Shloka 35
राजधर्मः—प्रजापालनं दानयज्ञश्च
Royal Duty—Protection of Subjects, Generosity, and Sacrificial Discipline
त्वमेव प्रीतिमांस्तस्मात् कुरूणां कुरुसत्तम । भव राजा जय स्वर्ग सतो रक्षासतो जहि
tvam eva prītimāṁs tasmāt kurūṇāṁ kurusattama | bhava rājā jaya svargaṁ sato rakṣāsato jahi ||
毗湿摩说道：“因此，俱卢中最卓越者啊，唯有你——怀善意而心悦——当为俱卢之民之王。护持正人，诛灭不义；如此尽责，便可在天界得胜。”
भीष्य उवाच
Educational Q&A
A ruler’s dharma is to accept kingship with a benevolent mind, protect the righteous, restrain and punish the unrighteous, and thereby uphold social order; such faithful performance of duty is presented as a path to heavenly merit.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on governance, Bhishma exhorts the Kuru heir (contextually Yudhiṣṭhira) to take up the throne, rule with goodwill, safeguard virtuous subjects, and suppress wrongdoing, framing kingship as a moral responsibility rather than a mere privilege.