Shloka 36

Vāmadeva’s Rājadharma: Norm-Setting, Counsel, and the Prevention of Rāṣṭra-Vināśa (वामदेव-प्रोक्तं राजधर्मम्)

Devanagari script

के वानुरक्ता: राजान: के भयात्‌ समुपाश्रिता: । मध्यस्थदोषा: के चैषामिति नित्यं विचिन्तयेत्‌,इस बातका ध्यान रखे कि कौन राजा मुझसे प्रेम रखते हैं? कौन भयके कारण मेरा आश्रय लिये हुए हैं? इनमेंसे कौन मध्यस्थ हैं और कौन-कौन नरेश मेरे शत्रु बने हुए हैं?

Transliteration

ke vānuraktā rājānaḥ ke bhayāt samupāśritāḥ | madhyastha-doṣāḥ ke caiṣām iti nityaṃ vicintayet ||

Translation

Vāmadeva dit : «Un roi doit sans cesse s’interroger : quels souverains me sont véritablement dévoués ? Lesquels se sont placés sous ma protection par crainte ? Parmi eux, qui est neutre ou hésitant, et qui, par son attitude, se rend fautif—en vérité, lesquels de ces rois sont devenus mes ennemis ?»

Word by Word

केwhich (persons)

वाor

अनुरक्ताःattached, devoted

राजानःkings

केwhich (ones)

भयात्from fear; out of fear

समुपाश्रिताःhaving taken refuge; resorted to

मध्यस्थदोषाःthose with the fault of neutrality (i.e., neutral/indifferent ones)

केwhich (ones)

चand

एषाम्of these

इतिthus

नित्यम्always; constantly

विचिन्तयेत्should reflect/consider

Speaker

वामदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vāmadeva

rājānaḥ (kings/rulers)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A ruler must continually evaluate the true motives and positions of other kings—distinguishing genuine loyalty from fear-based dependence, identifying neutrals, and recognizing emerging enemies—so that governance remains prudent and ethically responsible.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on rajadharma, Vāmadeva advises the king on practical vigilance in diplomacy: regularly scrutinizing surrounding rulers’ attitudes—friends, fear-driven dependents, neutrals, and foes.