Shloka 3

Vāmadeva’s Counsel on Rooted Kingship and Non-violent Victory (वामदेवोपदेशः—दृढमूलराजधर्मः)

Devanagari script

यस्य स्फीतो जनपद: सम्पन्न: प्रिययाजक: । संतुष्टपुष्टसचिवो दृढमूल: स पार्थिव:,जिस राजाका देश समृद्धिशाली, धनधान्यसे सम्पन्न, राजाको प्रिय माननेवाले मनुष्योंसे परिपूर्ण और हृष्ट-पुष्ट मन्त्रियोंस सुशोभित है, उसीकी जड़ मजबूत समझनी चाहिये

Transliteration

yasya sphīto janapadaḥ sampannaḥ priyayājakaḥ | santuṣṭa-puṣṭa-sacivo dṛḍha-mūlaḥ sa pārthivaḥ ||

Translation

Vāmadeva said: That king is to be regarded as firmly rooted whose realm is flourishing, rich and well-provisioned, filled with people devoted to him and eager to honor him, and adorned with ministers who are both content and well-nourished. Such prosperity and satisfied governance indicate a stable foundation of rule.

Word by Word

यस्यof whom/whose

स्फीतःprosperous, flourishing

जनपदःrealm, country, territory

सम्पन्नःwell-provided, endowed, prosperous

प्रिययाजकःhaving dear/pleasing sacrificers (priests/worshippers)

सन्तुष्टपुष्टसचिवःhaving contented and well-nourished ministers

दृढमूलःfirm-rooted, having strong foundations

सःhe, that (king)

पार्थिवःking, ruler

Speaker

वामदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vāmadeva

pārthiva (king)

janapada (realm/kingdom)

saciva (ministers)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A king’s stability is measured by the welfare of his realm and the quality of his administration: a prosperous country, loyal and willing subjects, and satisfied, well-supported ministers together show that the ruler’s foundations are strong.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on royal duty (rājadharma), the sage Vāmadeva describes the marks of a well-established ruler, emphasizing public prosperity and contented ministers as indicators of sound governance.