Shloka 15

Gaṇānāṃ Vṛttiḥ — On the Sustenance and Cohesion of Assemblies

Gaṇa-nīti

Devanagari script

अर्थाश्वैवाधिगम्यन्ते संघातबलपौरुषै: । बाह्वाश्र मैत्रीं कुर्वन्ति तेषु संघातवृत्तिषु

Transliteration

arthāś caivādhigamyante saṅghātabala-pauruṣaiḥ | bāhvāśrayā maitrīṃ kurvanti teṣu saṅghāta-vṛttiṣu ||

Translation

Bhishma said: Wealth and worldly gains are indeed secured through the strength and manly effort of one’s own faction. Relying on the power of their arms, people form friendships within such circles—alliances shaped by group-interest and collective advantage.

Word by Word

• अर्थाः: objects/ends (wealth, aims)
• अर्थाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• एव: indeed/only
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• अधिगम्यन्ते: are attained/obtained
• Type: Verb
• Root: अधि-गम्
• Form: Present, Passive, Third, Plural

• संघात: aggregation/union
• Type: Noun
• Root: संघात
• Form: Masculine, Stem (in compound), Singular

• बल: strength
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल
• Form: Neuter, Stem (in compound), Singular

• पौरुषैः: by manly efforts/valor
• पौरुषैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पौरुष
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• बाह्वाश्र: arm-dependent (relying on one’s arms)
• बाह्वाश्र: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बाह्वाश्र
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• मैत्रीम्: friendship
• मैत्रीम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मैत्री
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• कुर्वन्ति: they make/do
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: Present, Parasmaipada, Third, Plural

• तेषु: among/in those
• तेषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Locative, Plural

• संघात: union/combination
• Type: Noun
• Root: संघात
• Form: Masculine, Stem (in compound), Singular

• वृत्तिषु: in the modes of conduct/ways of life
• वृत्तिषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृत्ति
• Form: Feminine, Locative, Plural

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma