Shloka 4
राज्ञोऽभिषेकः, अराजकदोषः, दण्डधारणस्य आवश्यकता
Royal Consecration, the Fault of Kinglessness, and the Necessity of Enforcement
सर्वाण्येतानि कौन्तेय विद्यन्ते मनुजर्षभ | साध्वाचारप्रवृत्तानां चातुराश्रम्यकारिणाम्
sarvāṇy etāni kaunteya vidyante manujarṣabha | sādhvācāra-pravṛttānāṃ cāturāśramya-kāriṇām ||
毗湿摩说道：“昆蒂之子、众人之杰啊——凡守持善行、如法履行四住期（四种人生阶段）之责者，所得的成就，皆在其中。同样地，国王若能舍离贪著与憎恶，依正当的刑政与治道（daṇḍanīti）而行，也能获得那些果报；若又以平等之眼观一切众生，便能抵达出家遁世者（sannyāsin）所证之境。”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhishma teaches that the spiritual fruits associated with virtuous life across the four āśramas are also attainable by a king who governs without attachment and aversion, following righteous policy and maintaining equal regard for all beings—thus approaching the renunciant’s highest state.
In the Śānti Parva dialogue on rājadharma, Bhishma instructs Yudhiṣṭhira that kingship, when exercised with self-control, impartiality, and adherence to dharma, is not spiritually inferior to ascetic paths; it can yield the same ultimate attainments.