Shloka 3

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

Devanagari script

भीष्म उवाच राजवृत्तं महाराज शृणुष्वावहितो5खिलम्‌ । यत्‌ कार्य पार्थिवेनादौ पार्थिवप्रकृतेन वा

Transliteration

bhīṣma uvāca rājavṛttaṃ mahārāja śṛṇuṣvāvahito 'khilam | yat kāryaṃ pārthivenādau pārthivaprakṛtena vā ||

Translation

Bhishma said: O great king, listen attentively to the entire code of royal conduct. I shall tell you what a ruler should do first—and likewise what should be done by one who, by nature and duty, is fitted to act in the king’s service and carry out royal responsibilities.

Word by Word

• भीष्मः: Bhishma
• भीष्मः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीष्म
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect (Paroksha), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• राजवृत्तम्: royal conduct / duties of a king
• राजवृत्तम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजवृत्त
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• महाराज: O great king
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाराज
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• शृणुष्व: listen
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु
• Form: Imperative, Second, Singular, Atmanepada

• आवहितः: attentive
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आवहित
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अखिलम्: entirely; the whole (of it)
• अखिलम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अखिल
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• यत्: which; what
• यत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• कार्यम्: duty; what is to be done
• कार्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्य
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• पार्थिवेन: by a king
• पार्थिवेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थिव
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• आदौ: at first; in the beginning
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आदि

• पार्थिवप्रकृतेन: by one having the nature/temperament of a king
• पार्थिवप्रकृतेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थिवप्रकृति
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• वा: or
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• Mahārāja (Yudhiṣṭhira)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Bhishma frames the start of his instruction on rājadharma: a king (and those acting in royal capacity) must first learn and follow the complete discipline of proper governance, approached with careful attention and seriousness.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Shanti Parva’s post-war instruction, Bhishma addresses Yudhishthira and begins laying out the principles of statecraft and ethical kingship, asking him to listen closely as he explains what a ruler should do first.