Shloka 60

राजधर्मप्रश्नः — Yudhiṣṭhira’s Inquiry into Rājadharma (Śānti-parva 56)

Devanagari script

क्रीडितुं तेन चेच्छन्ति ससूत्रेणेव पक्षिणा । अस्मत्प्रणेयो राजेति लोकांश्वैव वदन्त्युत,जैसे लोग डोरेमें बँधी हुई चिड़ियाके साथ खेलते हैं, उसी प्रकार वे भी राजाके साथ खेलना चाहते हैं और साधारण लोगोंसे कहा करते हैं कि “राजा तो हमारा गुलाम है!

Transliteration

krīḍituṃ tena cecchanti sasūtreṇeva pakṣiṇā | asmatpraṇeyo rājeti lokāṃś caiva vadanty uta ||

Translation

قال بهيشما: «إنهم يريدون أن يلهوا بالملك كما يلهو المرء بطائرٍ مربوطٍ بخيط. بل يقولون لعامة الناس: “الملك في قبضتنا—هو خادمنا.”»

Word by Word

क्रीडितुम्to play (to sport)

तेनwith him/with that (king)

चand

इच्छन्तिthey desire/wish

ससूत्रेणwith a string (tether) / string-bound

इवlike, as if

पक्षिणाwith a bird

अस्मत्प्रणेयःto be led/controlled by us; our dependent

राजाthe king

इतिthus (quotative)

लोकान्people; the populace

श्वtomorrow

एवindeed, just

वदन्तिthey say

उतalso, moreover

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhishma

king (rājā)

people (lokāḥ)

bird (pakṣin)

string/cord (sūtra)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Bhishma warns that when courtiers or power-brokers treat the king as a controllable instrument, governance becomes a game of manipulation; such contempt for rightful authority undermines dharma and harms the people.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma describes a situation where influential persons seek to ‘play’ with the king—keeping him effectively tethered like a bird on a string—and boast to the public that the king acts only at their command.