Shloka 3

राजधर्मप्रश्नः — Yudhiṣṭhira’s Inquiry into Rājadharma (Śānti-parva 56)

Devanagari script

राजधर्मान्‌ विशेषेण कथयस्व पितामह | सर्वस्य जीवलोकस्य राजधर्म: परायणम्‌,पितामह! राजधर्म सम्पूर्ण जीवजगत्‌का परम आश्रय है; अतः आप राजधर्मोंका ही विशेषरूपसे वर्णन कीजिये

Transliteration

yudhiṣṭhira uvāca |

rājadharmān viśeṣeṇa kathayasva pitāmaha |

sarvasya jīvalokasya rājadharmaḥ parāyaṇam, pitāmaha ||

Translation

Yudhiṣṭhira said: “O Grandsire, describe to me in particular the duties of kingship. For the dharma of the king is the supreme refuge of the entire world of living beings, O Pitāmaha.”

Word by Word

• राजधर्मान्: royal duties / duties of a king
• राजधर्मान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजधर्म
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• विशेषेण: especially, in particular
• विशेषेण: Karana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विशेष

• कथयस्व: tell, relate
• कथयस्व: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: कथय्
• Form: Imperative, Second, Singular, Parasmaipada

• पितामह: O grandsire
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितामह
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• सर्वस्य: of all
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• जीवलोकस्य: of the world of living beings
• Type: Noun
• Root: जीवलोक
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• राजधर्मः: royal duty / kingly law
• राजधर्मः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजधर्म
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• परायणम्: the supreme refuge / final resort
• Type: Noun
• Root: परायण
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• पितामह: O grandsire
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितामह
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

युधिषछिर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Pitāmaha (Bhīṣma)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Royal duty (rājadharma) is presented as the paramount support of society: the well-being and moral order of all beings depend on righteous governance, so it must be taught with special care and detail.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Śānti Parva, Yudhiṣṭhira, seeking guidance after the war, addresses Bhīṣma (the Grandsire) and requests a focused exposition on rājadharma—how a king should rule so that the whole living world finds protection and stability.