Shloka 4
Gaṇānāṃ Vṛttiḥ — On the Sustenance and Cohesion of Assemblies
Gaṇa-nīti
समहीनाधिकानां च यथावल्लक्षणं च यत् । मध्यमस्य च तुष्ट्यर्थ यथा स्थेयं विवर्धता
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca | samahīnādhi-kānāṃ ca yathāval lakṣaṇaṃ ca yat | madhyamasya ca tuṣṭyarthaṃ yathā stheyaṃ vivardhatā ||
Yudhiṣṭhira disse: “Explica, tal como é de fato, os sinais distintivos dos que são iguais, inferiores e superiores; e diz como um rei que avança com firmeza deve conduzir-se para manter satisfeitas as fileiras intermediárias.”
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
A ruler must discern people by their true characteristics—recognizing equals, inferiors, and superiors—and govern with steady, growth-oriented conduct that maintains the contentment of the middle ranks, a key pillar of social stability in rājadharma.
In the Śānti Parva dialogue on kingship and dharma, Yudhiṣṭhira continues his inquiry, asking for practical criteria to judge different social standings and for guidance on how an advancing king should behave to keep the ‘middle’ segment of society satisfied.