Shloka 17
राजा-दैवतत्वम् — The King as a Stabilizing ‘Daivata’ (Divine Function) in Social Order
अराजका:ः प्रजा: पूर्व विनेशुरिति न: श्रुतम् । परस्परं भक्षयन्तो मत्स्या इव जले कृशान्
arājakāḥ prajāḥ pūrvaṁ vineśur iti naḥ śrutam | parasparaṁ bhakṣayanto matsyā iva jale kṛśān ||
毗湿摩说：“我们听闻在远古之时，若无君王，百姓便走向灭亡。正如水中之鱼，强者吞噬弱者；同样地，在统治缺位之际，人们彼此掠夺相害，终至毁灭。”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Without legitimate rulership and enforcement of dharma, society collapses into “matsya-nyaya” (the law of the fish), where the strong exploit the weak; kingship is presented as a necessary instrument for protection and order.
In Bhishma’s discourse on rajadharma in the Shanti Parva, he cites an old tradition: when there was no king, people mutually preyed upon each other, like fish in water, leading to widespread ruin.