Shloka 60
राजधर्मप्रश्नः — Yudhiṣṭhira’s Inquiry into Rājadharma (Śānti-parva 56)
क्रीडितुं तेन चेच्छन्ति ससूत्रेणेव पक्षिणा । अस्मत्प्रणेयो राजेति लोकांश्वैव वदन्त्युत
krīḍituṃ tena cecchanti sasūtreṇeva pakṣiṇā | asmatpraṇeyo rājeti lokāṃś caiva vadanty uta ||
Wika ni Bhishma: “Nais nilang paglaruan ang hari gaya ng paglalaro sa ibong nakatali sa pisi. At sinasabi pa nila sa karaniwang tao, ‘Nasa aming kamay ang hari—alipin namin siya.’”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhishma warns that when courtiers or power-brokers treat the king as a controllable instrument, governance becomes a game of manipulation; such contempt for rightful authority undermines dharma and harms the people.
Bhishma describes a situation where influential persons seek to ‘play’ with the king—keeping him effectively tethered like a bird on a string—and boast to the public that the king acts only at their command.