Shloka 9

Book 12, Chapter 93 — Vāmadeva’s Counsel to King Vasumanā on Dharmic Kingship (धर्मप्रधान-राजधर्मोपदेशः)

Devanagari script

असत्पापिष्ठसचिवो वध्यो लोकस्य धर्महा । सहैव परिवारेण क्षिप्रमेवावसीदति

Transliteration

asatpāpiṣṭhasacivo vadhyo lokasya dharmahā | sahaiva parivāreṇa kṣipramevāvāsīdati ||

Translation

Wer sich mit bösen und höchst sündigen Ratgebern umgibt—wer strafwürdig ist und das Dharma des Volkes zerstört—stürzt rasch ins Verderben, mitsamt seinem ganzen Gefolge.

Word by Word

• असत्: wicked, bad
• असत्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: असत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पापिष्ठ-सचिवः: one whose minister is most sinful / a man with a very wicked adviser
• पापिष्ठ-सचिवः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पापिष्ठ + सचिव
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• वध्यः: fit to be slain, deserving death
• वध्यः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वध्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• लोकस्य: of the people/world
• लोकस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• धर्महा: destroyer of dharma
• धर्महा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्महन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सह: together with
• सह: Karana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह

• एव: indeed, just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• परिवारेण: with (his) retinue/family
• परिवारेण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: परिवार
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• क्षिप्रम्: quickly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्षिप्र

• एव: indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• अवसीदति: perishes, sinks down, comes to ruin
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव + सद्
• Form: Present, Third, Singular

Speaker

वामदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

• वामदेव (Vāmadeva)
• लोक (the people/world)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Rulership collapses when guided by wicked counsellors and when it harms public dharma; ethical governance and righteous advice are essential, otherwise downfall comes swiftly and spreads to one’s whole circle.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vāmadeva is instructing on rājadharma (the duties of rulers), warning that a leader who keeps sinful advisers and undermines the people’s moral order becomes punishable and rapidly meets ruin along with his entourage.