Shloka 46

Daṇḍotpatti-kathana (Origin and Function of Daṇḍa) — वसुहोम–मान्धातृ संवाद

Devanagari script

भिक्षुका: प्राड्विवाकाश्व मौहूर्ता दैवचिन्तका: । कोशो मित्राणि धान्यं च सर्वोपकरणानि च

Transliteration

bhikṣukāḥ prāḍvivākāś ca mauhūrtā daivacintakāḥ | kośo mitrāṇi dhānyaṃ ca sarvopakaraṇāni ca ||

Translation

ভিক্ষুক, প্রাড্বিবাক (বিদ্বান আইনজ্ঞ), মুহূর্তজ্ঞ, দৈবচিন্তক; এবং কোষাগার, মিত্র, ধান্য ও সর্বপ্রকার উপকরণ—এগুলিও রাজ্যধারণকারী অঙ্গ বলে গণ্য।

Word by Word

• भिक्षुकाः: mendicants/beggars
• भिक्षुकाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भिक्षुक
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• प्राड्विवाकाः: chief judges/royal adjudicators
• प्राड्विवाकाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राड्विवाक
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• मौहूर्ताः: muhūrta-astrologers (auspicious-time calculators)
• मौहूर्ताः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मौहूर्त
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• दैवचिन्तकाः: diviners/omen-interpreters (those who ponder the divine)
• दैवचिन्तकाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैवचिन्तक
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• कोशः: treasury
• कोशः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कोश
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• मित्राणि: allies/friends
• मित्राणि: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मित्र
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Plural

• धान्यम्: grain/provisions
• धान्यम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: धान्य
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• सर्वोपकरणानि: all implements/equipment
• सर्वोपकरणानि: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्वोपकरण
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• bhikṣu (mendicants)
• prāḍvivāka (advocates/jurists)
• mauhūrta (astrologers)
• daivacintaka (diviners/religious advisers)
• kośa (treasury)
• mitra (allies)
• dhānya (grain/provisions)
• upakaraṇa (equipment/resources)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse situates various social specialists and material resources—legal experts, astrologers/diviners, treasury, allies, provisions, and equipment—as essential supports of the kingdom, within a broader rājadharma framework where the state is viewed as an organism whose stability ultimately depends on daṇḍa (lawful discipline/punishment) to maintain order.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti Parva, Bhīṣma instructs Yudhiṣṭhira on rājadharma (the duties of kings). Here he continues enumerating the elements that uphold a polity—both personnel and resources—clarifying how governance relies on coordinated ‘limbs’ of the state and the regulating force of authority.