Shloka 1

Daṇḍanīti and the King as the Cause of Yuga-Order (दण्डनीतिः राजधर्मश्च युगकारणत्वम्)

Devanagari script

(दाक्षिणात्य अधिक पाठका १ श्लोक मिलाकर कुल ६२ “लोक हैं।) भीकम (2 अमान एकोनसप्ततितमो<ध्याय: राजाके प्रधान कर्तव्योंका तथा दण्डनीतिके द्वारा युगोंके निर्माणका वर्णन युधिछिर उवाच पार्थिवेन विशेषेण कि कार्यमवशिष्यते । कथं रक्ष्यो जनपद: कथं जेयाश्लू शत्रव:

Transliteration

Yudhiṣṭhira uvāca | pārthivena viśeṣeṇa kiṁ kāryam avaśiṣyate | kathaṁ rakṣyo janapadaḥ kathaṁ jeyāś ca śatravaḥ ||

Translation

Yudhiṣṭhira dit : «Grand-père, quel devoir particulier reste-t-il encore à un roi d’accomplir ? Comment faut-il protéger le royaume et ses villages, et par quels moyens vaincre les ennemis ?»

Word by Word

• युधिष्ठिरः: Yudhishthira
• युधिष्ठिरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: युधिष्ठिर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• पार्थिवेन: by the king
• पार्थिवेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थिव
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• विशेषेण: especially; in particular
• विशेषेण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: विशेष
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• किम्: what
• किम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: किम्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• कार्यम्: duty; task to be done
• कार्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्य
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• अवशिष्यते: remains
• Type: Verb
• Root: शिष्
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Atmanepada

• कथम्: how
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम्

• रक्ष्यः: to be protected
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रक्ष्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• जनपदः: kingdom; realm; country
• जनपदः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: जनपद
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• कथम्: how
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम्

• जेयाः: to be conquered
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जेय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• शत्रवः: enemies
• शत्रवः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत्रु
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

युधिछिर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Bhīṣma (implied by address “Grandfather”)
• janapada (the realm/territory)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames rājadharma as a moral and practical responsibility: a king must prioritize the protection of the janapada (people and territory) and employ disciplined policy (daṇḍanīti) to restrain threats and secure peace.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Śānti Parva, Yudhiṣṭhira continues his inquiry into kingship. Addressing Bhīṣma as ‘Grandfather,’ he asks for concrete guidance on what remains essential for a ruler—how to safeguard the realm and how to prevail over enemies.