Shloka 14

Devanagari script

नाविद्यो नानजुः पाश्चे नाप्राज्ञो नामहाधन: । संग्राह्मो वसुधापालै भुत्यो भृत्यवतां वर,भृत्यवानोंमें श्रेष्ठ युधिष्ठिर! भूपालोंको चाहिये कि अपने पास ऐसे किसी भृत्यका संग्रह न करें, जो विद्याहीन, सरलतासे रहित, मूर्ख और दरिद्र हो

Transliteration

nāvidyo nānajuḥ pāśce nāprājño nāmahādhanaḥ | saṅgrāhyo vasudhāpālair bhṛtyo bhṛtyavatāṃ vara ||

Translation

Bhīṣma sprach: „O Bester unter denen, die Diener halten: Ein König, der die Erde schützt, soll keinen Gefolgsmann in seinem Dienst behalten, der ungelehrt ist, es an Geradheit fehlen lässt, töricht ist oder in großer Armut lebt. Ein solcher wird für verantwortliche Aufgaben untauglich und kann Ordnung und Wohlergehen gefährden, die der Herrscher zu wahren verpflichtet ist.“

Word by Word

नnot

अविद्यःunlearned, without knowledge

नnor

अनर्जुःnot straightforward, not simple/upright

पाश्चेuncertain (textual reading unclear)

नnor

अप्राज्ञःfoolish, unintelligent

नnor

महाधनःvery wealthy (lit. having great wealth)

संग्राह्यःto be accepted/retained (as a servant)

वसुधापालैःby kings, by rulers of the earth

भृत्यःservant, attendant

भृत्यवताम्of those who have servants

वरO best

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhīṣma

Yudhiṣṭhira

vasudhāpāla (king/ruler)

bhṛtya (retainer/servant)

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 must be discerning in appointing retainers: those lacking learning, integrity/straightforwardness, practical wisdom, or basic stability (extreme poverty) are unsuitable for entrusted duties, since poor character or incapacity can harm the kingdom’s welfare and dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on rājadharma, Bhīṣma continues advising King Yudhiṣṭhira on statecraft—here specifying the kinds of attendants a king should avoid retaining in his service.