Shloka 21
राज्ञोऽभिषेकः, अराजकदोषः, दण्डधारणस्य आवश्यकता
Royal Consecration, the Fault of Kinglessness, and the Necessity of Enforcement
बलात्कृतेषु भूतेषु परित्राणं कुरूद्गह | शरणागतेषु कौरव्य कुर्वन् गार्हस्थ्यमावसेत्
bhīṣma uvāca | balātkṛteṣu bhūteṣu paritrāṇaṃ kuru udgaha | śaraṇāgateṣu kauravya kurvan gārhasthyam āvaset, kurunandana ||
Sinabi ni Bhishma: “O inapo ng mga Kuru, o ligaya ng angkan ng Kuru: kapag ang mga nilalang ay nilapastangan sa pamamagitan ng dahas at dumulog upang magkanlong, nararapat silang iligtas at ipagtanggol mula sa panganib. Sa paggawa nito, ang isang maybahay ay tunay na namumuhay sa dharma ng gārhasthya at nakikibahagi sa kabutihang-bungang nagmumula sa wastong pagsasagawa ng buhay-pamilya.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
A householder (and, by extension, a ruler) fulfills dharma by actively protecting those who have suffered violence and who seek refuge; such protection is itself a source of religious merit.
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on dharma, Bhīṣma advises the Kuru prince (Yudhiṣṭhira) that rescuing and safeguarding victims who come for shelter is a central obligation aligned with gārhasthya-dharma.