Shloka 8
Āstīka’s Commission and Approach to Janamejaya’s Sarpa-satra (आस्तीक-प्रेषणं यज्ञप्रवेशोपक्रमश्च)
चातुर्वर्ण्य स्वधर्मस्थं स कृत्वा पर्यरक्षत । धर्मतो धर्मविद् राजा धर्मो विग्रहवानिव,वे चारों वर्णोको अपने-अपने धर्ममें स्थापित करके उन सबकी थधर्मपूर्वक रक्षा करते थे। राजा परीक्षित् केवल धर्मके ज्ञाता ही नहीं थे, वे धर्मके साक्षात् स्वरूप थे
cāturvarṇya-svadharmasthaṃ sa kṛtvā paryarakṣata | dharmato dharmavid rājā dharmo vigrahavān iva ||
Disse Janamejaya: Tendo firmado as quatro ordens sociais em seus deveres próprios, ele as protegeu de acordo com o dharma. O rei Parīkṣit não era apenas um conhecedor do dharma; parecia o próprio dharma encarnado em forma humana.
जनमेजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
A ruler’s legitimacy is grounded in dharma: he must establish people in their rightful duties and protect them through righteous means. Parīkṣit is praised as the living embodiment of moral order, not merely an intellectual expert in it.
Janamejaya describes King Parīkṣit’s ideal governance: he ensured the four varṇas remained steady in their respective obligations and provided protection accordingly, portraying him as dharma personified.