Shloka 9
Rājā–Rāja-Śabda-Prabhavaḥ — The Origin and Rationale of Kingship and Daṇḍanīti
कथमेको महीं कृत्स्नां शूरवीरार्यसंकुलाम् । रक्षत्यपि च लोकस्य प्रसादमभिवाउछति
katham eko mahīṁ kṛtsnāṁ śūravīrāryasaṅkulām | rakṣaty api ca lokasya prasādam abhivāñchati ||
尤提士提罗问道：“一位君王孤身一人，如何能护持这整个大地——其上充满英勇的战士与高贵之士——而又能求得万民的欢心与安乐？”
युधिछ्िर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames a central problem of rājadharma: political power is not merely coercive protection but must be exercised so that the ruler secures both safety and the willing goodwill of the people. It points to the ethical ideal that governance must harmonize strength (rakṣaṇa) with public satisfaction (prasāda).
In Śānti Parva, Yudhiṣṭhira, seeking instruction on righteous rule after the war, asks how a lone king can effectively protect a vast realm full of powerful and noble individuals, and at the same time win the contentment of the whole populace.