Shloka 54

राजधर्मप्रश्नः — Yudhiṣṭhira’s Inquiry into Rājadharma (Śānti-parva 56)

Devanagari script

हयं वा दन्तिनं वापि रथं वा नृपसत्तम | अभिरोहन्त्यनादृत्य हर्षुले पार्थिवे मृदौ

Transliteration

hayaṃ vā dantinaṃ vāpi rathaṃ vā nṛpasattama | abhirohanty anādṛtya harṣule pārthive mṛdau ||

Translation

Bhīṣma dit : «Ô meilleur des rois, lorsque le souverain est de nature douce et souple, enclin aux plaisanteries et aux rires légers, ses serviteurs, le méprisant, montent son cheval, son éléphant ou son char comme pour leur propre divertissement.»

Word by Word

• हयम्: horse
• हयम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: हय
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• वा: or
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा

• दन्तिनम्: elephant (tusked one)
• दन्तिनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: दन्तिन्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• वा: or
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा

• अपि: also/even
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• रथम्: chariot
• रथम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• वा: or
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा

• नृपसत्तम: O best of kings
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृपसत्तम
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• अभिरोहन्ति: they mount/ride
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-रुह्
• Form: Present, Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• अनादृत्य: disregarding, without respecting
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्-आ-√दृ (आदर्/दृश्)
• Form: Absolutive (Gerund), क्त्वा/ल्यप्

• हर्षुले: in/when (he is) cheerful/softly delighted
• हर्षुले: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हर्षुल
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• पार्थिवे: in/with regard to the king
• पार्थिवे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थिव
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• मृदौ: when (he is) gentle/soft
• मृदौ: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मृदु
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• नूपशिरोमणे: O crest-jewel of kings (lit. of rulers)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नूपशिरोमणि
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• King (addressed as nṛpasattama)
• Horse
• Elephant
• Chariot
• Attendants/servants (implied by the verb in plural)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A ruler who is overly soft and playful invites contempt; lack of firmness in governance leads subordinates to disregard authority and misuse royal resources.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma is instructing the king on practical rajadharma, illustrating how attendants behave when they perceive the ruler as indulgent and weak—openly riding the king’s horse, elephant, or chariot without proper respect.