Shloka 39

Devanagari script

यदा बहुविधां वृद्धि मन्येत प्रतिलोमत: । तदा विवृत्य प्रहरेद्‌ दस्यूनामविचारयन्‌,जब हाथी, घोड़े और रथोंसे भरी हुई और बहुत-से पैदलों तथा यन्त्रोंसे सम्पन्न, छः“ अंगोंवाली विशाल सेना स्वामीके प्रति अनुरक्त हो, जब शत्रुकी अपेक्षा अपनी अनेक प्रकारसे उन्नति होती जान पड़े, उस समय राजा दूसरा कोई विचार मनमें न लाकर प्रकटरूपसे डाकू और लुटेरोंपर प्रहार आरम्भ कर दे

Transliteration

yadā bahuvidhāṁ vṛddhiṁ manyeta pratilomataḥ | tadā vivṛtya prahared dasyūnām avicārayan |

Translation

ビーシュマは言った。「王が、自らの繁栄が多方面に増し、しかもそれが敵の目算に反していると見たなら、その時は他のためらいを交えず、公然と断乎として行動し、盗賊と略奪者をためらいなく討つべきである。」

Word by Word

यदाwhen

बहु-विधाम्of many kinds

वृद्धिम्increase, prosperity

मन्येतshould think, would consider

प्रतिलोमतःcontrarily; in reverse/opposition

तदाthen

विवृत्यhaving opened/uncovered; openly

प्रहरेत्should strike, should attack

दस्यूनाम्of robbers/bandits

अ-विचारयन्not considering; without deliberation

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhīṣma

dasyu (bandits/robbers)

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?

A king’s dharma includes maintaining public safety: when conditions are favorable and his strength is secure, he should act decisively and openly to suppress banditry, rather than delaying through indecision.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Bhīṣma’s instruction on rājadharma, he advises the ruler about timing and resolve: upon recognizing his own rising advantage, the king should commence direct action against robbers and marauders to restore order.