Shloka 19

Devanagari script

स्वेषु धर्मेष्ववस्थाप्य प्रजा: सर्वा महीपति: । धर्मेण सर्वकृत्यानि शमनिष्ठानि कारयेत्‌,राजा समस्त प्रजाओंको अपने-अपने धर्मोमें स्थापित करके उनके द्वारा शान्तिपूर्ण समस्त कर्मोंका धर्मके अनुसार अनुष्ठान करावे

Transliteration

sveṣu dharmeṣv avasthāpya prajāḥ sarvā mahīpatiḥ | dharmeṇa sarvakṛtyāni śamanīṣṭhāni kārayet ||

Translation

ビーシュマは言った。「すべての民をそれぞれの務めに堅く据えたなら、王はダルマに従い、必要な事業のすべてを平和と自制の精神で遂行させねばならぬ。そうして公の営みは、強制や混乱ではなく、法にかなう鎮静と福利に資する行いによって進むのである。」

Word by Word

स्वेषुin their own

धर्मेषुduties/laws

अवस्थाप्यhaving established

प्रजाःsubjects/people

सर्वाःall

महीपतिःthe king (lord of the earth)

धर्मेणby/through dharma

सर्वकृत्यानिall duties/acts to be done

शमनिष्ठानिpeaceful, tending to pacification

कारयेत्should cause (them) to be done / should have performed

राजाthe king

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhishma

king (mahīpati)

subjects/people (prajāḥ)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A ruler’s primary ethical duty is to anchor society in each group’s rightful responsibilities (svadharma) and to administer all state actions through dharma, aiming at śamana—peace, restraint, and the calming of conflict—rather than arbitrary force.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Shanti Parva, Bhishma instructs the king on rajadharma (the duties of rulership). Here he emphasizes orderly governance: the king should ensure subjects follow their proper duties and should direct all public affairs lawfully and in ways that promote social peace.