Shloka 105
Daṇḍanīti and the King as the Cause of Yuga-Order (दण्डनीतिः राजधर्मश्च युगकारणत्वम्)
तस्मात् कौरव्य धर्मेण प्रजा: पालय नीतिमान् । एवं वृत्त: प्रजा रक्षन् स्वर्ग जेतासि दुर्जयम्
tasmāt kauravya dharmeṇa prajāḥ pālaya nītimān | evaṁ vṛttaḥ prajā rakṣan svargaṁ jetāsi durjayam ||
Portanto, ó Kauravya, guiado por uma boa política, protege o povo de acordo com o dharma, amparando-te na daṇḍanīti. Se te conduzires assim, com disciplina, e salvaguardares os teus súditos, conquistarás até mesmo o céu, difícil de alcançar.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
A king’s highest duty is to protect and sustain the people through dharma-informed governance and prudent policy (nīti); such righteous rule yields the supreme reward, symbolized as conquering even difficult-to-attain heaven.
In Śānti Parva, Bhīṣma instructs Yudhiṣṭhira on rājadharma (the duties of kings). Here he urges the Kuru king to rule ethically, using disciplined statecraft to protect the subjects, promising spiritual merit as the outcome.