Shloka 54

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

Devanagari script

हयं वा दन्तिनं वापि रथं वा नृपसत्तम | अभिरोहन्त्यनादृत्य हर्षुले पार्थिवे मृदौ,नूपशिरोमणे! परिहासशील कोमलस्वभाववाले राजाको पाकर सेवकगण उसकी अवहेलना करते हुए उसके घोड़े, हाथी अथवा रथको अपनी सवारीके काममें लाते हैं

Transliteration

hayaṃ vā dantinaṃ vāpi rathaṃ vā nṛpasattama | abhirohanty anādṛtya harṣule pārthive mṛdau ||

Translation

Bhishma said: “O best of kings, when a ruler is soft and pliant by nature and given to frivolous mirth, his attendants, disregarding him, mount and use his horse, his elephant, or his chariot as if for their own pleasure.”

Word by Word

हयम्horse

वाor

दन्तिनम्elephant (tusked one)

वाor

अपिalso/even

रथम्chariot

वाor

नृपसत्तमO best of kings

अभिरोहन्तिthey mount/ride

अनादृत्यdisregarding, without respecting

हर्षुलेin/when (he is) cheerful/softly delighted

पार्थिवेin/with regard to the king

मृदौwhen (he is) gentle/soft

नूपशिरोमणेO crest-jewel of kings (lit. of rulers)

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhishma

King (addressed as nṛpasattama)

Horse

Elephant

Chariot

Attendants/servants (implied by the verb in plural)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A ruler who is overly soft and playful invites contempt; lack of firmness in governance leads subordinates to disregard authority and misuse royal resources.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma is instructing the king on practical rajadharma, illustrating how attendants behave when they perceive the ruler as indulgent and weak—openly riding the king’s horse, elephant, or chariot without proper respect.