Shloka 7
राजधर्मः, दण्डनीतिः, कर्तृत्व-विचारः च
Royal Duty, Lawful Discipline, and the Question of Agency
Devanagari script
अतोडन्यथा वर्तमानो राजा प्राप्रोति किल्बिषम्
Transliteration
atoḍaṇyathā vartamāno rājā prāpnoti kilbiṣam
Translation
વ્યાસે કહ્યું—જે રાજા સંયમ અને શિસ્તના વિરુદ્ધ વર્તે છે, તે નિશ્ચયે કિલ્બિષ (પાપદોષ) પામે છે.
Word by Word
अतोडन्non-punishing / not inflicting chastisement
अतोडन्:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootअतोड (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
यथाas, in the manner that
यथा:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootयथा
वर्तमानःacting, behaving, conducting himself
वर्तमानः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootवर्तमान (वृत्त-प्रातिपदिक; √वृत्/√वर्त्)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
राजाking
राजा:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootराजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
प्राप्नोतिattains, incurs
प्राप्नोति:
TypeVerb
Root√आप् (प्र +)
FormPresent, 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada
किल्बिषम्sin, fault, demerit
किल्बिषम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootकिल्बिष (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
Speaker
व्यास उवाच
Characters & Entities
V
VyāsaR
rājā (the king/ruler)Character Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
War Context
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
Royal authority must be exercised in accordance with dharma and proper restraint; when a king acts contrary to rightful discipline and ethical governance, he becomes morally culpable and incurs sin (kilbiṣa).
Vyāsa is instructing on rājadharma in the Śānti Parva, warning that a ruler’s improper conduct—departing from the correct standard of governance—leads to blame and spiritual demerit.