Shloka 43

Daṇḍotpatti-kathana (Origin and Function of Daṇḍa) — वसुहोम–मान्धातृ संवाद

Devanagari script

कुलं बहुधनामात्या: प्रज्ञा प्रोक्ता बलानि तु । आहार्यमष्ट कैद्रव्यै्बलमन्यद्‌ युधिष्ठिर

Transliteration

kulaṃ bahudhanāmātyāḥ prajñā proktā balāni tu | āhāryam aṣṭa dravyair balaṃ anyad yudhiṣṭhira ||

Translation

Bhishma said: “O Yudhiṣṭhira, a king’s strength is spoken of in two ways—natural and acquired. Natural strength consists of these four: noble lineage, abundant wealth, capable ministers, and discerning intelligence. Acquired strength is different; it is understood as eightfold, arising from eight specific resources.”

Word by Word

• {'kulaṃ': 'family, lineage, noble house', 'bahu-dhana': 'abundant wealth, great riches', 'amātyāḥ': 'ministers, counsellors, high officials', 'prajñā': 'intelligence, practical wisdom, discernment', 'balāni': 'strengths, sources of power', 'proktā': 'declared, stated, taught', 'āhāryam': 'acquired, brought in, obtained through means', 'aṣṭa': 'eight', 'dravyaiḥ': 'by resources/substances/means (instrumental plural of dravya)', 'anyat': 'other, distinct', 'yudhiṣṭhira': 'O Yudhiṣṭhira (vocative)'}

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Yudhiṣṭhira
• rājā (the king)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Bhishma classifies royal power into two categories: natural strengths (lineage, wealth, ministers, intelligence) and acquired strengths, which are obtained through specific resources and are described as eightfold.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on rājadharma, Bhishma continues advising Yudhiṣṭhira on the foundations of effective and ethical kingship, beginning here by defining what constitutes a king’s ‘strength’ and how it is to be understood.