Shloka 10
Vāmadeva’s Rājadharma: Norm-Setting, Counsel, and the Prevention of Rāṣṭra-Vināśa (वामदेव-प्रोक्तं राजधर्मम्)
(अमाययैव वर्तेत न च सत्य॑ त्यजेद् बुध: । दमं धर्म च शीलं च क्षत्रधर्म प्रजाहितम् ।।
amāyayāiva varteta na ca satyaṃ tyajed budhaḥ | damaṃ dharmaṃ ca śīlaṃ ca kṣatradharmaṃ prajāhitam || nāpatrapet praśneṣu nāvibhāvyaṃ giraṃ sṛjet | na tvaret na cāsūyet tathā saṃgṛhṇāte paraḥ ||
Vāmadeva said: “A wise king should conduct himself without deceit and should never abandon truth. He should not forsake self-control, righteous conduct, good character, the duties of a kṣatriya, and the welfare of the people. When questioned, he should not feel embarrassed to reply; he should not utter words without reflection; he should not act in haste; and he should not indulge in fault-finding. By such conduct, even an enemy comes under his influence.”
वामदेव उवाच
Educational Q&A
A ruler’s power is grounded in ethical discipline: be truthful and free of deceit, practice self-control and good character, prioritize the people’s welfare, and regulate speech—answer without embarrassment, speak only after reflection, avoid haste and malice. Such steadiness makes even adversaries manageable.
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on governance and peace, the sage Vāmadeva lays down practical norms of rājadharma—how a king should behave, speak, and decide—linking personal virtue to political effectiveness, including the pacification of enemies.