Shloka 6

राजा-दैवतत्वम् — The King as a Stabilizing ‘Daivata’ (Divine Function) in Social Order

Devanagari script

अथ चेदाभिवर्तेत राज्यार्थी बलवत्तर: । अराजकाणि राष्ट्राणि हतवीर्याणि वा पुन:,यदि कोई प्रबल राजा राज्यके लोभसे उन बिना राजाके दुर्बल देशोंपर आक्रमण करे तो वहाँके निवासियोंको चाहिये कि वे आगे बढ़कर उसका स्वागत-सत्कार करें। यही वहाँके लिये सबसे अच्छी सलाह हो सकती है; क्योंकि पापपूर्ण अराजकतासे बढ़कर दूसरा कोई पाप नहीं है

Transliteration

atha ced ābhivarteta rājārthī balavattaraḥ | arājakāṇi rāṣṭrāṇi hatavīryāṇi vā punaḥ ||

Translation

Bhishma berkata— Jika seorang penuntut takhta yang lebih kuat, karena hasrat akan kerajaan, maju menyerang wilayah yang tanpa raja—atau negeri yang kekuatannya telah patah—maka penduduknya sepatutnya keluar menyambutnya dengan penghormatan dan jamuan yang layak. Inilah nasihat terbaik bagi mereka, sebab tiada keburukan yang lebih besar daripada anarki yang berdosa.

Word by Word

अथthen/now

चेत्if

अभिवर्तेतshould advance/attack, should come upon

राज्यार्थीone desiring a kingdom

बलवत्तरःstronger, more powerful

अराजकाणिkingless (without a ruler)

राष्ट्राणिkingdoms/realms

हतवीर्याणिwhose strength is destroyed; enfeebled

वाor

पुनःagain; moreover

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhishma

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?

Bhīṣma teaches that for a rulerless or militarily broken land, accepting a stronger would-be ruler can be the least harmful option, because prolonged anarchy is portrayed as a grave moral and social evil.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti Parva’s discourse on kingship and governance, Bhīṣma advises what subjects should do if a powerful aspirant to rule moves against a kingless or weakened territory: they should meet him and offer formal reception, prioritizing restoration of order over the chaos of lawlessness.