Shloka 8
राज्ञोऽभिषेकः, अराजकदोषः, दण्डधारणस्य आवश्यकता
Royal Consecration, the Fault of Kinglessness, and the Necessity of Enforcement
ज्ञातिसम्बन्धिमित्राणि व्यापन्नानि युधिष्ठिर । समभ्युद्धरमाणस्य दीक्षाश्रमपर्द भवेत्
jñātisambandhimitrāṇi vyāpannāni yudhiṣṭhira | samabhyuddharamāṇasya dīkṣāśramapadaṁ bhavet ||
毗湿摩说：“噢，犹提湿提罗，凡竭力救护陷于困厄的同族、亲属与友人者，便生起与持戒之人生阶段相应的功德与位阶——可比于入林居期（vānaprastha āśrama）所获之品位。在达摩中，于灾难之际主动护持自己的人，本身就是一种苦行与受灌顶般的神圣职责。”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhīṣma teaches that rescuing one’s distressed kinsmen, relatives, and friends is a high form of dharma. Such protective action is treated as spiritually weighty—on par with the merit/status associated with disciplined āśrama life (here compared to vānaprastha), showing that ethical responsibility in society can equal ascetic merit.
In Śānti Parva, Bhīṣma instructs Yudhiṣṭhira on righteous conduct after the war. In this verse he emphasizes practical dharma: when one’s close relations are in danger or misfortune, actively lifting them up is a sacred duty and yields significant spiritual reward.