Shloka 4

कपोत-लुब्धकसंवादः — Hunter’s Remorse and Renunciatory Resolve

Devanagari script

बह्नयः प्रतिविधातव्या: प्रज्ञा राज्ञा ततस्ततः । नैकशाखेन धर्मेण यत्रैषा सम्प्रवर्तते,युधिष्ठिर! राजाको इधर-उधरसे नाना प्रकारके मनुष्योंके निकटसे भिन्न-भिन्न प्रकारकी बुद्धियाँ सीखनी चाहिये। उसे एक ही शाखावाले धर्मको लेकर नहीं बैठे रहना चाहिये। जिस राजामें संकटके समय यह बुद्धि स्फुरित होती है, वह आत्मरक्षाका कोई उपाय निकाल लेता है

Transliteration

bahvyaḥ pratividhātavyāḥ prajñā rājñā tatastataḥ | naikaśākhena dharmeṇa yatraiṣā sampravartate, yudhiṣṭhira |

Translation

قال بهيشما: «ينبغي للملك أن يُنمّي ألوانًا شتّى من الذكاء العملي، فيتعلّم من أناسٍ مختلفين في مواضع كثيرة. ولا يليق به أن يقعد محصورًا في دَرما ذات فرعٍ واحد. يا يودهيشثيرا، إذا استيقظ هذا التمييز القابل للتكيّف في الحاكم وقت الأزمة، استطاع أن يبتكر وسيلةً لحفظ نفسه.»

Word by Word

बह्नयःmany

प्रतिविधातव्याःto be learned/acquired (to be obtained)

प्रज्ञाःinsights, intelligences

राज्ञाby the king

ततःfrom there/thereafter

नnot

एकशाखेनwith a single branch (only one line/discipline)

धर्मेणby/with dharma (a single doctrine)

यत्रwhere

एषाthis (she/this one)

सम्प्रवर्ततेarises/sets in, comes into operation

युधिष्ठिरO Yudhiṣṭhira

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhishma

Yudhishthira

king (rājā)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A ruler should cultivate broad, adaptable discernment and not cling rigidly to a single, narrow formulation of dharma; flexible intelligence enables ethical and effective action, especially in crises.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on kingship, Bhishma continues advising Yudhishthira on rajadharma, emphasizing that a king must learn varied strategies and judgments from diverse people and situations to protect himself and his realm.