Shloka 18
Āśrama-dharma: Duties of the Four Life-Stages (आश्रमधर्मः)
दानमध्ययन यज्ञो राज्ञां क्षेमो विधीयते । तस्माद् राज्ञा विशेषेण योद्धव्यं धर्ममीप्सता
bhīṣma uvāca | dānam adhyayanaṁ yajño rājñāṁ kṣemo vidhīyate | tasmād rājñā viśeṣeṇa yoddhavyaṁ dharmam īpsatā |
毗湿摩说道：布施、研习神圣之学与举行祭祀，确为诸王所规定的福祉之源。然而，对于求取达摩的统治者而言，征战——尤为重要——是特别必须之事；因此，志在正法的君王应当格外准备好为护持秩序而出师用兵。
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhishma teaches that while charity, learning, and sacrifice benefit a king, the distinctive obligation of a ruler seeking dharma is readiness to fight—i.e., to use force when necessary to uphold justice and protect social order.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on rajadharma, Bhishma is advising Yudhishthira about the duties of kingship, emphasizing that governance sometimes demands warfare as a principled instrument for maintaining security and righteousness.