Shloka 28
अध्याय ७२ — राजधर्मः: प्रजारक्षण, कर-नीति, दण्ड-नीति, अमात्य-नियोजन
Chapter 72 — Royal Duty: protection of subjects, taxation, punishment, and appointments
यदल्ला कुरुते पापमरक्षन् भयत: प्रजा: । राजा वर्षसहस्रेण तस्थान्तमधिगच्छति,राजा प्रजाकी भयसे रक्षा न करनेके कारण एक दिनमें जिस पापका भागी होता है, उसका परिणाम उसे एक हजार वर्षोंतक भोगना पड़ता है
yadallā kurute pāpam arakṣan bhayataḥ prajāḥ | rājā varṣasahasreṇa tasthāntam adhigacchati ||
خوف کے باعث رعایا کی حفاظت نہ کرنے سے بادشاہ ایک ہی دن میں جو گناہ کماتا ہے، اس کا انجام اسے ہزار برس تک بھگتنا پڑتا ہے۔
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
A ruler’s primary dharma is protection of the people; if he neglects it out of fear, the moral fault is grave and its karmic consequence is vastly magnified—symbolized as one day’s neglect yielding a thousand years of suffering.
In the Shanti Parva discourse on rajadharma, Bhishma instructs Yudhishthira about the responsibilities of kingship, warning that failure to protect subjects—especially from cowardice—brings severe, long-lasting retribution.