राजधर्मप्रश्नः — Yudhiṣṭhira’s Inquiry into Rājadharma (Śānti-parva 56)
एते चैवापरे चैव दोषा: प्रादुर्भवन्त्युत । नृपतौ मार्दवोपेते हर्षुले च युधिष्ठिर,युधिष्ठि! राजा जब परिहासशील और कोमल-स्वभावका हो जाता है, तब ये ऊपर बताये हुए तथा दूसरे दोष भी प्रकट होते हैं
ete caivāpare caiva doṣāḥ prādurbhavanti uta | nṛpatau mārdavopete harṣule ca yudhiṣṭhira ||
ହେ ଯୁଧିଷ୍ଠିର! ରାଜା ଯେତେବେଳେ ଅତି କୋମଳ-ସ୍ୱଭାବୀ ଓ ପରିହାସପ୍ରିୟ ହୋଇଯାଏ, ସେତେବେଳେ ଏହି ଦୋଷଗୁଡ଼ିକ ଏବଂ ଅନ୍ୟ ଦୋଷମାନେ ମଧ୍ୟ ପ୍ରକଟ ହୁଅନ୍ତି।
भीष्म उवाच
A ruler must balance kindness with firmness; when a king becomes excessively soft and playful, governance weakens and multiple faults naturally arise, harming order and dharma.
In the Shanti Parva discourse on rajadharma, Bhishma continues instructing Yudhishthira, warning that a king’s indulgent, joking temperament and over-gentleness become causes for the emergence of further political and moral defects.