Shloka 37
राजधर्मः—प्रजापालनं दानयज्ञश्च
Royal Duty—Protection of Subjects, Generosity, and Sacrificial Discipline
धृष्ट शूरं प्रहर्तारिमनृशंसं जितेन्द्रियम् । वत्सलं संविभक्तारमुपजीवन्ति तं नरा:,जो राजा निर्भय, शूरवीर, प्रहार करनेमें कुशल, दयालु, जितेन्द्रिय, प्रजावत्सल और दानी होता है, उसीका आश्रय लेकर मनुष्य जीवन-निर्वाह करते हैं
dhṛṣṭaśūraṁ prahartāram anṛśaṁsaṁ jitendriyam | vatsalaṁ saṁvibhaktāram upajīvanti taṁ narāḥ ||
Disse Bhishma: As pessoas sustentam a vida tomando refúgio naquele rei que é destemido e heroico, hábil em abater os agressores e, ainda assim, compassivo; que dominou os sentidos, é afetuoso com os súditos e distribui riquezas com generosidade. Tal governante torna-se o amparo seguro da sociedade: coragem temperada pela misericórdia e pelo autocontrole disciplinado.
भीष्य उवाच
Educational Q&A
An ideal king sustains society by combining fearlessness and the capacity to punish with compassion, self-mastery, parental care for subjects, and generous distribution of resources; people naturally depend on such a ruler for security and livelihood.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on rajadharma, Bhishma describes the traits of a worthy ruler, explaining why subjects ‘live by’ taking refuge in a king who protects firmly yet remains humane and disciplined.