Shloka 19

Devanagari script

यस्य नारतों जनपद: संनिकर्षगत: सदा । अक्षुद्र: सत्यथालम्बी स राजा राज्यभाग्भवेत्‌,जिसका देश दुखी न हो तथा सदा समीपवर्ती बना रहे, जो स्वयं भी छोटे विचारका न होकर सदा सन्मार्गका अवलम्बन करनेवाला हो, वही राजा राज्यका भागी होता है

Transliteration

yasya nārto janapadaḥ saṃnikarṣa-gataḥ sadā | akṣudraḥ satya-thālambī sa rājā rājya-bhāg bhavet ||

Translation

Bhishma said: That king alone truly deserves a share in sovereignty whose realm is not afflicted, whose people remain steadily within his protective reach, who is not petty-minded, and who stands firmly upon truth and the right path.

Word by Word

यस्यwhose

नnot

अरातःfrom enemies

जनपदःthe realm/country

संनिकर्षगतःhaving come into close proximity (i.e., kept near/accessible)

सदाalways

अक्षुद्रःnot petty; magnanimous

सत्यथा-आलम्बीone who relies on truth and right conduct

सःhe

राजाking

राज्यभाग्entitled to/partaker of kingship

भवेत्would be/should be

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhishma

king (rājā)

janapada (realm/people)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A ruler is legitimate only when he ensures the people are not distressed, keeps the realm securely within his protective governance, avoids petty-mindedness, and upholds truth and the righteous path; sovereignty is framed as a moral entitlement grounded in public welfare and integrity.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on rajadharma, Bhishma teaches Yudhishthira the standards of kingship, defining who truly deserves to rule by pointing to the condition of the subjects and the ruler’s character—closeness in protection, magnanimity, and steadfast truth.