Shloka 73
Daṇḍanīti and the King as the Cause of Yuga-Order (दण्डनीतिः राजधर्मश्च युगकारणत्वम्)
कि तस्य तपसा राज्ञ: कि च तस्याध्वरैरपि । सुपालितप्रजो यः: स्यात् सर्वधर्मविदेव सः,“जिस राजाने अपनी प्रजाका अच्छी तरह पालन किया है, उसे तपस्यासे क्या लेना है? उसे यज्ञोंका भी अनुष्ठान करनेकी क्या आवयकता है? वह तो स्वयं ही सम्पूर्ण धर्मोंका ज्ञाता है”
kiṁ tasya tapasā rājñaḥ kiṁ ca tasyādhvarair api | supālitaprajo yaḥ syāt sarvadharmavideva saḥ ||
Bhīṣma disse: “Que necessidade tem esse rei de austeridades, e que necessidade mesmo de ritos sacrificiais, se ele protegeu e governou bem os seus súditos? Tal governante, pelo próprio ato de tutela justa, é verdadeiramente um conhecedor de todos os dharmas.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhishma teaches that a ruler’s highest religious merit lies in just protection and welfare of the people; when governance is righteous, external austerities and ritual sacrifices become secondary, because good rule itself embodies dharma.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on rajadharma, Bhishma advises Yudhishthira about the duties of kings. Here he emphasizes that the practical duty of safeguarding subjects outweighs displays of asceticism or ritual performance.