Shloka 5
अध्याय ६ — युधिष्ठिरस्य वैराग्य-वाक्यं धृतराष्ट्रस्य वनगमनाभिलाषश्च
Chapter 6: Yudhiṣṭhira’s Renunciatory Appeal and Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Resolve for the Forest
इस प्रकार श्रीमह्याभारत आश्रमवासिकपवके अन्तर्गत आश्रमवासपर्वमें धृतराष्रका उपदेशविषयक पाँचवाँ अध्याय पूरा हुआ,एतन्मण्डलमित्याहुराचार्या नीतिकोविदा: । कुरुश्रेष्ठट अमात्य (मन्त्री), जनपद (देश), नाना प्रकारके दुर्ग और सेना--इनपर शत्रुओंका यथेष्ट लक्ष्य रहता है (अतः इनकी रक्षाके लिये सदा सावधान रहना चाहिये)। प्रभो! कुन्तीनन्दन! उपर्युक्त बारह प्रकारके मनुष्य राजाओंके ही मुख्य विषय हैं। मन्त्रीके अधीन रहनेवाले कृषि आदि साठ” गुण और पूर्वोक्त बारह प्रकारके मनुष्य--इन सबको नीतिज्ञ आचार्योने “मण्डल” नाम दिया है || ३-४ $ || अत्र षाड्गुण्यमायत्तं युधिष्ठिर निबोध तत्
etad maṇḍalam ity āhur ācāryā nīti-kovidāḥ | kuru-śreṣṭha amātya-janapada-nānā-vidha-durga-senāsu śatrūṇāṃ yathā-iṣṭaṃ lakṣyaṃ bhavati | ataḥ teṣāṃ rakṣāyāṃ sadā apramādaḥ kartavyaḥ | prabho kuntī-nandana! uparyuktā dvādaśa-vidhā manuṣyā rājñāṃ mukhyā viṣayāḥ | amātyādhīnāni kṛṣi-ādīni ṣaṣṭi-guṇāḥ pūrvoktāś ca dvādaśa-vidhā manuṣyāḥ—etān sarvān nīti-jñā ācāryāḥ “maṇḍalam” iti nāmnā vadanti | atra ṣāḍguṇyam āyattaṃ yudhiṣṭhira nibodha tat ||
The teachers skilled in statecraft declare: “This is what is called the ‘circle of the realm’ (maṇḍala).” O best of the Kurus, enemies keep their eyes fixed, as they please, upon a king’s ministerial council, his country and people, his various forts, and his army; therefore one must remain ever vigilant in protecting these. O lord, son of Kuntī, the twelve kinds of persons mentioned above are the principal concerns of kings. The sixty functions such as agriculture that fall under the minister’s supervision, together with those twelve classes of persons—these all, say the learned authorities on polity, are collectively termed the ‘maṇḍala.’ Now, O Yudhiṣṭhira, understand that the sixfold policy depends upon this.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
A king’s effective rule depends on understanding and safeguarding the ‘maṇḍala’—the interconnected political and administrative factors (ministers, realm, forts, army, key social categories). Since enemies constantly watch these vulnerabilities, vigilant protection is a moral and practical duty of governance; upon this foundation rests the sixfold diplomatic policy (ṣāḍguṇya).
Vaiśampāyana continues a didactic passage addressed to Yudhiṣṭhira, summarizing how authorities on polity define the ‘maṇḍala’ and warning that enemies target a kingdom’s core supports. The discourse transitions toward explaining the ṣāḍguṇya (six measures of foreign policy) as dependent on this framework.