Shloka 5

अध्याय ७२ — राजधर्मः: प्रजारक्षण, कर-नीति, दण्ड-नीति, अमात्य-नियोजन

Chapter 72 — Royal Duty: protection of subjects, taxation, punishment, and appointments

Devanagari script

धर्मकार्याणि निर्वर्त्य मड्लानि प्रयुज्य च । ब्राह्मणान्‌ वाचयेथास्त्वमर्थसिद्धिजयाशिष:

Transliteration

dharma-kāryāṇi nirvartya maṇḍlāni prayujya ca | brāhmaṇān vācayethās tvaṁ artha-siddhi-jayāśiṣaḥ ||

Translation

Bhīṣma sprach: „Nachdem du deine verpflichtenden religiösen Handlungen vollzogen und die glückverheißenden zeremoniellen Anordnungen getroffen hast, lass die Brahmanen Segensformeln (svasti) sprechen. Nimm ihren Segen an — zum Gelingen deiner Vorhaben und zum Sieg.“

Word by Word

• धर्मकार्याणि: religious duties/acts
• धर्मकार्याणि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्मकार्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• निर्वर्त्य: having completed
• Type: Verb
• Root: निर्वृत्
• Form: Lyap (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage), having completed/finished

• मण्डलानि: circles/mandalas (ritual diagrams/objects)
• मण्डलानि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मण्डल
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• प्रयुज्य: having used/applied
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रयुज्
• Form: Lyap (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage), having employed/used

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

• ब्राह्मणान्: Brahmins
• ब्राह्मणान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• वाचयेथाः: you should cause to recite / have them recite
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (णिच्: वाचय)
• Form: Vidhi-linga (optative), Second, Singular, Parasmaipada, Active

• अस्तु: let it be / indeed
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस्
• Form: Lot (imperative), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada, Active

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: —, Nominative, Singular

• अर्थसिद्धि: for success in purpose/wealth
• अर्थसिद्धि: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थसिद्धि
• Form: Feminine, Dative, Singular

• जय: for victory
• जय: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: जय
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Singular

• आशिषः: blessings
• आशिषः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: आशिष्
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Plural

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• Brahmins
• maṇḍla (ritual diagram/auspicious arrangement)
• āśiṣ (blessings)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Bhishma teaches that worldly aims—especially victory and success—should be pursued only after fulfilling dharmic obligations and seeking auspicious benedictions from qualified Brahmins; ethical order and sacred sanction are presented as foundations for effective action.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Bhishma’s instruction within the Shanti Parva, he advises the listener (a ruler/agent) to first complete daily religious observances, then perform or employ auspicious ritual arrangements, and finally have Brahmins recite blessings (svasti) to secure success and victory.