Shloka 10

मयूरवद्राजधर्मः (Mayūra-vat Rāja-dharma) — The Peacock-Model of Protective Kingship

Devanagari script

न्यग्भूतास्तत्परा: शान्ताश्वौक्षा: प्रकृतिजै: शुभा: । स्वस्थानानपक्ुष्टा ये ते स्यू राज्ञां बहिश्वचरा:,जो विनीत, कार्यपरायण, शान्तस्वभाव, चतुर, स्वाभाविक शुभ गुणोंसे सम्पन्न तथा अपने-अपने पदपर निन्दासे रहित हों, वे ही राजाओंके बाह्य सेवक होने योग्य हैं

Transliteration

nyagbhūtās tatparāḥ śāntāś caukṣāḥ prakṛtijaiḥ śubhāḥ | svasthānān apakuṣṭā ye te syū rājñāṃ bahiścarāḥ ||

Translation

Bhishma said: “Those who are humble, devoted to their duty, calm in temperament, discerning and capable, endowed with innate auspicious qualities, and free from blame in their own appointed posts—such persons alone are fit to serve kings as external attendants and agents.”

Word by Word

न्यग्भूताःhumble, submissive

तत्पराःdevoted (to that duty)

शान्ताःcalm, peaceful

अवौक्षाःclever, discerning (reading uncertain)

प्रकृतिजैःborn of nature, natural

शुभैःgood, auspicious (qualities)

स्वस्थानान्their own posts/places

अपकुष्टाःnot censured, blameless

येwho

तेthey

स्युःshould be

राज्ञाम्of kings

बहिःचराःouter attendants/servants

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhīṣma

king(s) (rājā)

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?

Bhīṣma teaches that those entrusted with a king’s external service or agency must be humble, duty-focused, calm, discerning, naturally virtuous, and of spotless reputation in their own office; moral character and competence are prerequisites for proximity to royal power.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Śānti Parva, Bhīṣma is instructing Yudhiṣṭhira on righteous governance. Here he specifies the qualities required for outward-facing royal attendants/agents, emphasizing disciplined temperament and blameless conduct as safeguards for the kingdom.