Shloka 41

Kuberasaras-darśana (Bhīma beholds Kubera’s guarded lotus-lake) / कुबेरसरः-दर्शनम्

Devanagari script

रज्ञामुपायश्चारश्न बुद्धिमन्त्रपराक्रमा: । निग्रहप्रग्रहौ चैव दाक्ष्यं वै कार्यसाधकम्‌

Transliteration

rājñām upāyaś cāraś ca buddhimantra-parākramāḥ | nigraha-pragrahau caiva dākṣyaṃ vai kārya-sādhakam ||

Translation

Waiśampāyana berkata: Bagi para raja, sarana keberhasilan ialah upāya (taktik), para mata-mata, musyawarah yang cerdas beserta keberanian, serta dua kemampuan: mengekang dan mendorong. Sungguh, kecakapan praktislah yang menuntaskan suatu urusan.

Word by Word

राज्ञाम्of kings

उपायःmeans, strategy

चाराःspies, agents

चand

बुद्धिःintelligence, discernment

मन्त्रःcounsel, policy

पराक्रमाःvalor, prowess

निग्रहःrestraint, control

प्रग्रहःencouragement, release/letting go

चand

एवindeed, just

दाक्ष्यम्skill, competence

वैindeed, surely

कार्यसाधकम्accomplishing the task; effective

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

kings (rājānaḥ)

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Effective kingship requires a balanced toolkit: strategic means (upāya), reliable intelligence (cāra), discerning counsel (buddhi-mantra), courageous execution (parākrama), and the ability to both restrain harmful impulses (nigraha) and encourage what is beneficial (pragraha). Competent, tactful skill (dākṣya) is presented as the decisive factor that turns intentions into accomplished results.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Vaiśampāyana’s narration, the discourse turns to principles of governance. This verse lists the practical qualities and instruments a ruler must cultivate—policy, espionage, counsel, valor, restraint, encouragement, and administrative competence—framing them as essential for successfully completing royal duties and public aims.