Shloka 8

राजवृत्त-रक्षा-प्रणिधि-षाड्गुण्योपदेशः

Royal Conduct, Protection, Intelligence, and Policy Measures

Devanagari script

अमित तेजस्वी कोसलनरेशके इस प्रकार प्रश्न करनेपर महाज्ञानी बृहस्पतिजीने शान्तभावसे राजाके सत्कारकी आवश्यकता बताते हुए इस प्रकार उत्तर देना आरम्भ किया ।।

Transliteration

bṛhaspatir uvāca | rāja-mūlo mahāprājña dharmo lokasya lakṣyate | prajā rāja-bhayād eva na khādanti parasparam ||

Translation

Bṛhaspati dijo: «Oh gran sabio en política: el dharma que se ve obrar en el mundo tiene al rey por raíz. Solo por temor al rey los hombres no se devoran unos a otros».

Word by Word

• बृहस्पतिः: Bṛhaspati
• बृहस्पतिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: बृहस्पति
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect, 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• राज-मूलः: having the king as its root / founded on the king
• राज-मूलः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: राजमूल
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• महाप्राज्ञ: O very wise one
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाप्राज्ञ
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

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

• लोकस्य: of the world/people
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• लक्ष्यते: is seen/observed
• Type: Verb
• Root: लक्ष्
• Form: Present, 3rd, Singular, Atmanepada (Passive sense)

• प्रजाः: subjects, people
• प्रजाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजा
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

• राज-भयात्: from fear of the king
• राज-भयात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजभय
• Form: Neuter, Ablative, Singular

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

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

• खादन्ति: devour, consume
• Type: Verb
• Root: खाद्
• Form: Present, 3rd, Plural, Parasmaipada

• परस्परम्: one another, mutually
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: परस्पर

Speaker

वसुमना उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bṛhaspati
• the King (rājā)
• subjects/people (prajā)
• the world (loka)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Public morality and social order (dharma as actually practiced in society) depend upon effective kingship: the king’s authority and capacity to punish restrain mutual predation and protect the weak from the strong.

What is happening in the narrative?

In response to a king’s inquiry, Bṛhaspati begins his counsel on statecraft and the need to honor and uphold royal authority, explaining that the visible functioning of dharma in society is rooted in the king’s power to deter wrongdoing.