Shloka 20
Kośārtha-Rājadharma: Ethical Revenue Collection and Social Regulation (कोशार्थ-राजधर्मः)
कृतपापस्त्वसौ राजा य एतान् न नियच्छति । तथा कृतस्य धर्मस्य चतुर्भागमुपाश्ुते,जो राजा इन पापियोंको नियन्त्रणमें नहीं रखता, वह स्वयं भी पापाचारी माना जाता है तथा जो पापियोंका दमन करता है, वह प्रजाके किये हुए धर्मका चौथाई भाग स्वयं प्राप्त कर लेता है
kṛtapāpas tv asau rājā ya etān na niyacchati | tathā kṛtasya dharmasya caturbhāgam upāśnute ||
ビーシュマは言った。「そのような悪人どもを抑えぬ王は、自らも罪をなす者と見なされる。だが、罪ある者を抑え込み鎮める王は、臣民の積む功徳に与り—彼らが実践するダルマの四分の一を受ける—規律をもって道徳の秩序を守護するがゆえである。」
भीष्य उवाच
Educational Q&A
A ruler is morally accountable for public order: failing to restrain wrongdoers makes the king complicit in their sin, while enforcing restraint and punishment earns the king a share (one fourth) of the subjects’ accumulated merit because he safeguards dharma.
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on rājadharma, Bhīṣma advises Yudhiṣṭhira about governance. Here he explains the ethical consequence for a king regarding control of sinful people: negligence brings sin; active restraint brings a portion of the people’s merit.