Shloka 33
Jaitrya-nimitta: Signs of Prospective Victory and the Priority of Conciliation (जयलक्षण-निमित्त तथा सान्त्व-प्रधान नीति)
द्वेष्यो भवति भूतानामुग्रो राजा युधिष्ठिर । मृदुमप्यवमन्यन्ते तस्मादुभयमाचरेत्
dveṣyo bhavati bhūtānām ugro rājā yudhiṣṭhira | mṛdum apy avamanyante tasmād ubhayam ācaret ||
Bhishma berkata: “Wahai Yudhishthira, raja yang keras akan menjadi sasaran kebencian makhluk; namun jika terlalu lembut, orang akan memandang rendah. Maka seorang pemerintah hendaklah mengamalkan kedua-duanya—ketegasan dan kelembutan—menurut tuntutan keadaan.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
A ruler must balance severity and gentleness. Excessive harshness breeds hatred among subjects, while excessive softness invites contempt; effective rājadharma requires situational firmness tempered by compassion.
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on rājadharma, Bhīṣma teaches Yudhiṣṭhira principles of governance after the war, emphasizing the practical need for a king to combine discipline with kindness to maintain order and respect.