Shloka 22

Kṣātra-dharma as the Public Foundation of Dharma (क्षात्रधर्म-प्रशंसा)

Devanagari script

राजर्षित्वेन राजेन्द्र भैक्ष्यचर्या न सेवया । अपेतगृहधर्मोडपि चरेज्जीवितकाम्यया,गृहस्थ-धर्मोका त्याग कर देनेपर भी क्षत्रियको ऋषिभावसे वेदान्तश्रवण आदि संन्यास-धर्मका पालन करते हुए जीवनरक्षाके लिये ही भिक्षाका आश्रय लेना चाहिये, सेवा करानेके लिये नहीं

Transliteration

bhīṣma uvāca | rājarṣitvena rājendra bhaikṣyacaryā na sevayā | apetagṛhadharmo 'pi carej jīvitakāmyayā ||

Translation

Bhishma said: O king of kings, one who lives as a royal sage should sustain himself by mendicancy, not by serving others for livelihood. Even after renouncing the duties of household life, he should continue on—seeking alms only to preserve life, while observing the disciplines of renunciation and the pursuit of spiritual hearing and reflection.

Word by Word

राजर्षित्वेनby/through (the state of) royal-sagehood

राजेन्द्रO king of kings

भैक्ष्यचर्याम्the practice of living on alms

नnot

सेवयाby service (as a means of livelihood)

अपेतhaving departed from; having given up

गृहधर्मात्from the householder’s duty

अपिeven; although

चरेत्should practice/undertake

जीवितकाम्ययाfor the sake of desiring life (i.e., to preserve life)

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhishma

Rājendra (the king addressed, i.e., Yudhiṣṭhira in context)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Geographic Context

Sandhi Notes