Shloka 11

Devanagari script

अनुरुक्तेन चेष्टेन हृष्टन जगतीपति: । अल्पेनापि हि सैन्येन महीं जयति भूमिप:,यदि सेना स्वामीके प्रति अनुराग रखनेवाली, प्रिय और हृष्ट-पुष्ट हो तो उस थोड़ी-सी सेनाके द्वारा भी राजा पृथ्वीपर विजय पा सकता है

Transliteration

anuruktena ceṣṭena hṛṣṭo jagatīpatiḥ | alpenāpi hi sainyena mahīṃ jayati bhūmipaḥ, yadi senā svāmike prati anurāga rakhanevālī, priya aur hṛṣṭa-puṣṭa ho to us thoṛī-sī senā ke dvārā bhī rājā pṛthvī par vijaya pā sakatā hai |

Translation

Bhīṣma sprach: Wenn der Herr des Reiches durch treues Verhalten erfreut ist, kann ein König selbst mit einem kleinen Heer die Erde bezwingen—sofern dieses Heer seinem Herrn zugetan, ihm ergeben und heiter, kräftig und wohlgenährt ist.

Word by Word

अनुरुक्तेनby (what is) agreeable/pleasing

चेष्टेनby effort/endeavor

हृष्टःdelighted, pleased

नृपतिःthe king

जगतीपतिःlord of the earth

अल्पेनby a small (amount)

अपिeven, also

हिindeed, for

सैन्येनby an army

महीम्the earth

जयतिconquers

भूमिपःthe king

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhishma

king (bhūmipa)

sovereign (jagatīpati)

army (sainya/senā)

earth (mahī)

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’s success depends not merely on the size of the forces but on the army’s devotion to its leader, disciplined conduct, and high morale; a loyal and well-cared-for force can achieve great victories even when small.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on royal duty and governance, Bhishma advises the king that winning and stability come from cultivating the troops’ loyalty and well-being; he frames military effectiveness as an ethical responsibility of the ruler.