Shloka 16
जड़माजड़मान् सर्वानविहिंसं श्चतुर्विधान् प्रजा: सर्वा: स्वधर्मस्था: सम: प्राणभूत: प्रति,चार प्रकारके समस्त चराचर प्राणियोंमेंसे किसीकी हिंसा नहीं करूँगा। अपने-अपने धर्ममें स्थित हुई समस्त प्रजाओं तथा सम्पूर्ण प्राणियोंके प्रति समभाव रखूँगा
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca | jaḍam ajaḍamān sarvān avihiṃsāṃś caturvidhān prajāḥ sarvāḥ svadharmasthāḥ samaḥ prāṇabhūteṣu prati |
युधिष्ठिर उवाच— सर्वेषु भूतेषु जडेषु चाजडेषु तथा चतुर्विधासु प्रजासु कस्यचिदपि हिंसां न करिष्यामि। स्वस्वधर्मनिष्ठासु सर्वासु प्रजासु सर्वेषु च प्राणिषु समभावं धारयिष्यामि, सर्वप्राणभूतेषु निष्पक्षदृष्टिर्भविष्यामि।
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
A ruler’s dharma is grounded in ahiṃsā and impartiality: protect all beings without discrimination (whether intelligent or dull), and uphold social harmony by respecting each group’s svadharma while maintaining equal regard for all life.
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on righteous governance after the war, Yudhiṣṭhira articulates a kingly resolve: he will refrain from harming any of his subjects and will rule with even-minded fairness toward all living beings.