Shloka 12

राज्ञो वृत्त-गुण-संग्रहः (Conduct and the Thirty-Six Virtues of a King) / The King’s Code of Conduct

Devanagari script

एवं चरस्व राज्यस्थो यदि श्रेय इहेच्छसि । अतोडन्यथा नरपतिर्भयमृत्छत्यनुत्तमम्‌

Transliteration

evaṁ carasva rājyastho yadi śreya ihecchasi | ato ’nyathā narapatir bhayam ṛcchaty anuttamam, yudhiṣṭhira ||

Translation

ビーシュマは言った。「この世において福祉を望むなら、王位に確固として立ち、このように振る舞うがよい。これに背く王は、比類なき恐怖と大いなる災厄に陥るのだ、ユディシュティラよ。」

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus, in this manner
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम्

• चरस्व: conduct yourself; act
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर्
• Form: लोट् (imperative), परस्मैपदम्, 2, singular

• राज्यस्थः: standing in/established in the kingdom (as king)
• राज्यस्थः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: राज्यस्थ
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• यदि: if
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि

• श्रेयः: welfare; the good
• श्रेयः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रेयस्
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• इह: here (in this world)
• इह: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह

• इच्छसि: you desire
• Type: Verb
• Root: इष्
• Form: लट् (present), परस्मैपदम्, 2, singular

• अतः: therefore; hence
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अतः

• अन्यथा: otherwise; in a contrary way
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्यथा

• नरपतिः: king
• नरपतिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरपति
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• भयम्: fear; danger
• भयम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: भय
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• ऋच्छति: falls into; reaches; incurs
• Type: Verb
• Root: ऋच्छ्
• Form: लट् (present), परस्मैपदम्, 3, singular

• अनुत्तमम्: unsurpassed; very great
• अनुत्तमम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनुत्तम
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• युधिष्ठिर: O Yudhiṣṭhira
• Type: Noun
• Root: युधिष्ठिर
• Form: masculine, vocative, singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Yudhiṣṭhira
• narapati (the king, as a role)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A king seeking welfare must remain firmly established in his royal duty and follow the prescribed ethical conduct; deviation from rājadharma leads to severe fear and calamity.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Śānti Parva, Bhīṣma instructs Yudhiṣṭhira on rājadharma after the war, warning him that a ruler who governs contrary to dharma invites grave danger.