Shanti Parva Adhyaya 86 Shloka 22 - Mahabharata | Hindi | Vedapath

Vyasa

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Shloka 22

Devanagari script

राज्ञो वधं चिकीर्षेद्‌ यस्तस्य चित्रो वधो भवेत्‌ | आदीपकस्य स्तेनस्य वर्णसंकरिकस्य च

Transliteration

bhīṣma uvāca | rājño vadhaṃ cikīrṣed yas tasya citro vadho bhavet | ādīpakasya stenasya varṇasaṅkarikasya ca |

Translation

जो राजा का वध करने की इच्छा करे, उसका वध सबके सामने, उदाहरणरूप और कठोर रीति से किया जाए। इसी प्रकार जो आग लगावे, चोरी करे, अथवा व्यभिचार से वर्णसंकरता फैलाकर समाज-धर्म को बिगाड़े—ऐसे अपराधियों के वध का विधान अनेक प्रकार से कहा गया है।

Word by Word

राज्ञःof the king

वधम्killing, slaying

चिकीर्षेत्should wish/intend to do

यःwho

तस्यof him/for him

चित्रःvaried, manifold

वधःkilling, punishment by death

भवेत्would/should be

आदीपकस्यof an arsonist (one who sets fire)

स्तेनस्यof a thief

वर्णसंकरिकस्यof one who causes varna-mixture (promoter of social intermixture)

चand

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhishma

king (rājā)

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?

In rājadharma, certain acts—attempting to kill the king, arson, theft, and conduct that destabilizes social order (varṇa-saṅkara)—are treated as grave threats to the realm; therefore, the punishment is prescribed as severe and exemplary to deter harm and protect dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

During Bhishma’s instruction on governance and law in the Śānti Parva, he lists categories of major offenders and states that those who endanger the king and public safety merit conspicuous, deterrent punishment.