Shloka 66

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

Devanagari script

षाड्गुण्यं च त्रिवर्ग च त्रिवर्गपरमं तथा । यो वेत्ति पुरुषव्याप्र स भुड्क्ते पृथिवीमिमाम्‌

Transliteration

ṣāḍguṇyaṃ ca trivargaṃ ca trivargaparamaṃ tathā | yo vetti puruṣavyāghra sa bhuṅkte pṛthivīm imām ||

Translation

Bhīṣma said: “O tiger among men, the king who truly understands the sixfold policy (ṣāḍguṇya), the three aims of life (trivarga), and likewise what is supreme beyond those three aims—he alone is fit to enjoy and govern this earth.”

Word by Word

• षाड्गुण्यम्: the sixfold policy (ṣāḍguṇya)
• षाड्गुण्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: षाड्गुण्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• त्रिवर्गम्: the three aims (dharma-artha-kāma)
• त्रिवर्गम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रिवर्ग
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• त्रिवर्गपरम्: that which is supreme beyond the three aims (i.e., mokṣa)
• त्रिवर्गपरम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रिवर्गपर
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• तथा: likewise/also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• यः: who
• यः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• वेत्ति: knows
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद्
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• पुरुषव्याघ्र: O tiger among men
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुषव्याघ्र
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• भुङ्क्ते: enjoys/rules/possesses
• Type: Verb
• Root: भुज्
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Atmanepada

• पृथिवीम्: the earth
• पृथिवीम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृथिवी
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• इमाम्: this
• इमाम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• पुरुषसिंह: O lion among men
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुषसिंह
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• pṛthivī (the earth/kingdom)
• puruṣavyāghra (addressed hero/king)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A ruler’s legitimacy and success rest on integrated wisdom: mastery of practical statecraft (the six measures), balanced pursuit of dharma–artha–kāma, and orientation to the highest good beyond them (trivargaparamam). Such knowledge makes one truly fit to wield sovereignty.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on rājadharma, Bhīṣma is advising the king (addressed as ‘puruṣavyāghra’) that only a ruler who understands both political strategy and the hierarchy of human aims is capable of properly enjoying and governing the earth.