Shloka 102
Dasyu-maryādā and Buddhi-guided Rāja-nīti (दस्युमर्यादा तथा बुद्धिप्रधान-राजनीति)
दत्त्वाभयं स्वयं राजा प्रमाणं कुरुते यदि । स सर्वसुखकृज्ज्ञेय: प्रजा धर्मेण पालयन्
dattvābhayaṁ svayaṁ rājā pramāṇaṁ kurute yadi | sa sarvasukhakṛj jñeyaḥ prajā dharmeṇa pālayan ||
Brahmadatta berkata: Jika seorang raja, setelah sendiri menganugerahkan “abhaya” (jaminan keselamatan, bebas daripada ketakutan) kepada rakyatnya, lalu menjadikan tingkah lakunya sendiri sebagai ukuran kebenaran, maka hendaklah ia diketahui sebagai pencipta kesejahteraan sejagat—selama ia memelihara rakyatnya menurut dharma.
ब्रह्मदत्त उवाच
Educational Q&A
A ruler’s legitimacy rests on granting security and embodying dharma personally; when the king’s own conduct becomes the standard and he protects the people righteously, he becomes a source of welfare for all.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on royal duty (rājadharma), Brahmadatta states a criterion for ideal kingship: the king must first assure fearlessness to the populace and then govern as a living example of dharma while protecting his subjects.