Shloka 28
दुर्ग-निवेश-राजधर्मः | Fortified Capital and the King’s Residential Polity
Rājadharma
जिसने सम्पूर्ण स्वार्थोका परित्याग कर दिया है, ऐसे कुलीन एवं बहुश्रुत विद्वान् तपस्वीको देखकर राजा शय्या, आसन और भोजन देकर उसका सम्मान करे ।। तस्मिन् कुर्वीत विश्वासं राजा कस्याज्चिदापदि । तापसेषु हि विश्वासमपि कुर्वन्ति दस्यव:
bhīṣma uvāca | yaḥ samasta-svārthān parityajya kulīnaḥ bahuśrutaś ca vidvān tapasvī taṃ dṛṣṭvā rājā śayyām āsanaṃ bhojanaṃ ca dattvā taṃ satkuryāt || tasmin kurvīta viśvāsaṃ rājā kasyāścid āpadi | tāpaseṣu hi viśvāsam api kurvanti dasyavaḥ ||
Bhishma disse: Quando um rei encontra um sábio austero—nobre na conduta, amplamente instruído e que renunciou a todo interesse próprio—deve honrá-lo oferecendo-lhe leito, assento e alimento. Em alguma hora de aflição, o rei deve depositar confiança em alguém assim; pois até os ladrões se comovem a confiar nos ascetas.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
A king should honor selfless, learned ascetics with hospitality and regard them as trustworthy allies in times of crisis; their integrity is so compelling that even bandits place confidence in them.
In Bhishma’s instruction on royal duty (rājadharma) within the Śānti Parva, he advises the king on how to treat renunciant sages—offering them respectful provisions and relying on their counsel and reliability during adversity.