Shloka 39

अध्याय ५७ — राज्ञः नित्यप्रयत्नः, रक्षा-प्रधानता, तथा त्याग-नीतिः

Chapter 57: Constant Royal Vigilance, Primacy of Protection, and Principles of Dismissal

Devanagari script

यस्य चाराश्न मन्त्राश्न नित्यं चैव कृताकृता: । न ज्ञायन्ते हि रिपुभि: स राजा राज्यमहति

Transliteration

yasya cārāś ca mantrāś ca nityaṃ caiva kṛtākṛtāḥ | na jñāyante hi ripubhiḥ sa rājā rājyam arhati ||

Translation

Bhishma said: The king whose spies and counsellors—those who constantly attend to what should be done and what should not be done—remain unknown to his enemies, that king is truly fit to hold and govern a kingdom.

Word by Word

यस्यof whom/whose

चand

आराश्नाःspies/secret agents

मन्त्राश्नाःcounsellors/agents of counsel (lit. ‘eaters of counsel’)

नित्यम्always

चand

एवindeed/just

कृताकृताःthose who have done and not done (i.e., engaged in both kinds of acts; active/inactive as needed)

नnot

ज्ञायन्तेare known/are recognized

हिindeed/for

रिपुभिःby enemies

सःhe/that (man)

राजाking

राज्यम्kingdom

अहतिstrikes down/destroys

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhishma

king (rājā)

enemies (ripu)

spies (cāra)

counsellors/ministers (mantrin/mantra)

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 must maintain effective, discreet intelligence and counsel. When a king’s spies and advisers—who continually judge what should and should not be done—cannot be identified by enemies, he is considered worthy of sovereignty because his governance and security are protected.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on rajadharma, Bhishma is advising Yudhishthira on the practical duties of kingship. Here he emphasizes secrecy and protection of the king’s intelligence network and counsel so that hostile powers cannot undermine the state.