Shloka 37
राजधर्मः—प्रजापालनं दानयज्ञश्च
Royal Duty—Protection of Subjects, Generosity, and Sacrificial Discipline
धृष्ट शूरं प्रहर्तारिमनृशंसं जितेन्द्रियम् । वत्सलं संविभक्तारमुपजीवन्ति तं नरा:
dhṛṣṭaśūraṁ prahartāram anṛśaṁsaṁ jitendriyam | vatsalaṁ saṁvibhaktāram upajīvanti taṁ narāḥ ||
Bhishma berkata: Rakyat menanggung kehidupan mereka dengan berlindung pada raja yang tidak gentar dan gagah berani, mahir menumpaskan para penceroboh namun tetap berbelas kasihan; yang menundukkan pancaindera, mengasihi rakyatnya seperti anak, dan membahagi-bahagikan harta dengan murah hati. Pemerintah demikian menjadi sandaran aman masyarakat—keberanian yang ditimbang dengan rahmat serta disiplin diri.
भीष्य उवाच
Educational Q&A
An ideal king sustains society by combining fearlessness and the capacity to punish with compassion, self-mastery, parental care for subjects, and generous distribution of resources; people naturally depend on such a ruler for security and livelihood.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on rajadharma, Bhishma describes the traits of a worthy ruler, explaining why subjects ‘live by’ taking refuge in a king who protects firmly yet remains humane and disciplined.