Valmiki Ramayana 2.100.67: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 100, Shloka 67
शततमः सर्गः — Rāma Questions Bharata on Rājadharma
Governance, Counsel, and Public Welfare
नास्तिक्यमनृतं क्रोधं प्रमादं दीर्घसूत्रताम्।अदर्शनं ज्ञानवतामालस्यं पञ्चवृत्तिताम्।।2.100.65।।एकचिन्तनमर्थानामनर्थज्ञैश्च मन्त्रणम्।निश्चितानामनारम्भं मन्त्रस्यापरिरक्षणम्।।2.100.66।।मङ्गलाद्यप्रयोगं च प्रत्युत्थानं च सर्वतः।कच्चित्वं वर्जयस्येतान्राजदोषांश्चतुर्दश।।2.100.67।।
daśapañcacaturvargān saptavargaṃ ca tattvataḥ | aṣṭavargaṃ trivargaṃ ca vidyās tisraś ca rāghava ||
indriyāṇāṃ jayaṃ buddhyā ṣāḍguṇyaṃ daivamānuṣam | kṛtyaṃ viṃśativargaṃ ca tathā prakṛtimaṇḍalam ||
yātrādaṇḍavidhānaṃ ca dviyonī sandhivigrahau | kaccid etān mahāprājña yathāvad anumanyase ||
O Rāghava, du überaus Weise: Verstehst und befolgst du in ihrem wahren Sinn diese Ordnungen von Staatskunst und Lebensführung — die Zehner-, Fünfer- und Vierergruppen; die Siebener-, Achter- und Dreiermengen; die drei Zweige des Wissens; den Sieg über die Sinne durch den Verstand; die sechsfachen politischen Mittel; die Unheile aus Schicksal und menschlichem Tun; die Pflichten namens kṛtya; die zwanzigfache Einteilung; den Kreis der Bestandteile und Mandalas; die Regeln von Feldzug und Strafe; und die zwei Wege von Frieden und Krieg?
I trust you eschew the fourteen faults of kings, like atheism, falsehood, anger, inattention, procrastination, evading the wise, indolence, gratification of all five senses, planning alone in the affairs of the kingdom, consultation with people who are proficient in worthless acts, failure to implement decisious, inability to keep the counsel secret and omission of auspicious practices and setting out against all the enemies at a time.
FAQs
Dharma in governance is informed competence: a ruler must master recognized disciplines of polity, self-control, punishment, diplomacy, and war—so power is exercised responsibly and truthfully.
The speaker tests Bharata’s training in classical statecraft categories—diplomacy, punishment, expeditions, and control of the senses—expected of a king.
Practical wisdom (mahāprājñatā): disciplined intellect applied to ethics, administration, and strategy.
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