Shloka 36

शततमः सर्गः — Rāma Questions Bharata on Rājadharma

Governance, Counsel, and Public Welfare

Devanagari script

कच्चिदष्टादशान्येषु स्वपक्षे दश पञ्च च।त्रिभिस्त्रिभिरविज्ञातैर्वेत्सि तीर्थानि चारकैः।।।।

Transliteration

kaccid aṣṭādaśa anyeṣu svapakṣe daśa pañca ca | tribhis tribhir avijñātair vetsi tīrthāni cārakaiḥ ||

Translation

Hältst du dich durch unkenntliche Späher—je drei für jedes Amt—über die entscheidenden Stellen unterrichtet: die achtzehn auf der Seite des Feindes und die fünfzehn in deinem eigenen Lager?

Word by Word

• कच्चित्: I hope / is it the case that
• कच्चित्: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः) (discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कच्चित् (अव्यय)
• Form: Interrogative particle (प्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय), expressing hope

• अष्टादश: eighteen
• अष्टादश: Visheshana (विशेषण) (numerical qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अष्ट + दश (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) (समास)
• Form: Numeral (संख्यावाचक), indeclinable-like usage here; qualifying an implied plural (e.g., 'तीर्थानि/स्थानानि')

• अन्येषु: among the others / on the enemy side
• अन्येषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण) (location/domain)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter (पुं/नपुंसक), Locative (सप्तमी) Plural (बहुवचन); 'among others/enemies' contextually

• स्वपक्षे: in your own camp
• स्वपक्षे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व + पक्ष (प्रातिपदिक; स्वपक्ष) (समास)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Locative (सप्तमी) Singular (एकवचन); 'in one's own side/faction'

• दश: ten
• दश: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दश (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Numeral (संख्यावाचक), used as count

• पञ्च: five
• पञ्च: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्च (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Numeral (संख्यावाचक), used as count

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः) (connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय): 'and'

• त्रिभिः: by three (each)
• त्रिभिः: Karana (करण) (means/arrangement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Instrumental (तृतीया) Plural (बहुवचन); numeral used substantively: 'by threes'

• त्रिभिः: by three (each)
• त्रिभिः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Instrumental (तृतीया) Plural (बहुवचन); repetition for distributive sense

• अविज्ञातैः: by unrecognized (ones)
• अविज्ञातैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अविज्ञात (कृदन्त; ज्ञा धातु (धातु) + वि- उपसर्ग, क्त; with privative अ-)
• Form: Instrumental (तृतीया) Plural (बहुवचन), Masculine/Neuter; qualifying 'चारकैः': 'by unrecognized (spies)'

• वेत्सि: you know / ascertain
• वेत्सि: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (धातु)
• Form: Present tense (लट्), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), Second person (मध्यमपुरुष) Singular (एकवचन)

• तीर्थानि: key points / posts
• तीर्थानि: Karma (कर्म) (object of 'वेत्सि')
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया) Plural (बहुवचन); here: 'strategic points/official posts'

• चारकैः: by spies
• चारकैः: Karana (करण) (means: through spies)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चारक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया) Plural (बहुवचन)

Context

I hope you collect information (of their secret efforts) intelligently through unrecognisable spies with three of them closely watching each of the eighteen officials (there are eighteen categories of officials in a kingdom) of the enemy's side and fifteen(officials) on your side.

Characters & Entities

• Bharata

FAQs

What is the core ethical principle (Dharma) in this verse?

Rājadharma: a ruler must protect the realm through prudent vigilance—gathering truthful intelligence without endangering public order.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma, living in exile, questions Bharata about responsible governance and whether he maintains effective intelligence on both enemies and internal administration.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Prudence and foresight (nīti/jñāna): disciplined, methodical attention to security and administration.