Shanti Parva Adhyaya 70 Shloka 1 - Mahabharata | English | Vedapath

Vyasa

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Shloka 1

Daṇḍanīti and the King as the Cause of Yuga-Order (दण्डनीतिः राजधर्मश्च युगकारणत्वम्)

Devanagari script

(दाक्षिणात्य अधिक पाठका १ श्लोक मिलाकर कुल ६२ “लोक हैं।) भीकम (2 अमान एकोनसप्ततितमो<ध्याय: राजाके प्रधान कर्तव्योंका तथा दण्डनीतिके द्वारा युगोंके निर्माणका वर्णन युधिछिर उवाच पार्थिवेन विशेषेण कि कार्यमवशिष्यते । कथं रक्ष्यो जनपद: कथं जेयाश्लू शत्रव:

Transliteration

Yudhiṣṭhira uvāca | pārthivena viśeṣeṇa kiṁ kāryam avaśiṣyate | kathaṁ rakṣyo janapadaḥ kathaṁ jeyāś ca śatravaḥ ||

Translation

Yudhiṣṭhira said: “Grandfather, what special duty still remains for a king to perform? How should the realm and its villages be protected, and by what means should enemies be overcome?”

Word by Word

युधिष्ठिरःYudhishthira

उवाचsaid

पार्थिवेनby the king

विशेषेणespecially; in particular

किम्what

कार्यम्duty; task to be done

अवशिष्यतेremains

कथम्how

रक्ष्यःto be protected

जनपदःkingdom; realm; country

कथम्how

जेयाःto be conquered

शत्रवःenemies

Speaker

युधिछिर उवाच

Characters & Entities

Yudhiṣṭhira

Bhīṣma (implied by address “Grandfather”)

janapada (the realm/territory)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames rājadharma as a moral and practical responsibility: a king must prioritize the protection of the janapada (people and territory) and employ disciplined policy (daṇḍanīti) to restrain threats and secure peace.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Śānti Parva, Yudhiṣṭhira continues his inquiry into kingship. Addressing Bhīṣma as ‘Grandfather,’ he asks for concrete guidance on what remains essential for a ruler—how to safeguard the realm and how to prevail over enemies.