Shloka 23

Vyavahāra-Śuddhi and Rājadharma: Clean Administration, Counsel, and Proportional Punishment

Chapter 86

Devanagari script

सम्यक्‌ प्रणयतो दण्डं भूमिपस्य विशाम्पते । युक्तस्य वा नास्त्यधर्मो धर्म एव हि शाश्वत:

Transliteration

samyak praṇayato daṇḍaṃ bhūmipasya viśāmpate | yuktasya vā nāsty adharmo dharma eva hi śāśvataḥ ||

Translation

Bhīṣma said: “When a king, O lord of the people, applies punishment rightly and with due measure, there is no unrighteousness in it. For when it is properly regulated and aligned with justice, punishment itself becomes enduring dharma.”

Word by Word

• सम्यक्: properly, rightly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम्यक्

• प्रणयतः: from affection/conciliatory conduct
• प्रणयतः: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रणय
• Form: Masculine, Ablative, Singular

• दण्डम्: punishment, chastisement
• दण्डम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: दण्ड
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• भूमिपस्य: of the king (lord of the earth)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूमिप
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• विशाम्पते: O lord of the people
• Type: Noun
• Root: विशाम्पति
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• युक्तस्य: of one who is properly engaged/regulated
• Type: Adjective
• Root: युक्त
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

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

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• अस्ति: is
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस्
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• अधर्मः: unrighteousness, adharma
• अधर्मः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अधर्म
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• धर्मः: righteousness, dharma
• धर्मः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• एव: indeed, only
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• हि: for, indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि

• शाश्वतः: eternal, perpetual
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शाश्वत
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• king (bhūmipa)
• viśāmpati (lord of the people)