Shloka 20
Kośārtha-Rājadharma: Ethical Revenue Collection and Social Regulation (कोशार्थ-राजधर्मः)
कृतपापस्त्वसौ राजा य एतान् न नियच्छति । तथा कृतस्य धर्मस्य चतुर्भागमुपाश्ुते
kṛtapāpas tv asau rājā ya etān na niyacchati | tathā kṛtasya dharmasya caturbhāgam upāśnute ||
Bhīṣma berkata: Raja yang tidak mengekang para pelaku kejahatan seperti itu, dirinya sendiri dianggap sebagai pembuat dosa. Tetapi raja yang membendung dan menindas orang berdosa turut berkongsi pahala yang dihimpun oleh rakyatnya—menerima seperempat daripada dharma yang mereka amalkan—kerana baginda memelihara tertib moral dengan menegakkan disiplin.
भीष्य उवाच
Educational Q&A
A ruler is morally accountable for public order: failing to restrain wrongdoers makes the king complicit in their sin, while enforcing restraint and punishment earns the king a share (one fourth) of the subjects’ accumulated merit because he safeguards dharma.
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on rājadharma, Bhīṣma advises Yudhiṣṭhira about governance. Here he explains the ethical consequence for a king regarding control of sinful people: negligence brings sin; active restraint brings a portion of the people’s merit.