Shloka 3

राज्ञो वृत्त-गुण-संग्रहः (Conduct and the Thirty-Six Virtues of a King) / The King’s Code of Conduct

Devanagari script

चरेद्‌ धर्मानकटुको मुज्चेत्‌ स्नेह न चास्तिक: । अनुशंसश्चरेदर्थ चरेत्‌ काममनुद्धत:

Transliteration

bhīṣma uvāca | cared dharmān akaṭuko muñcet snehaṃ na cāstikaḥ | anuśaṃsaś cared arthaṃ caret kāmam anuddhataḥ ||

Translation

Bhishma dijo: Debe practicarse el dharma sin permitir que la aspereza entre en la conducta. Aun permaneciendo fiel al orden sagrado, no se ha de abandonar el trato afectuoso con los demás. Debe buscarse la riqueza sin recurrir a la crueldad, y gozarse de los placeres legítimos sin traspasar la decencia—manteniendo así la vida en equilibrio mediante la templanza y la benevolencia.

Word by Word

• {'cared (caret)': 'should practice

• should conduct oneself', 'dharmān': 'duties

• dharma', 'akaṭukaḥ': 'not bitter

• not harsh or acrid in manner', 'muñcet': 'should release/let go

• should not cling to', 'sneham': 'affection

• warm attachment', 'na': 'not', 'cāstikaḥ (ca āstikaḥ)': 'and being āstika

• a believer', 'anuśaṃsaḥ': 'kindly

• benevolent (one who speaks/acts with goodwill)', 'arthaṃ': 'wealth

• prosperity', 'kāmam': 'desire

• enjoyment', 'anuddhataḥ': 'not arrogant

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Bhishma teaches a fourfold balance: practice dharma without bitterness, keep affectionate relations while being āstika, acquire wealth without cruelty, and enjoy pleasures without arrogance or transgressing social and moral limits.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Shanti Parva’s instruction section, Bhishma continues advising Yudhishthira on ideal conduct after the war, outlining practical virtues for living righteously in society—how to align dharma, artha, and kāma with gentleness and restraint.