Shloka 12

दुर्ग-निवेश-राजधर्मः | Fortified Capital and the King’s Residential Polity

Rājadharma

Devanagari script

भाण्डागारायुधागारं प्रयत्नेनाभिवर्धयेत्‌ । निचयान्‌ वर्धयेत्‌ सर्वास्तथा यन्त्रायुधालयान्‌

Transliteration

bhāṇḍāgārāyudhāgāraṁ prayatnenābhivardhayet | nicayān vardhayet sarvāṁs tathā yantrāyudhālayān ||

Translation

Bhishma sprach: „Mit eifrigem Bemühen soll ein König seine Speicher und Waffenhäuser erweitern. Er soll jede Art von Vorrat mehren und ebenso die Werkstätten und Depots für Maschinen und Waffen ausbauen.“

Word by Word

• भाण्डागारायुधागारम्: the storehouse and the armoury
• भाण्डागारायुधागारम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: भाण्डागार-आयुधागार
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• प्रयत्नेन: with effort; diligently
• प्रयत्नेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रयत्न
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• अभिवर्धयेत्: should increase; should augment
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि+वृध्
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• निचयान्: stores; accumulations; stockpiles
• निचयान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: निचय
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• वर्धयेत्: should increase
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृध्
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• सर्वान्: all
• सर्वान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• तथा: and likewise; also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• यन्त्रायुधालयान्: workshops/depots of machines and weapons
• यन्त्रायुधालयान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: यन्त्र-आयुध-आलय
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• storehouses (bhāṇḍāgāra)
• armouries (āyudhāgāra)
• reserves/stockpiles (nicaya)
• machines (yantra)
• weapons (āyudha)
• workshops/depots (ālaya)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A ruler must maintain and expand logistical strength—supplies, armouries, reserves, and weapons/machine workshops—so the kingdom remains secure and capable of protecting dharma through stable governance.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Śānti Parva, Bhīṣma instructs Yudhiṣṭhira on rajadharma (duties of kingship). Here he gives practical counsel on state preparedness: building up storehouses, armaments, and production facilities.