Shloka 13
आपद्धर्मे वैश्यवृत्तिः, विक्रय-निषेधाः, तथा ब्रह्म-क्षत्र-सम्बन्धः
Emergency Livelihood, Prohibited Trade, and Brahman–Kshatra Regulation
राजा त्राता तु लोकस्य कथं च स्यथात् परायणम् | एतन्मे संशयं ब्रूहि विस्तरेण नराधिप,युधिष्ठिरने पूछा--तात! नरेश्वर! यदि सारी प्रजा शस्त्र धारण कर ले और अपने धर्मसे गिर जाय, उस समय क्षत्रियकी शक्ति तो क्षीण हो जायगी। फिर राजा राष्ट्रकी रक्षा कैसे कर सकता है और वह सब लोगोंको किस तरह शरण दे सकता है। मेरे इस संदेहका आप विस्तारपूर्वक समाधान करें
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca |
rājā trātā tu lokasya kathaṃ ca syāt parāyaṇam |
etan me saṃśayaṃ brūhi vistareṇa narādhipa ||
យុធិષ્ઠិរ បានទូលថា៖ «ព្រះមហាក្សត្រជាអ្នកការពារប្រជាជនពិតមែន; ប៉ុន្តែតើព្រះអង្គអាចក្លាយជាទីពឹងចុងក្រោយរបស់ពួកគេដោយរបៀបណា? សូមព្រះអង្គម្ចាស់មនុស្ស ប្រាប់ដោះស្រាយសង្ស័យនេះរបស់ខ្ញុំដោយលម្អិត»។
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames a key problem of rājadharma: a king is not only a political protector but must also function as the people’s dependable ‘final refuge’—a moral and practical guarantee of safety and order. Yudhiṣṭhira asks for a detailed account of how kingship can legitimately fulfill that role.
In Śānti Parva’s instruction on governance and duty, Yudhiṣṭhira addresses the ruling authority (narādhipa) with a doubt: if the king is called the protector of the world, by what means and principles does he become the ultimate shelter for all? He requests an expanded explanation.