Shloka 19

Āśrama-dharma: Duties of the Four Life-Stages (आश्रमधर्मः)

Devanagari script

स्वेषु धर्मेष्ववस्थाप्य प्रजा: सर्वा महीपति: । धर्मेण सर्वकृत्यानि शमनिष्ठानि कारयेत्‌,राजा समस्त प्रजाओंको अपने-अपने धर्मोमें स्थापित करके उनके द्वारा शान्तिपूर्ण समस्त कर्मोंका धर्मके अनुसार अनुष्ठान करावे

Transliteration

sveṣu dharmeṣv avasthāpya prajāḥ sarvā mahīpatiḥ | dharmeṇa sarvakṛtyāni śamanīṣṭhāni kārayet ||

Translation

Bhishma said: Having established all his subjects firmly in their respective duties, the king should, in accordance with dharma, cause every necessary undertaking to be carried out in a spirit of peace and restraint—so that public life proceeds through lawful, calming, and welfare-oriented action rather than coercion or disorder.

Word by Word

स्वेषुin their own

धर्मेषुduties/laws

अवस्थाप्यhaving established

प्रजाःsubjects/people

सर्वाःall

महीपतिःthe king (lord of the earth)

धर्मेणby/through dharma

सर्वकृत्यानिall duties/acts to be done

शमनिष्ठानिpeaceful, tending to pacification

कारयेत्should cause (them) to be done / should have performed

राजाthe king

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhishma

king (mahīpati)

subjects/people (prajāḥ)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Geographic Context

Sandhi Notes