Shloka 37
राजा-दैवतत्वम् — The King as a Stabilizing ‘Daivata’ (Divine Function) in Social Order
भोजनान्यथ पानानि राज्ञे दग्युर्ग्हाणि च । आसनानि च शबय्याक्ष सर्वोपकरणानि च,राजाका यदि दूसरोंके द्वारा पराभव हुआ तो वह समस्त प्रजाके लिये दुःखदायी होता है; इसलिये प्रजाको चाहिये कि वह राजाके लिये छत्र, वाहन, वस्त्र, आभूषण, भोजन, पान, गृह, आसन और शय्या आदि सभी प्रकारकी सामग्री भेंट करे
bhojanāny atha pānāni rājñe gṛhāṇi ca | āsanāni ca śayyāś ca sarvopakaraṇāni ca ||
ビーシュマは言った。「王には食と飲み物、住まい、座と寝床、そしてそのほか一切の必需を備えさせねばならぬ。王が他者に屈せられるなら、それは国中の民の苦しみの因となる。ゆえに民は、王にあらゆる支えを捧げるべきである——王権の傘蓋、乗り物、衣、装身具、食、飲、住まい、座、寝床など——そうして国土は安泰となり、統治は正しく保たれる。」
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The welfare of the people is tied to the stability and strength of righteous kingship; therefore subjects have a civic-dharmic duty to materially support the king with necessities so that he can protect the realm and prevent collective suffering.
In Bhishma’s instruction on rajadharma in the Shanti Parva, he explains to the listener that a king’s defeat harms the whole population, and thus enumerates the kinds of provisions and resources that subjects should offer to sustain royal authority and public security.