राष्ट्रगुप्ति-संग्रहः
Protection of the Realm and Principles of Revenue & Local Administration
7 क्ा-्ण अ--जक्ाा $. धन्वदुर्गका दूसरा नाम मरुदुर्ग भी है। जिसके चारों ओर बालूका घेरा हो
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca | rāṣṭraguptiṃ ca me rājan rāṣṭrasyaiva tu saṃgraham | samyag jijñāsamānāya prabrūhi bharatarṣabha ||
ଯୁଧିଷ୍ଠିର କହିଲେ—ହେ ରାଜନ୍! ମୁଁ ରାଷ୍ଟ୍ରର ରକ୍ଷା ଓ ରାଷ୍ଟ୍ରର ସଂଗ୍ରହ-ସଂଘଟନ (ସ୍ଥିରତା-ସଂବର୍ଧନ) ବିଷୟ ସମ୍ୟକ୍ ଭାବେ ଜାଣିବାକୁ ଇଚ୍ଛା କରୁଛି। ତେଣୁ, ହେ ଭରତଶ୍ରେଷ୍ଠ, ରାଜ୍ୟ କିପରି ରକ୍ଷିତ ଓ ବର୍ଦ୍ଧିତ ହୁଏ, ମୋତେ କହନ୍ତୁ।
युधिछिर उवाच
The verse frames the ethical duty of kingship (rājadharma) as twofold: safeguarding the realm (security and protection) and sustaining it through consolidation and sound administration (saṃgraha). It introduces governance as a disciplined inquiry guided by dharma.
In the Śānti Parva dialogue, Yudhiṣṭhira respectfully questions the elder authority (addressed as ‘O king’ and ‘best of the Bharatas’) to learn, in a systematic way, how a kingdom should be protected and strengthened.