Shloka 48

राजवृत्त-रक्षा-प्रणिधि-षाड्गुण्योपदेशः

Royal Conduct, Protection, Intelligence, and Policy Measures

Devanagari script

नास्यापवादे स्थातव्यं दक्षेणाक्लिष्टकर्मणा । धर्म्यमाकांक्षता लोकमी श्वरस्पानसूयता

Transliteration

nāsyāpavāde sthātavyaṃ dakṣeṇākliṣṭa-karmaṇā | dharmyām ākāṅkṣatā lokaṃ īśvaras tv anasūyatā ||

Translation

Vasumanā dit : « Il ne faut pas se tenir dans le blâme ni dans la chasse aux fautes. L’homme capable, dont les actes sont purs et sans trouble, doit aspirer à un monde conforme au dharma ; et envers le Seigneur, demeurer sans envie ni esprit de censure. »

Word by Word

नnot

अस्यof him/this (person)

अपवादेin blame/censure

स्थातव्यम्one should stand/remain (i.e., should persist)

दक्षेणby a capable/skillful (person)

अक्लिष्टकर्मणाby one whose actions are untroubled/untiring

धर्म्यम्righteous/according to dharma

आकाङ्क्षताby one desiring

लोकम्the world/people

ईश्वरःthe lord/master

अपानसूयताwith freedom from envy (non-censoriousness)

Speaker

वसुमना उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vasumanā

Īśvara (the Lord)

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?

Avoid living in blame and reproach; cultivate competent, untainted action aimed at a dharmic social order, and maintain a non-envious, non-censorious attitude toward the Lord.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the didactic setting of the Śānti Parva, Vasumanā delivers a moral instruction: rather than criticizing, a capable person should pursue dharma for the world’s welfare and relate to Īśvara without envy or fault-finding.