Shloka 18

Śīla-prāpti and Śīla-lakṣaṇa (शीलप्राप्ति-शीललक्षणम्) | On the Acquisition and Marks of Character

Devanagari script

त॑ प्रजा नानुवर्तन्ते ब्राह्मयणा न च साधव: । ततः संशयमाप्रोति तथा वध्यत्वमेति च,उस दशामें प्रजा उसका साथ नहीं देती। साधु और ब्राह्मण भी उसका अनुसरण नहीं करते हैं। फिर तो उसका जीवन खतरेमें पड़ जाता है और अन्ततोगत्वा वह प्रजाके ही हाथसे मारा भी जाता है

Transliteration

taṁ prajā nānuvartante brāhmaṇā na ca sādhavaḥ | tataḥ saṁśayam āpnoti tathā vadhyatvam eti ca ||

Translation

ৰাজা যেতিয়া এনে অৱস্থালৈ পতিত হয়, তেতিয়া প্ৰজাই আৰু তেওঁক অনুসৰণ নকৰে; ব্ৰাহ্মণসকল আৰু সাধুজনোও তেওঁৰ নেতৃত্ব সমৰ্থন নকৰে। তেতিয়া তেওঁ সন্দেহৰ পাত্ৰ হয়, তেওঁৰ জীৱন বিপদত পৰে, আৰু শেষত প্ৰায়ে যিসকলক ৰক্ষা কৰিব লাগিছিল সেই প্ৰজাৰ হাতেই নিহত হ’বলগীয়া অৱস্থালৈও উপনীত হয়।

Word by Word

ताःthose

प्रजाःsubjects, people

नnot

अनुवर्तन्तेfollow, comply with

ब्राह्मणाःBrahmins

नnot

चand

साधवःgood men, virtuous people

ततःthen, thereafter

संशयम्doubt, peril

आप्नोतिreaches, comes to

तथाthus, likewise

वध्यत्वम्state of being to be slain, liability to execution

एतिgoes to, comes to

चand

Speaker

कामन्दक उवाच

Characters & Entities

Kāmandaka

prajā (subjects/people)

brāhmaṇas

sādhus (virtuous persons)

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?

A ruler’s authority depends on dharmic conduct and moral legitimacy. When he loses the confidence of the people and the endorsement of the virtuous and brāhmaṇas, suspicion arises and he becomes vulnerable—even to the point of being considered fit to be removed or slain.

What is happening in the narrative?

Kāmandaka is describing the political-ethical fallout of a king’s decline into wrongful conduct: public support collapses, respected moral voices withdraw, distrust spreads, and the ruler’s personal safety and right to rule are imperiled.