Shloka 20
Daṇḍa-svarūpa-nirūpaṇa
The Nature, Forms, and Function of Daṇḍa
सान्त्वयोगमतिः: प्राज्ञ: कार्याकार्यप्रयोजक: । निगूढबुद्धेर्धीरस्य वक्तव्ये वा कृतं तथा
sāntvayogamatiḥ prājñaḥ kāryākāryaprayojakaḥ | nigūḍhabuddher dhīrasya vaktavye vā kṛtaṃ tathā ||
ರಾಜನಿಗೆ ಸಾಂತ್ವನ ಮತ್ತು ಯುಕ್ತಿಯಿಂದ ಕಾರ್ಯಸಾಧನೆ ಮಾಡುವ ಬುದ್ಧಿ ಇರಬೇಕು. ಅವನು ಪ್ರಾಜ್ಞನಾಗಿ ಜನರನ್ನು ಕರ್ತವ್ಯದ ಕಡೆಗೆ ಪ್ರೇರೇಪಿಸಿ, ಅಕರ್ತವ್ಯದಿಂದ ತಡೆಯಬೇಕು. ಆದರೆ ಬುದ್ಧಿ ಗೂಢವೂ ಗಂಭೀರವೂ ಆದ ಧೀರನಿಗೆ ಉಪದೇಶವೇನು ಅಗತ್ಯ?
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
A ruler should combine gentle persuasion with practical discernment: promote rightful action (kārya), prevent wrongful action (akārya), and guide others toward dharma. Yet a truly steady and deep-minded person needs little external instruction, because inner clarity already governs conduct.
In Śānti Parva, Bhīṣma is instructing Yudhiṣṭhira on rājadharma (the duties of kings). Here he emphasizes the king’s role as a moral and practical guide—using conciliation and reason—while noting that the genuinely wise and self-possessed are already guided by their own understanding.