Shloka 131

Kośa-saṃjanana and Subtle Dharma

Treasury Formation and Fine-Grained Ethics

Devanagari script

दस्यूनां सुलभा सेना रौद्रकर्मसु भारत

Transliteration

dasyūnāṃ sulabhā senā raudrakarmasu bhārata

Translation

ビーシュマは言った。「おお、バーラタよ。盗賊のごとき者どもの間では、戦う軍勢はたやすく集まる――とりわけ苛烈で暴虐な企てのためには。」

Word by Word

• दस्यूनाम्: of the robbers/brigands
• दस्यूनाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: दस्यु
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• सुलभा: easily obtainable/ready at hand
• सुलभा: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुलभ
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• सेना: army/force
• सेना: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सेना
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• रौद्रकर्मसु: in cruel/violent acts
• रौद्रकर्मसु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रौद्रकर्मन्
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Plural

• भारत: O Bharata
• भारत: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भारत
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Bhārata (Yudhiṣṭhira)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Bhīṣma warns that people inclined to lawlessness and cruelty can be mobilized quickly for violent ends; therefore a ruler should be cautious about relying on such forces and should recognize how easily adharma can assemble support when it promises plunder or harm.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on dharma and governance, Bhīṣma continues advising Yudhiṣṭhira. This line underscores a practical observation about human tendencies: destructive enterprises attract ready followers among the unscrupulous.