Anushasana Parva Adhyaya 172 Shloka 12 - Mahabharata | English | Vedapath

Vyasa

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Shloka 12

Devanagari script

रज्जयस्व प्रजा: सर्वा: प्रकृती: परिसान्त्वय । सुहृद: फलसत्कारैरर्चयस्व यथाहत:

Transliteration

rajjayasva prajāḥ sarvāḥ prakṛtīḥ parisāntvaya | suhṛdaḥ phala-satkārair arcayasva yathāhataḥ ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: “Keep all your subjects content and loyal; reassure and conciliate the king’s ministers and other constituent elements of the state. Honor your well-wishers appropriately, with gifts of fruits and with respectful hospitality, according to their merit.”

Word by Word

रञ्जयस्वplease gladden / keep pleased

प्रजाःsubjects, people

सर्वाःall

प्रकृतीःministers/officials; constituents (of the state)

परिसान्त्वयcomfort, conciliate

सुहृदःfriends, well-wishers

फलwith fruits (as gifts)

सत्कारैःwith honors, courtesies

अर्चयस्वhonor, worship, show respect

यथाas, according to

आहतःstruck/afflicted (as read); contextually intended: 'as is proper' (often read as यथार्हतः)

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

prajā (subjects)

prakṛti (state constituents, e.g., ministers)

suhṛd (well-wishers/allies)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A ruler must actively maintain public contentment, stabilize the administrative ‘constituents’ (especially ministers and key stakeholders) through reassurance, and sustain alliances by timely, fitting honor and hospitality—governance is upheld by satisfaction, conciliation, and appropriate recognition.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Anuśāsana-parvan’s instruction on conduct, Vaiśampāyana reports counsel emphasizing practical royal duty: keep the populace pleased, pacify the state’s functionaries, and honor friends and supporters with suitable gifts and respectful reception.