Shloka 52
Daṇḍa-svarūpa-nirūpaṇa
The Nature, Forms, and Function of Daṇḍa
अनीतिजं यस्य विधानजं सुखं हठप्रणीतं विधिवत्प्रदृश्यते । न विद्यते तस्य गतिर्महीपते- न विद्यते राज्यसुखं हानुत्तमम्,जिन्हें अन्यायसे उपार्जित, हठसे प्राप्त तथा दैवके विधानके अनुसार उपलब्ध हुआ सुख विधिके अनुरूप प्राप्त हुआ-सा दिखायी देता है, राजधर्मको न जाननेवाले उस राजाकी कहीं गति नहीं है तथा उसका परम उत्तम राज्यसुख चिरस्थायी नहीं होता
anītijaṁ yasya vidhānajaṁ sukhaṁ haṭhapraṇītaṁ vidhivatpradṛśyate | na vidyate tasya gatir mahīpate na vidyate rājyasukhaṁ hy anuttamam ||
Бхишма сказал: О царь, тот, чьё счастье рождено неправедностью — добыто силой и упрямством, — может по воле судьбы казаться получившим его законным путём. Но для такого правителя, который поистине не знает обязанностей царской власти, нет благого исхода; и даже его, на вид высшее, царское наслаждение не бывает долговечным.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Happiness gained through injustice and coercion may temporarily look legitimate due to circumstances, but it has no stable foundation in dharma; such a ruler has no auspicious destiny, and his royal enjoyment cannot last.
In the Shanti Parva discourse on raja-dharma, Bhishma instructs Yudhishthira about the moral responsibilities of kingship, warning that power and pleasure obtained by adharma—even if it seems sanctioned by fate—lead to ruin and instability.