Shloka 5
अध्याय ६ — युधिष्ठिरस्य वैराग्य-वाक्यं धृतराष्ट्रस्य वनगमनाभिलाषश्च
Chapter 6: Yudhiṣṭhira’s Renunciatory Appeal and Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Resolve for the Forest
इस प्रकार श्रीमह्याभारत आश्रमवासिकपवके अन्तर्गत आश्रमवासपर्वमें धृतराष्रका उपदेशविषयक पाँचवाँ अध्याय पूरा हुआ
etad maṇḍalam ity āhur ācāryā nīti-kovidāḥ | kuru-śreṣṭha amātya-janapada-nānā-vidha-durga-senāsu śatrūṇāṃ yathā-iṣṭaṃ lakṣyaṃ bhavati | ataḥ teṣāṃ rakṣāyāṃ sadā apramādaḥ kartavyaḥ | prabho kuntī-nandana! uparyuktā dvādaśa-vidhā manuṣyā rājñāṃ mukhyā viṣayāḥ | amātyādhīnāni kṛṣi-ādīni ṣaṣṭi-guṇāḥ pūrvoktāś ca dvādaśa-vidhā manuṣyāḥ—etān sarvān nīti-jñā ācāryāḥ “maṇḍalam” iti nāmnā vadanti | atra ṣāḍguṇyam āyattaṃ yudhiṣṭhira nibodha tat ||
政道に通じた師たちは言う。「これこそ『マンダラ』（maṇḍala）、すなわち『国土の輪』と呼ばれるものだ」と。おおクル族の最勝者よ、敵は思うがままに、王の重臣会議、国と民、さまざまな城塞、そして軍勢へと目を据える。ゆえに、これらを守るには常に警戒を怠ってはならぬ。主よ、クンティーの子よ、先に挙げた十二種の人々こそ、王たちの最大の関心事である。大臣の監督下にある農耕など六十の職掌と、その十二種の人々——これらすべてを、政理に明るい者たちは総じて『マンダラ』と名づける。いま、ユディシュティラよ、六つの政略はこれに依存することを悟れ。
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
A king’s effective rule depends on understanding and safeguarding the ‘maṇḍala’—the interconnected political and administrative factors (ministers, realm, forts, army, key social categories). Since enemies constantly watch these vulnerabilities, vigilant protection is a moral and practical duty of governance; upon this foundation rests the sixfold diplomatic policy (ṣāḍguṇya).
Vaiśampāyana continues a didactic passage addressed to Yudhiṣṭhira, summarizing how authorities on polity define the ‘maṇḍala’ and warning that enemies target a kingdom’s core supports. The discourse transitions toward explaining the ṣāḍguṇya (six measures of foreign policy) as dependent on this framework.