Shloka 23
दुर्ग-निवेश-राजधर्मः | Fortified Capital and the King’s Residential Polity
Rājadharma
यष्टव्यं क्रतुभिर्नित्यं दातव्यं चाप्पपीडया । प्रजानां रक्षणं कार्य न कार्य धर्मबाधकम्,उसे प्रतिदिन नाना प्रकारके यज्ञ करना तथा दूसरोंको कष्ट न पहुँचाते हुए दान देना चाहिये। वह प्रजाजनोंकी रक्षा करे और कोई भी कार्य ऐसा न करे जिससे धर्ममें बाधा आती हो
yaṣṭavyaṃ kratubhir nityaṃ dātavyaṃ cāppīḍayā | prajānāṃ rakṣaṇaṃ kāryaṃ na kāryaṃ dharmabādhakam ||
Wika ni Bhishma: “Dapat magsagawa nang palagian ng mga handog at magbigay ng kaloob, ngunit hindi sa paraang nagpapahirap sa iba. Dapat pangalagaan ang mga mamamayan, at huwag gumawa ng anumang bagay na humahadlang o sumisira sa dharma.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Ritual merit (yajña) and generosity (dāna) must be practiced consistently, but never at the cost of harming others; the ruler’s foremost duty is protection of the people, and any action that blocks dharma is to be avoided.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on righteous conduct and governance, Bhishma continues advising on dharma: he links personal religious duties (sacrifice and giving) with public responsibility (protecting subjects) and sets a clear limit—no religious or political act is justified if it violates dharma by causing harm.