Shloka 7

Devanagari script

नहि राज्ञा प्रमादो वै कर्तव्यो मित्ररक्षणे | प्रमादिनं हि राजानं लोका: परिभवन्त्युत,राजाको अपने मित्रोंकी रक्षामें कभी असावधानी नहीं करनी चाहिये; क्योंकि असावधान राजाका सभी लोग तिरस्कार करते हैं

Transliteration

nahi rājñā pramādo vai kartavyo mitrarakṣaṇe | pramādinaṃ hi rājānaṃ lokāḥ paribhavanty uta ||

Translation

Bhīṣma dijo: Un rey jamás debe ser negligente al salvaguardar a sus amigos y aliados. Pues cuando un gobernante se descuida, la gente pierde el respeto por él y llega a despreciar abiertamente su autoridad, socavando tanto su honor como su reino.

Word by Word

नहिnot, indeed not

राज्ञाby the king

प्रमादःnegligence, carelessness

वैindeed, surely

कर्तव्यःto be done (ought to be done)

मित्ररक्षणेin the protection of friends

प्रमादिनम्negligent

हिfor, indeed

राजानम्the king

लोकाःpeople

परिभवन्तिdisrespect, slight, insult

उतalso, moreover

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhīṣma

rājā (the king)

mitra (friends/allies)

lokāḥ (the people/subjects)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A ruler’s dharma includes vigilant protection of friends and allies; negligence in this duty destroys respect and invites contempt, weakening sovereignty and moral authority.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on rājadharma, Bhīṣma advises the king (Yudhiṣṭhira in context) that political stability and honor depend on careful, consistent safeguarding of allies; a careless king becomes socially and politically disregarded.