Shloka 26

राजवृत्त-रक्षा-प्रणिधि-षाड्गुण्योपदेशः

Royal Conduct, Protection, Intelligence, and Policy Measures

Devanagari script

ब्राह्मणाश्षतुरो वेदान्‌ नाधीयीरंस्तपस्विन: । विद्यास्नाता व्रतस्नाता यदि राजा न पालयेत्‌,यदि राजा पालन न करे तो विद्या पढ़कर स्नातक हुए ब्रह्मचर्य-व्रतका पालन करनेवाले और तपस्वी तथा ब्राह्मण लोग चारों वेदोंका अध्ययन छोड़ दें

Transliteration

brāhmaṇāś caturō vedān nādhīyīraṁs tapasvinaḥ | vidyā-snāta vratā-snāta yadi rājā na pālayet ||

Translation

ヴァスーマナーは言った。「もし王が（民と秩序を）守護しないなら、学業を終え誓戒を成就した苦行のバラモンでさえ、四ヴェーダの学習をやめてしまうであろう。」この偈は、聖なる学知と戒律ある宗教生活の保持には、王の保護が不可欠であることを示す。

Word by Word

ब्राह्मणाःBrahmins

चतुरःfour

वेदान्Vedas

नnot

अधीयीरन्should study / would study

तपस्विनःascetics, practitioners of austerity

विद्यास्नाताःbathed/finished in learning (graduates in knowledge)

व्रतस्नाताःbathed/finished in vows (those who have completed the vow/discipline)

यदिif

राजाthe king

नnot

पालयेत्should protect / would rule (properly)

Speaker

वसुमना उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vasumanā

rājā (the king)

brāhmaṇāḥ (Brahmins)

catur-vedāḥ (the four Vedas)

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?

Vedic learning and disciplined religious life flourish only when the king upholds rajadharma—protecting society and maintaining order. Without protection, even the most qualified and austere Brahmins would abandon Vedic study.

What is happening in the narrative?

In a discussion on governance and dharma in the Śānti Parva, Vasumanā argues for the necessity of royal protection by stating that the failure of a king to protect would undermine the very foundations of sacred education and ascetic practice.