Shloka 5

राजवृत्त-रक्षा-प्रणिधि-षाड्गुण्योपदेशः

Royal Conduct, Protection, Intelligence, and Policy Measures

Devanagari script

विधिं पप्रच्छ राज्यस्य सर्वलोकहिते रत: । प्रजानां सुखमन्विच्छन्‌ धर्मशीलं बृहस्पतिम्‌

Transliteration

bhīṣma uvāca | vidhiṁ papraccha rājyasya sarvalokahite rataḥ | prajānāṁ sukham anvicchan dharmaśīlaṁ bṛhaspatim ||

Translation

Dijo Bhishma: Consagrado al bienestar de todos, el rey preguntó por el método correcto de gobernar el reino. Buscando la dicha de sus súbditos, se acercó al justo Bṛhaspati y le consultó los principios y procedimientos del arte de gobernar: cómo debe ejercerse el mando conforme al dharma y para el bien común.

Word by Word

• विधिम्: procedure; rule; method
• विधिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधि
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• पप्रच्छ: asked; inquired
• पप्रच्छ: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रच्छ्
• Form: Perfect, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• राज्यस्य: of the kingdom; of governance
• राज्यस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: राज्य
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• सर्वलोकहिते: in the welfare of all people
• सर्वलोकहिते: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व-लोक-हित
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• रतः: engaged; devoted
• रतः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रत
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• प्रजानाम्: of the subjects
• प्रजानाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजा
• Form: Feminine, Genitive, Plural

• सुखम्: happiness; welfare
• सुखम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुख
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अन्विच्छन्: seeking; desiring
• अन्विच्छन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनु-इष्
• Form: Present active participle, Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• धर्मशीलम्: virtuous; of righteous conduct
• धर्मशीलम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्मशील
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• बृहस्पतिम्: Brihaspati
• बृहस्पतिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: बृहस्पति
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• Brihaspati
• the king (Vasumana, per the accompanying prose)
• subjects (prajā)
• kingdom (rājya)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Kingship is justified and guided by dharma: the ruler should seek the happiness and welfare of the people and therefore consult the wise about the proper methods of governance rather than ruling by impulse or self-interest.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma describes a king devoted to public welfare approaching the sage Brihaspati and formally asking him how to administer the kingdom according to proper rule and righteous conduct.