Shloka 5

राजधर्मस्य नवनीतम्—रक्षा, दण्ड, चार, उत्थान

Rājadharma’s ‘Essence’: Protection, Punishment, Intelligence, and Royal Diligence

Devanagari script

चारश्न प्रणिधिश्वैव काले दानममत्सरात्‌ । युकत्यादानं न चादानमयोगेन युधिष्ठिर

Transliteration

cārān praṇidhiś caiva kāle dānam amatsarāt | yuktyādānaṃ na cādānam ayogena yudhiṣṭhira ||

Translation

Bhīṣma dit : «Ô Yudhiṣṭhira, entretiens des espions et nomme des envoyés ; fais des dons au moment opportun, sans jalousie. Perçois les revenus avec discernement et selon la juste méthode, et ne t’empare jamais des biens du peuple par des moyens indus ou injustes.»

Word by Word

• चारान्: spies
• चारान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: चार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• प्रणिधीन्: agents / envoys (appointed representatives)
• प्रणिधीन्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रणिधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• एव: indeed / just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• काले: at the proper time
• काले: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• दानम्: giving (payment/grant)
• दानम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अमत्सरात्: from non-envy; without jealousy
• अमत्सरात्: Apadana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अमत्सर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Ablative, Singular

• युक्त्या: by proper means / with strategy
• युक्त्या: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: युक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• आदानम्: taking (collection, levy)
• आदानम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: आदान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

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

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• आदानम्: taking (seizure/appropriation)
• आदानम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: आदान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अयोगेन: by improper means; unjustly
• अयोगेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अयोग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• युधिष्ठिर: O Yudhiṣṭhira
• Type: Noun
• Root: युधिष्ठिर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Yudhiṣṭhira
• spies (cāra)
• envoys/representatives (praṇidhi)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A king protects the realm through disciplined intelligence (spies and envoys), timely generosity free from envy, and just revenue collection—taking only what is due by proper means, never by coercion or wrongful seizure.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on kingship, Bhīṣma continues advising King Yudhiṣṭhira on practical duties of rule—security, diplomacy, and fiscal ethics—framing them as components of righteous governance (rājadharma).