Shloka 9
Śaraṇāgata-Atithi-Dharma in the Kapota Narrative (कपोत-आख्यानम्—शरणागतधर्मः)
भीष्म उवाच राजमूला महाबाहो योगक्षेमसुवृष्टय: । प्रजासु व्याधयश्वचैव मरणं च भयानि च,भीष्मजीने कहा--महाबाहो! प्रजाके योग, क्षेम, उत्तम वृष्टि, व्याधि, मृत्यु और भय --इन सबका मूल कारण राजा ही है
bhīṣma uvāca rājamūlā mahābāho yogakṣemasuvṛṣṭayaḥ | prajāsū vyādhayaś caiva maraṇaṃ ca bhayāni ca ||
Sabi ni Bhīṣma: “O makapangyarihang bisig, ang kagalingan at kapanatagan ng bayan, ang mga ulang napapanahon at mainam, gayundin ang sakit, kamatayan, at mga pangamba sa mga nasasakupan—lahat ng ito’y may ugat sa hari. Ibig sabihin, ang asal at pamamahala ng pinuno ang nagiging pasyang sanhi ng pag-unlad o pagdurusa ng sambayanan.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches that the king is the primary causal foundation for the people’s welfare and security as well as their calamities. Good governance supports prosperity and stability; misrule becomes a root cause of fear, disease, and social decline.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on rajadharma, Bhishma addresses Yudhiṣṭhira and emphasizes the ruler’s sweeping responsibility: the condition of the realm—material prosperity like rainfall and public health, and also dangers like fear and death—is tied to the king’s rule.