Shloka 18
राजधर्मः—प्रजापालनं दानयज्ञश्च
Royal Duty—Protection of Subjects, Generosity, and Sacrificial Discipline
भीष्म उवाच वेदाहं तव या बुद्धिरानृशंस्यगुणैव सा । न च शुद्धानृशंस्येन शक््यं राज्यमुपासितुम्
bhīṣma uvāca | vedāhaṁ tava yā buddhir ānṛśaṁsyaguṇaiva sā | na ca śuddhānṛśaṁsyena śakyaṁ rājyam upāsitum ||
毗湿摩说道：“我知道你心智的趋向——确实充满了慈悲与不残忍的德性。然而，国度的治理，不能仅凭纯粹的温柔。”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Compassion (ānṛśaṁsya) is a vital royal virtue, but effective kingship requires more than gentleness—firmness, discipline, and practical measures are also necessary to protect order and uphold dharma.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on rajadharma, Bhishma addresses the king (Yudhishthira) and acknowledges his compassionate nature, then cautions that ruling cannot be sustained by compassion alone.