Shloka 57
राजधर्मप्रश्नः — Yudhiṣṭhira’s Inquiry into Rājadharma (Śānti-parva 56)
विस्नंसयन्ति मन्त्र च विवृण्वन्ति च दुष्कृतम् लीलया चैव कुर्वन्ति सावज्ञास्तस्य शासनम्
visnaṃsayanti mantraṃ ca vivṛṇvanti ca duṣkṛtam | līlayā caiva kurvanti sāvajñās tasya śāsanam ||
ಅವರು ರಾಜಮಂತ್ರವನ್ನು ಹೀನೈಸಿ ಹೊರಗೆ ಬಿಚ್ಚಿಡುತ್ತಾರೆ; ರಾಜನ ದುಷ್ಕೃತ್ಯಗಳನ್ನೂ ಬಹಿರಂಗಪಡಿಸುತ್ತಾರೆ. ರಾಜಾಜ್ಞೆಯನ್ನು ತಿರಸ್ಕರಿಸಿ, ಆಟದಂತೆ ಪಾಲಿಸುವ ನಾಟಕ ಮಾಡಿ, ನಿಜವಾಗಿ ಆಳ್ವಿಕೆಯ ಶಿಸ್ತನ್ನೇ ಹಾಸ್ಯಮಾಡುತ್ತಾರೆ।
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhishma warns that those who belittle royal counsel, reveal confidential matters, and treat the ruler’s commands as a joke corrode governance and dharma. Loyalty, discretion, and sincere compliance with rightful authority are essential for stable rule.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on kingship and conduct, Bhishma describes a harmful type of courtly behavior: people who publicize the king’s private counsel and faults, and who outwardly ‘follow’ orders while inwardly mocking and subverting them.