Shloka 44
राजधर्मप्रश्नः — Yudhiṣṭhira’s Inquiry into Rājadharma (Śānti-parva 56)
भवितव्यं सदा राज्ञा गर्भिणीसहधर्मिणा । कारणं च महाराज शृणु येनेदमिष्यते,महाराज! राजाका प्रजाके साथ गर्भिणी स्त्रीका-सा बर्ताव होना चाहिये। किस कारणसे ऐसा होना उचित है, यह बताता हूँ, सुनो
bhavitavyaṃ sadā rājñā garbhiṇī-sahadharmiṇā | kāraṇaṃ ca mahārāja śṛṇu yenedaṃ iṣyate ||
毗湿摩说道：“大王啊，君主对待臣民，当如对待怀孕的妻子一般——护持、温柔，并时时顾念其安康。如今请听吧，摩诃罗阇，此理何以应当如此，我将为你说明。”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
A king’s dharma is to protect and nurture the people with the same careful, gentle vigilance one shows toward a pregnant spouse—avoiding harm, anticipating needs, and prioritizing long-term welfare.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on rajadharma, Bhishma addresses the king (Yudhiṣṭhira) and introduces an analogy: the ruler must relate to the subjects with protective care; he then promises to explain the rationale for why this standard is considered proper.