Shloka 46

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

Devanagari script

काष्ठानि चाभिहार्याणि तथा कूपांश्न॒ खानयेत्‌ । संशोधयेत्‌ तथा कूपान्‌ कृतपूर्वान्‌ पयोडर्थिभि:

Transliteration

kāṣṭhāni cābhihāryāṇi tathā kūpāṁś ca khānayet | saṁśodhayet tathā kūpān kṛtapūrvān payodarthibhiḥ ||

Translation

લાકડાં (ઇંધણ) પણ મંગાવાં; તેમજ કૂવા ખોદાવાં. અને અગાઉ બનાવેલા કૂવાઓને પણ પાણી ઇચ્છનારાઓ માટે સાફ કરાવાં.

Word by Word

• काष्ठानि: pieces of wood, timber
• काष्ठानि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: काष्ठ
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

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

• अभिहार्याणि: to be brought, to be fetched
• अभिहार्याणि: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अभि-हृ (धातु) → अभिहार्य (कृदन्त)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• तथा: likewise, similarly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• कूपान्: wells
• कूपान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कूप
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

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

• खानयेत्: should dig (have dug)
• Type: Verb
• Root: खन् (धातु)
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada, Parasmaipada

• संशोधयेत्: should clean, should purify
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-शुध्/शोधय् (धातु) → संशोधयति
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada, Parasmaipada

• तथा: likewise
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• कूपान्: wells
• कूपान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कूप
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• कृतपूर्वान्: previously made, already constructed
• कृतपूर्वान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु) → कृत (कृदन्त) + पूर्व
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• पयः: of water
• Type: Noun
• Root: पयस्
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• अर्थिभिः: by those who seek, by the needy/desirous
• अर्थिभिः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थिन्
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• kāṣṭha (firewood)
• kūpa (wells)
• payas (water)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Dharma includes practical compassion: ensuring basic necessities—especially water—by creating and maintaining public resources (digging new wells and cleaning old ones), and supplying essentials like firewood.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Bhishma’s instruction on righteous conduct and governance in the Shanti Parva, he lists concrete duties of care for the community: arrange firewood, dig wells, and restore existing wells so that travelers and residents who need water are not deprived.