially disseminated across the kingdom and made known to citizens, so the king can consistently supervise and safeguard the populace.