Shloka 28
राजा-दैवतत्वम् — The King as a Stabilizing ‘Daivata’ (Divine Function) in Social Order
“आप जैसे राजाके द्वारा सुरक्षित हुई प्रजाएँ जो-जो धर्म करेंगी, उसका चतुर्थ भाग आपको मिलता रहेगा ।।
āpa jaise rājā ke dvārā surakṣit huī prajāeṁ jo-jo dharma kareṅgī, usakā caturtha bhāga āpako milatā rahegā. tena dharmeṇa mahatā sukhaṁ labdhena bhāvitaḥ | pāhy asmān sarvato rājan devān iva śatakratuḥ ||
毗湿摩说道：“当臣民为如你这般的国王所护持时，他们所行的一切正行，其功德有四分之一将归于你。因此，凭那伟大的法而充盈——得来不费力、并带来安乐——请你从四方护佑我们，噢，大王，正如因陀罗（百祭之主）护佑诸天。”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
A king’s foremost dharma is protection of the people; when he safeguards them, he becomes a participant in their righteous deeds and receives a quarter share of the resulting merit. Political authority is thus ethically conditioned on guardianship and welfare.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on kingship, Bhishma addresses the reigning king, urging him to protect the community from all sides. He reinforces the appeal by stating the doctrine that a protector-king shares in the subjects’ dharma, and he likens the king’s role to Indra’s protection of the gods.