Shloka 43
Duryodhana-vadha-pratikriyā: Harṣa, Nindā, and Kṛṣṇa’s Nīti-vyākhyā (Śalya-parva 60)
तवाद्य पृथिवी सर्वा क्षेमा निहतकण्टका । तां प्रशाधि महाराज स्वधर्ममनुपालय
tvādya pṛthivī sarvā kṣemā nihatakaṇṭakā | tāṃ praśādhi mahārāja svadharmam anupālaya ||
三阇耶曰：“今日大地尽归安宁，其‘荆棘’已除——祸患之源皆被斩断。故大王啊，治理此国，守持自身之法（达摩）。”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames kingship as a moral obligation: once obstacles and threats are removed, the ruler must establish orderly governance and uphold svadharma—duty-bound, ethical rule aimed at security and welfare.
Sanjaya addresses the king, reporting that the realm is now ‘thornless’—its adversaries and disruptive forces have been eliminated—urging him to take up the task of ruling and maintaining dharma in the new political reality after the conflict.