Shloka 37

Vāmadeva’s Rājadharma: Norm-Setting, Counsel, and the Prevention of Rāṣṭra-Vināśa (वामदेव-प्रोक्तं राजधर्मम्)

Devanagari script

न जातु बलवान भूत्वा दुर्बले विश्वसेत्‌ क्वचित्‌ | भारुण्डसदृशा होते निपतन्ति प्रमाद्यत:,राजा स्वयं बलवान्‌ होकर भी कभी अपने दुर्बल शत्रुका विश्वास न करे; क्योंकि ये असावधानीकी दशामें बाज पक्षीकी तरह झपट्टा मारते हैं

Transliteration

na jātu balavān bhūtvā durbale viśvaset kvacit | bhāruṇḍa-sadṛśā hy ete nipatanti pramādyataḥ ||

Translation

ヴァーマデーヴァは言った。「たとえ王が強大であっても、弱き敵を決して信じてはならぬ。かかる敵は、こちらが油断した瞬間、バールンダ鳥のごとく急降下して、忽ち襲いかかるからである。」

Word by Word

नnot

जातुever, at any time

बलवान्strong, powerful

भूत्वाhaving become

दुर्बलेin/with regard to a weak (one)

विश्वसेत्should trust

क्वचित्anywhere, ever

भारुण्ड-सदृशाःresembling the bhāruṇḍa-bird

ह्येतेfor these indeed

निपतन्तिfall upon, swoop down

प्रमाद्यतःfrom (one who is) careless; when (one) is negligent

Speaker

वामदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vāmadeva

rājā (king)

durbala-śatru (weak enemy)

bhāruṇḍa (bird of prey)

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?

Power should not breed complacency: a ruler must remain vigilant and avoid trusting even a seemingly weak enemy, because weakness can conceal opportunism and sudden aggression.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti Parva’s rājadharma instruction, the sage Vāmadeva gives counsel on political prudence, warning the king that enemies may exploit moments of negligence and attack abruptly, like a bird of prey.