Shloka 383
Draupadī’s Exhortation on Rājadharma and Daṇḍa (द्रौपद्याः राजधर्मोपदेशः)
सपर्वतवनद्दीपां मा राजन् विमना भव | नरेश्वर! धर्मपूर्वक प्रजाका पालन करते हुए पर्वत, वन और द्वीपोंसहित पृथ्वी देवीका शासन कीजिये। इस उदासीन न होइये
sa-parvata-vana-dvīpāṃ mā rājan vimanā bhava | nareśvara dharma-pūrvakaṃ prajāḥ pālayan parvata-vana-dvīpa-sahitāṃ pṛthivīṃ devīṃ śāsaya; anudāsīno mā bhūḥ ||
ହେ ରାଜନ୍! ପର୍ବତ, ବନ ଓ ଦ୍ୱୀପ ସହିତ ଏହି ପୃଥିବୀକୁ ଶାସନ କରନ୍ତୁ; ମନମରା ହେବେ ନାହିଁ। ହେ ନରେଶ୍ୱର! ଧର୍ମପୂର୍ବକ ପ୍ରଜାପାଳନ କରି ପୃଥିବୀଦେବୀଙ୍କୁ ପାଳନ କରନ୍ତୁ।
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
A king must not succumb to despair or indifference; he should uphold rajadharma by protecting the people and governing the earth righteously, treating rule as a moral responsibility rather than a personal burden.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on kingship, Vaiśampāyana narrates counsel addressed to the king, urging him to resume active, dharma-based governance—protecting subjects and administering the realm (symbolized as Earth with her natural domains).