Shloka 7
राजा-दैवतत्वम् — The King as a Stabilizing ‘Daivata’ (Divine Function) in Social Order
प्रत्युदगम्याभिपूज्य: स्यादेतदत्र सुमन्त्रितम् । न हि पापात् परतरमस्ति किज्चिदराजकात्,यदि कोई प्रबल राजा राज्यके लोभसे उन बिना राजाके दुर्बल देशोंपर आक्रमण करे तो वहाँके निवासियोंको चाहिये कि वे आगे बढ़कर उसका स्वागत-सत्कार करें। यही वहाँके लिये सबसे अच्छी सलाह हो सकती है; क्योंकि पापपूर्ण अराजकतासे बढ़कर दूसरा कोई पाप नहीं है
pratyudgamyābhipūjyaḥ syād etad atra sumantritam | na hi pāpāt parataram asti kiñcid arājakāt ||
Bhishma disse: “Devem sair ao seu encontro e honrá-lo — nesta situação, este é o melhor conselho. Pois não há mal maior do que o pecado de viver sem rei (sem lei e sem governo).”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhishma teaches that the collapse of governance (arājaka—kinglessness/anarchy) is a grave evil; preserving social order may require pragmatic accommodation, even welcoming a stronger ruler, because lawlessness harms everyone.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on rajadharma, Bhishma advises what weak, rulerless communities should do when confronted by a powerful king: they should go out to receive him respectfully, since continued anarchy is portrayed as worse than submission to rule.