Shloka 14
राज्ञो वृत्त-गुण-संग्रहः (Conduct and the Thirty-Six Virtues of a King) / The King’s Code of Conduct
जो राजा यथार्थरूपसे बताये गये इन सभी गुणोंका अनुवर्तन करता है, वह इस जगत्में कल्याणका अनुभव करके मृत्युके पश्चात् स्वर्गलोकमें प्रतिष्ठित होता है ।। वैशम्पायन उवाच इदं वच: शान्तनवस्य शुश्रुवान् युधिष्ठिर: पाण्डवमुख्यसंवृत: । तदा ववन्दे च पितामहं नृपो यथोक्तमेतच्च चकार बुद्धिमान्,वैशम्पायनजी कहते हैं--जनमेजय! पितामह शान्तनुनन्दन भीष्मका यह उपदेश सुनकर पाण्डवोंसे और प्रधान राजाओंसे घिरे हुए बुद्धिमान् राजा युधिष्ठिरने उन्हें प्रणाम किया और उन्होंने जैसा बताया था, वैसा ही किया
vaiśampāyana uvāca | idaṃ vacaḥ śāntanavasya śuśruvān yudhiṣṭhiraḥ pāṇḍavamukhyasaṃvṛtaḥ | tadā vavande ca pitāmahaṃ nṛpo yathoktam etac ca cakāra buddhimān ||
Vaiśampāyana disse: Tendo ouvido essas palavras do filho de Śāntanu (Bhīṣma), o rei Yudhiṣṭhira—cercado pelos mais eminentes entre os Pāṇḍavas e por reis principais—então se curvou diante do venerável avô. Sábio no juízo, agiu exatamente como Bhīṣma o instruíra. Assim, o governante que segue as virtudes enunciadas experimenta bem-estar neste mundo e, após a morte, alcança um lugar firme no céu.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
A king who faithfully follows the enumerated royal virtues (rājadharma) gains well-being in this life and, after death, attains heaven; ethical governance is presented as both practical welfare and spiritual merit.
Vaiśampāyana reports that Yudhiṣṭhira, surrounded by his brothers and other leading rulers, listens to Bhīṣma’s counsel, bows respectfully to him, and resolves to implement the instruction exactly as given.