Shloka 32
Daṇḍanīti and the King as the Cause of Yuga-Order (दण्डनीतिः राजधर्मश्च युगकारणत्वम्)
एते गुणा: समस्ता: स्युर्न॒पस्य सततं स्थिरा: । व्यवहारलोपे नृपते: कुतः स्वर्ग: कुतो यश:
ete guṇāḥ samastāḥ syur nṛpasya satataṃ sthirāḥ | vyavahāralope nṛpateḥ kutaḥ svargaḥ kuto yaśaḥ ||
ビーシュマは言った。「これらすべての徳は、王のうちに常に堅固に確立されていなければならぬ。もし統治者の正しい公の振る舞い――すなわち公正な政と正当な処置――が滅び去るなら、いかにして天界を得ようか。いかにして久遠の名声を得ようか。」
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
A king’s virtues must be stable and continuous, especially in matters of public conduct and justice; without righteous administration (vyavahāra), neither spiritual merit (svarga) nor lasting reputation (yaśas) is possible.
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on rājadharma, Bhīṣma is advising the king (Yudhiṣṭhira) that royal excellence is proven through consistent, just governance; if proper judicial and administrative practice collapses, the ruler forfeits both moral reward and public honor.