Shloka 25

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

Rājadharma

Devanagari script

आश्रमेषु यथाकालं चैलभाजनभोजनम्‌ । सदैवोपहरेद्‌ राजा सत्कृत्याभ्यर्च्य मान्य च

Transliteration

āśrameṣu yathākālaṃ cailabhājanabhojanam | sadaivopahared rājā satkṛtyābhyarcya mānya ca ||

Translation

Bhīṣma sprach: Zu den rechten Zeiten soll der König in den Einsiedeleien stets Gaben darbringen—Kleidung, Gefäße und Speise—und dies mit gebührender Ehre, ehrfürchtiger Verehrung und Achtung tun. So wahrt er das Dharma, indem er jene erhält, die sich Askese und Lernen widmen.

Word by Word

• आश्रमेषु: in the hermitages
• आश्रमेषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: आश्रम
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Plural

• यथाकालम्: at the proper time
• यथाकालम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथाकालम्

• चैलभाजनभोजनम्: cloth, vessels, and food (as provisions)
• चैलभाजनभोजनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: चैलभाजनभोजन
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• सदैव: always
• सदैव: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा

• उपहरेत्: should offer / should present
• उपहरेत्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-हृ
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• राजा: the king
• राजा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सत्कृत्य: having honored / after honoring
• सत्कृत्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सत्-√कृ
• Form: Absolutive (Gerund), Parasmaipada

• अभ्यर्च्य: having worshipped / after paying reverence
• अभ्यर्च्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अभि-√अर्च्
• Form: Absolutive (Gerund), Parasmaipada

• मान्य: one worthy of honor (the venerable person)
• मान्य: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मान्य
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

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

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• rājā (the king)
• āśramas (hermitages)
• caila (garments)
• bhājana (vessels)
• bhojana (food)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A king’s dharma includes timely, respectful support of āśramas and venerable persons—providing essentials like clothing, utensils, and food, not as mere charity but as honored service that sustains spiritual and social welfare.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Śānti Parva, Bhīṣma instructs Yudhiṣṭhira on rājadharma. Here he specifies a practical duty of governance: regularly supplying hermitages and honored ascetics with necessities, offered with proper respect and reverence.