Shloka 53

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

Devanagari script

विशालान्‌ राजमार्गाश्न कारयीत नराधिप: । प्रपाश्न विपणांश्नैव यथोद्देशं समाविशेत्‌

Transliteration

bhīṣma uvāca | viśālān rājamārgān kārayīta narādhipaḥ | prapāś ca vipanāś caiva yathoddeśaṃ samāviśet |

Translation

Bhīṣma dit : «Ô roi, fais construire de larges routes royales. Et, selon les besoins de chaque localité, établis aussi des stations d’eau publiques et des marchés, afin que le voyage, le commerce et le bien-être quotidien du peuple soient convenablement assurés.»

Word by Word

• विशालान्: large, broad
• विशालान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विशाल
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• राजमार्गान्: royal highways, main roads
• राजमार्गान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजमार्ग
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• कारयीत: should cause to be made / should have made
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (णिच्)
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada, true

• नराधिपः: the king, ruler of men
• नराधिपः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नराधिप
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• प्रपाः: water-sheds, drinking places
• प्रपाः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रपा
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Plural

• विपणान्: markets, shops
• विपणान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: विपण
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

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

• एव: indeed, also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• यथोद्देशम्: according to the locality/region; as per the place
• यथोद्देशम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा + उद्देश

• समाविशेत्: should establish/arrange; should set up
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + विश्
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• King (narādhipaḥ)
• Royal highways (rājamārga)
• Water-stations (prapā)
• Marketplaces (vipanā)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A king’s dharma includes practical public welfare: building wide main roads and ensuring essential civic amenities—water facilities and markets—tailored to local needs, so that society functions smoothly and justly.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on rājadharma, Bhishma advises the ruler on concrete administrative duties, emphasizing infrastructure and provisioning as part of ethical kingship.