Shloka 15
Bhīmasena’s Admonition to Yudhiṣṭhira on Rājya and the Ordering of Dharma–Artha–Kāma
Book 3, Chapter 34
त॑ संधिमास्थाय सतां सकाशे को नाम जह्यादिह राज्यहेतो: । आर्यस्य मन्ये मरणाद् गरीयो यद्धमर्ममुत्क्रम्य महीं प्रशासेत्,कौरव-सभामें साधु पुरुषोंके समीप वैसी सन्धिका आश्रय लेकर यानी प्रतिज्ञा करके अब यहाँ राज्यके लिये उसे कौन तोड़े? धर्मका उल्लंघन करके पृथ्वीका शासन करना तो किसी श्रेष्ठ पुरुषके लिये मृत्युसे भी बढ़कर दुःखदायक है--ऐसा मेरा मत है
tāṃ sandhim āsthāya satāṃ sakāśe ko nāma jahyād iha rājy-hetoḥ | āryasya manye maraṇād garīyo yad dharmam utkramya mahīṃ praśāset ||
Having entered into that pact in the presence of the virtuous, who here would abandon it for the sake of kingship? In my view, for a noble man it is heavier than death to rule the earth by overstepping dharma.
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
Yudhiṣṭhira asserts that a pledge made before the virtuous must not be broken for political gain; for a noble person, ruling by violating dharma is worse than death.
Yudhiṣṭhira reflects on a publicly affirmed agreement/pledge and argues that no honorable person would repudiate it merely to obtain sovereignty, emphasizing dharma as the true measure of legitimate rule.