Mahabharata 4.4.41 — Virata Parva, Adhyaya 4, Shloka 41
Dhaumya’s Counsel on Incognito Conduct in a Royal Household (राजवसतौ आचरण-निति)
प्रत्यक्ष च परोक्षं च गुणवादी विचक्षण: । उपजीवी भवेद् राज्ञो विषये योडपि वा भवेत्
pratyakṣaṃ ca parokṣaṃ ca guṇavādī vicakṣaṇaḥ | upajīvī bhaved rājño viṣaye yo 'pi vā bhavet ||
રાજાની હાજરીમાં હોય કે પીઠ પાછળ—વિવેકી પુરુષે રાજાના ગુણોનું જ વર્ણન કરવું જોઈએ. જે રાજાના રક્ષણ હેઠળ જીવિકા મેળવે છે અથવા તેના રાજ્યમાં રહે છે, તેણે પણ એવી જ વફાદાર વાણી રાખવી જોઈએ.
धौग्य उवाच
Educational Q&A
A person who depends on a king—by service, livelihood, or residence in his realm—should practice disciplined speech: praise the ruler’s virtues both publicly and privately, avoiding backbiting. The verse frames this as a matter of dharma grounded in gratitude and loyalty.
Dhaumya is giving counsel on proper conduct in relation to royal authority. He emphasizes how one should speak about the king in all settings, highlighting the expected etiquette and moral duty of those who live under the king’s protection.
Ask anything about this verse
Curious about the meaning, context, or a word? Ask, and continue the conversation in the Vedapath app.
A free Google sign-in keeps your chat saved across web and the app.
Read Mahabharata in the Vedapath app
Scan the QR code to open this directly in the app, with audio, word-by-word meanings, and more.