Shloka 8
Rājā–Rāja-Śabda-Prabhavaḥ — The Origin and Rationale of Kingship and Daṇḍanīti
समानजन्ममरण: सम: सर्वर्गुणैर्नुणाम् । विशिष्टबुद्धीन् शूरांश्ष कथमेकोडथितिष्ठति
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca | samānajanmamaraṇaḥ samaḥ sarvaguṇair nṛṇām | viśiṣṭabuddhīn śūrāṃś ca katham eko ’dhi tiṣṭhati ||
尤提士提罗说道：“国王与众人一样生、一样死，在人的诸般品性上也大体无异。那么，一人何以能对许多勇敢且具更高智慧的英雄行使统治？此问直探政治权威的伦理根基：若统治者在形体与命运上并无天生差别，他的主权凭何种合乎达摩的原则而得以正当并生效？”
युधिछ्िर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames a dharmic inquiry into political legitimacy: since a ruler is biologically and existentially the same as other humans, sovereignty must be justified not by inherent superiority of body, but by dharma—social consent, lawful order, protection of subjects, and the king’s disciplined adherence to rājadharma.
In Śānti Parva’s discussions on rājadharma, Yudhiṣṭhira questions the basis of monarchy. He asks how a single king can command many capable warriors and intelligent men when, in birth, death, and human faculties, he is no different from them.