Shloka 9

मयूरवद्राजधर्मः (Mayūra-vat Rāja-dharma) — The Peacock-Model of Protective Kingship

Devanagari script

साधव: कुलजा: शूरा ज्ञानवन्तो5नसूयका: । अक्षद्रा: शुचयो दक्षा:स्युर्नरा: पारिपाश्वका:,साधु, कुलीन, शूरवीर, ज्ञानवानू, अदोषदर्शी, अच्छे स्वभाववाले, पवित्र और कार्यदक्ष मनुष्योंको ही राजा अपना पार्श्चवर्ती सेवक बनावे

Transliteration

bhīṣma uvāca | sādhavaḥ kulajāḥ śūrā jñānavanto 'nasūyakāḥ | akṣadrāḥ śucayo dakṣāḥ syur narāḥ pāripārśvakāḥ ||

Translation

Bhishma sprach: „Der König soll zu seinen nächsten Begleitern Männer bestellen, die tugendhaft, wohlgeboren und tapfer sind; die Urteilskraft besitzen und frei von Neid sind; die nicht dem Glücksspiel verfallen, in ihrem Wandel rein und im Handeln tüchtig. Solche Männer, nahe beim Herrscher, schützen das Reich durch Charakter ebenso wie durch Können.“

Word by Word

साधवःvirtuous, good

कुलजाःwell-born (born in a good family)

शूराःbrave, heroic

ज्ञानवन्तःpossessing knowledge, wise

अनसूयकाःnot envious, not censorious

अक्षुद्राःnot mean, not petty (noble-minded)

शुचयःpure, clean

दक्षाःcapable, efficient

स्युःshould be / may be

नराःmen, persons

पारिपाश्वकाःattendants at one’s side; close retainers

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhishma

king (rājā)

pāripārśvaka (close attendant/courtier)

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?

Bhishma teaches that a king’s inner circle should be chosen by moral and practical qualifications: virtue, good lineage and courage, wisdom without envy, freedom from gambling, purity, and competence. Such attendants protect the king and the state by preventing corruption, intrigue, and reckless habits.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on rājadharma, Bhishma advises Yudhishthira on governance. Here he specifies the traits required in those who remain close to the king—his side-attendants and courtiers—so that the ruler’s decisions and administration are supported by trustworthy, disciplined, and capable people.