Shloka 2

राजधर्मस्य नवनीतम्—रक्षा, दण्ड, चार, उत्थान

Rājadharma’s ‘Essence’: Protection, Punishment, Intelligence, and Royal Diligence

Devanagari script

विशालाक्षश्न भगवान्‌ काव्यश्वैव महातपा: । सहस्राक्षो महेन्द्रश्न तथा प्राचेतसो मनु:

Transliteration

bhīṣma uvāca |

viśālākṣaś ca bhagavān kāvyaś caiva mahātapāḥ |

sahasrākṣo mahendraś ca tathā prācetaso manuḥ ||

Translation

Bhīṣma dijo: «Además de ellos, el venerable Viśālākṣa, el gran asceta Kāvya (Śukrācārya), Sahasrākṣa Mahendra —Indra, el de los mil ojos— y Manu, hijo de Pracetas: todas estas autoridades reverenciadas son devotas de los brahmanes y firmes en la doctrina de Brahman. Se las cuenta entre quienes formularon la ciencia del gobierno, y ensalzan por encima de todo el dharma del rey: proteger y sostener al pueblo. Oh Yudhiṣṭhira, de ojos de loto, el mejor entre los justos, escucha mientras describo los medios por los cuales ha de cumplirse este dharma protector.»

Word by Word

• विशालाक्षः: the large-eyed one (Vishalaksha)
• विशालाक्षः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: विशालाक्ष
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• भगवान्: the venerable/lordly one
• भगवान्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भगवत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• काव्यः: Kavya (Shukra)
• काव्यः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: काव्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

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

• एव: indeed/just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• महातपाः: great ascetic (of great austerity)
• महातपाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महातपस्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सहस्राक्षः: the thousand-eyed one (Indra)
• सहस्राक्षः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहस्राक्ष
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• महेन्द्रः: Mahendra (great Indra)
• महेन्द्रः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेन्द्र
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

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

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

• प्राचेतसः: son/descendant of Prachetas (Prachetasa)
• प्राचेतसः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्राचेतस
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• मनुः: Manu
• मनुः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनु
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• Viśālākṣa
• Kāvya (Śukrācārya/Śukra)
• Sahasrākṣa (Indra)
• Mahendra (Indra)
• Prācetasa Manu
• Yudhiṣṭhira

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Bhishma grounds rājadharma in the king’s primary obligation: protection and welfare of the people. He cites revered authorities to show that true statecraft is ethically anchored in sustaining order and safeguarding subjects.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Shanti Parva dialogue, Bhishma continues instructing Yudhiṣṭhira after the war. Here he names authoritative teachers associated with royal policy and transitions into explaining the practical means (sādhana) of the king’s protective dharma.