Shloka 23

राजा-दैवतत्वम् — The King as a Stabilizing ‘Daivata’ (Divine Function) in Social Order

Devanagari script

भीष्म उवाच तमन्लुवन्‌ प्रजा मा भे: कर्त्‌नेनो गमिष्यति । पशूनामधिपज्चाशद्धिरण्यस्य तथैव च

Transliteration

bhīṣma uvāca tam anluvan prajā mā bheḥ kṛtsnena gamīṣyati | paśūnām adhipaś cāśad dhiraṇyasya tathaiva ca ||

Translation

Bhīṣma dit : «Ne craignez point, ô peuple. En le suivant, vous atteindrez pleinement ce que vous recherchez. Il deviendra le maître du bétail, et de l’or également.»

Word by Word

• भीष्मः: Bhishma
• भीष्मः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीष्म
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect (Paroksha-bhuta), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अनुवन्: following (him)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनु + वन् (√वन्/वन्)
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• प्रजाः: the subjects/people
• प्रजाः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजा
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Plural

• मा: do not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मा

• भैः: fear
• Type: Verb
• Root: भी
• Form: Imperative, 2nd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• कर्त्नेन: by/with (his) deed/act
• कर्त्नेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्त्न
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• एनः: this one/he
• एनः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद् (enad-pronoun stem: एन)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• गमिष्यति: will go/attain
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम्
• Form: Simple Future (Lृट्), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• पशूनाम्: of cattle/animals
• Type: Noun
• Root: पशु
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• अधिपः: lord/master
• अधिपः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अधिप
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

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

• अशद्धिरण्यस्य: of impure gold (gold not purified)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अशद्-हिरण्य
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• तथा: thus/likewise
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

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

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

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• prajā (the subjects/people)
• paśu (cattle/livestock)
• dhiraṇya (gold/wealth)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A righteous leader should calm public fear and guide society toward stability and prosperity; good governance is marked by the ability to secure welfare and wealth (symbolized by cattle and gold) for the community.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma addresses the people/subjects, reassuring them not to be afraid and indicating that by following a certain person (a prospective ruler/leader), they will attain complete welfare, including material prosperity represented by cattle and gold.