Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 15
Dāna-Śreṣṭhatā: Abhaya, Anugraha, and the Ethics of Honoring the Worthy (दानश्रेष्ठता: अभय-अनुग्रह-विप्रपूजा)
नच ते दुष्कृतं किंचिदहमासादयं गृहे । तेन जीवसि राजर्षे न भवेथास्त्वमन्यथा
na ca te duṣkṛtaṃ kiñcid aham āsādayaṃ gṛhe | tena jīvasi rājarṣe na bhavethās tvam anyathā bhūpāla ||
ຊະຍາວະນະ ກ່າວວ່າ: «ໃນເຮືອນຂອງເຈົ້າ ຂ້າພະເຈົ້າບໍ່ພົບແມ່ນແຕ່ການກະທໍາຊົ່ວນ້ອຍໆຂອງເຈົ້າ. ເພາະເຫດນັ້ນ ໂອ້ ຣາຊະຣິສີ, ເຈົ້າຈຶ່ງຍັງມີຊີວິດ; ບໍ່ຊັ້ນ ໂອ້ ຜູ້ພິທັກແຜ່ນດິນ, ເຈົ້າຄົງບໍ່ອາດຢູ່ໄດ້ດັ່ງທີ່ເຈົ້າເປັນ—ຖານະຂອງເຈົ້າຈະຖືກທໍາລາຍ»។
च्यवन उवाच
Educational Q&A
A ruler’s legitimacy and even survival are portrayed as resting on moral integrity: when no wrongdoing (duṣkṛta) can be found in his conduct and household, he is protected; otherwise, loss of status and life follows. The verse underscores accountability and the ethical scrutiny expected of kings.
The sage Cyavana addresses a king (honored as a rājarṣi), stating that despite staying in the king’s house and observing closely, he has found no fault. Therefore the king remains alive and established; had there been wrongdoing, the consequences would have been ruinous.