Shloka 24

राष्ट्रगुप्ति-संग्रहः

Protection of the Realm and Principles of Revenue & Local Administration

Devanagari script

पौरजानपदान सर्वान्‌ संश्रितोपश्ितांस्तथा | यथाशक्त्यनुकम्पेत सर्वान्‌ स्‍्वल्पधनानपि

Transliteration

paurajānāpadān sarvān saṁśritopaśritāṁs tathā | yathāśakty anukampeta sarvān svalpadhanān api ||

Translation

Bhishma dit : Le roi doit, selon ses moyens, faire preuve de compassion envers tous les citadins et villageois—qu’ils soient venus chercher refuge de leur propre chef ou qu’ils aient demandé protection par l’entremise d’un tiers—même s’ils ne possèdent qu’une fortune dérisoire. Le devoir du souverain est d’abriter les plus vulnérables et de répondre aux appels à la protection sans partialité pour le rang ou les richesses.

Word by Word

• पौर: townsmen/citizens
• पौर: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पौर
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• जानपदान्: country-folk/villagers
• जानपदान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: जानपद
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• सर्वान्: all
• सर्वान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• संश्रित: having taken refuge; resorted to (him)
• संश्रित: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-श्रि
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• उपस्थितान्: present; having come near/appeared
• उपस्थितान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उप-स्था
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• तथा: and also; likewise
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• यथा: as; according to
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा

• शक्त्या: by (one's) power/ability
• शक्त्या: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्ति
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• अनुकम्पेत: should show compassion to; should pity
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनु-कम्प्
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• सर्वान्: all
• सर्वान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• स्वल्पधनान्: having little wealth; poor
• स्वल्पधनान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वल्पधन
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• अपि: even; also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• king (rājā)
• townspeople (paurāḥ)
• villagers/countryfolk (jānapadāḥ)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A ruler’s dharma is to protect and show compassion to all who seek refuge—city and village alike—without discriminating against the poor; mercy should be extended according to the king’s capacity.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on rajadharma, Bhishma advises Yudhishthira on governance, emphasizing that the king must respond kindly to subjects who come for protection, whether directly or through intermediaries.