Shloka 18
Draupadī’s Exhortation on Rājadharma and Daṇḍa (द्रौपद्याः राजधर्मोपदेशः)
न श्रुतेन न दानेन न सान्त्वेन न चेज्यया । त्वयेयं पृथिवी लब्धा न संकोचेन चाप्युत,आपको यह पृथिवी न तो शास्त्रोंके श्रवणसे मिली है, न दानमें प्राप्त हुई है,न किसीको समझाने-बुझानेसे उपलब्ध हुई है, न यज्ञ करानेसे और न कहीं भीख माँगनेसे ही प्राप्त हुई है
na śrutena na dānena na sāntvena na cejyayā | tvayeyaṃ pṛthivī labdhā na saṃkocena cāpy uta ||
ໄວສັມປາຍະນະ ກ່າວວ່າ: «ອຳນາດເຫນືອແຜ່ນດິນນີ້ ບໍ່ໄດ້ມາຫາເຈົ້າດ້ວຍການຟັງຄຳສອນອັນສັກສິດ, ບໍ່ໄດ້ມາດ້ວຍທານ, ບໍ່ໄດ້ມາດ້ວຍການປອບໂຍນຊັກຊວນ, ບໍ່ໄດ້ມາດ້ວຍການປະກອບພິທີບູຊາ, ແລະກໍບໍ່ໄດ້ມາດ້ວຍການກົດຕົນຫຼືການອ້ອນວອນຢ່າງຕ່ຳຕ້ອຍ. ມັນມາຫາເຈົ້າດ້ວຍວິທີອື່ນ—ອັນບົດບາດແຫ່ງອຳນາດແລະກຳລັງ ຫາກບໍ່ແມ່ນຄຸນທຳທີ່ເຮັດໃຫ້ການປົກຄອງຊອບທຳ.»
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse contrasts dharmic means of gaining authority—learning, generosity, conciliation, and sacrifice—with the implied reality that the realm was secured by non-dharmic means such as coercion or force. It questions the moral legitimacy of power when it is not grounded in virtue.
Vaiśampāyana, narrating the discourse in Śānti Parva, reports a pointed assessment addressed to a ruler: the earth/kingdom has not been obtained through recognized righteous practices (study, charity, diplomacy, ritual), nor through humble restraint—suggesting it was gained through harsher political action, setting up a reflection on rightful governance.