Shloka 18
राजधर्मः—प्रजापालनं दानयज्ञश्च
Royal Duty—Protection of Subjects, Generosity, and Sacrificial Discipline
भीष्म उवाच वेदाहं तव या बुद्धिरानृशंस्यगुणैव सा । न च शुद्धानृशंस्येन शक््यं राज्यमुपासितुम्,भीष्मजीने कहा--राजन! मैं जानता हूँ कि तुम्हारी बुद्धिमें दया और कोमलतारूपी गुण ही भरा है; परंतु केवल दया एवं कोमलतासे ही राज्यका शासन नहीं किया जा सकता
bhīṣma uvāca | vedāhaṁ tava yā buddhir ānṛśaṁsyaguṇaiva sā | na ca śuddhānṛśaṁsyena śakyaṁ rājyam upāsitum ||
Bhishma disse: “Conheço a disposição do teu intelecto—ele está, de fato, cheio da virtude da compaixão e da não crueldade. Contudo, um reino não pode ser governado apenas pela pura brandura.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Compassion (ānṛśaṁsya) is a vital royal virtue, but effective kingship requires more than gentleness—firmness, discipline, and practical measures are also necessary to protect order and uphold dharma.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on rajadharma, Bhishma addresses the king (Yudhishthira) and acknowledges his compassionate nature, then cautions that ruling cannot be sustained by compassion alone.