Shloka 14
Śaṅkha–Likhita Upākhyāna: Daṇḍa, Confession, and the Purification of Kingship (शङ्ख-लिखितोपाख्यानम्)
“मेरी वह बात सुनो, जिसके अनुसार चलनेवाला राजा धर्मसे नीचे नहीं गिरता। धर्मशास्त्रोंकी आज्ञाका उल्लंघन करनेसे राजाका पतन हो जाता है और यदि धर्मशास्त्रका अनुसरण करता है तो वह निर्भय होता है ।।
vaiśampāyana uvāca | kāma-krodhāv anādṛtya pitevā samadarśanaḥ | śāstra-jāṁ buddhim āsthāya yujyate nainasā hi saḥ ||
Sinabi ni Vaiśampāyana: “Ang haring nagwawalang-bahala sa pita at poot, tumitingin sa lahat nang pantay gaya ng isang ama, at itinatag ang paghatol sa karunungang isinilang ng śāstra, ay hindi nadudungisan ng kasalanan. Sa paglabag sa mga utos ng Dharma-śāstra, bumabagsak ang pinuno; sa pagsunod dito, siya’y nananatiling walang takot at matatag sa dharma.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
A ruler remains free from moral downfall by restraining desire and anger, judging all impartially like a father, and basing decisions on dharma-śāstra; obedience to śāstra brings fearlessness, while violation leads to ruin.
In Śānti Parva’s instruction on rājadharma, Vaiśampāyana continues the didactic discourse by stating the qualities and discipline that keep a king steady in dharma and prevent political and spiritual collapse.