Shloka 19
दुर्ग-निवेश-राजधर्मः | Fortified Capital and the King’s Residential Polity
Rājadharma
बाह्ुमा भ्यन्तरं चैव पौरजानपदं तथा । चारै: सुविदितं कृत्वा ततः कर्म प्रयोजयेत्,गुप्तचरोंद्वारा नगर तथा छोटे ग्रामोंक बाहटी और भीतरी समाचारोंको अच्छी तरह जानकर फिर उसके अनुसार कार्य करे
bāhyam ābhyantaraṃ caiva paurajānapadaṃ tathā | cāraiḥ suviditaṃ kṛtvā tataḥ karma prayojayet ||
Bhishma berkata: “Setelah seorang raja menyelidiki dengan tuntas—melalui para perisik—keadaan luar dan dalam, serta hal-ehwal rakyat kota dan penduduk desa, barulah ia patut menggerakkan dasar dan tindakannya menurut apa yang diketahui itu.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
A ruler should not act on impulse or hearsay; after carefully verifying both external and internal conditions—especially the sentiments of urban and rural subjects—through reliable intelligence, he should implement actions that fit the realities on the ground.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on rājadharma, Bhishma advises the king on practical governance: first gather accurate information via spies about the realm’s internal/external situation and the people’s condition, and only then proceed with administrative or political action.