Shloka 15

कृपवाक्यं तथा नीत्युपदेशः

Kṛpa’s Counsel and a Discourse on Statecraft

Devanagari script

पुरे जनपदे चापि यत्र राजा युधिष्ठिर: । दानशीलो वदान्यश्न निभूतो हीनिषेवक: । जनो जनपदे भाव्यो यत्र राजा युधिष्ठिर:,“तात! जिस नगर या राष्ट्रमें राजा युधिष्ठिर निवास करते होंगे, वहाँके राजाओंका अकल्याण नहीं हो सकता। जहाँ राजा युधिष्ठिर होंगे, उस जनपदके लोगोंको दानशील, उदार, विनयी और लज्जाशील होना चाहिये

Transliteration

pure janapade cāpi yatra rājā yudhiṣṭhiraḥ | dānaśīlo vadānyaś ca nibhūto hrī-niṣevakaḥ | jano janapade bhāvyo yatra rājā yudhiṣṭhiraḥ ||

Translation

ヴァイシャンパーヤナは言った。「王ユディシュティラが住まういかなる都と郷里においても、そこに住む人々は施しに寛く、手を惜しまぬ者となり、へりくだって慎み、恥を知る者（道徳の抑制を備える者）となるべきだ。ユディシュティラのいるところでは、そのダルマの範が国の気風を形づくるのだから。」

Word by Word

पुरेin the city

जनपदेin the country/realm

चand

अपिalso/even

यत्रwhere

राजाthe king

युधिष्ठिरःYudhiṣṭhira

दानशीलःgenerous (having the habit of giving)

वदान्यःliberal, munificent

स्निग्धःkind, affectionate

निभूतःhumble, subdued

हीनिषेवकःone who serves the lowly (or: who is attended by humble servants)

जनःthe people

जनपदेin the realm

भाव्यःought to be / should be

यत्रwhere

राजाthe king

युधिष्ठिरःYudhiṣṭhira

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Yudhiṣṭhira

pura (city)

janapada (realm/countryside)

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?

The verse teaches that a righteous king’s personal virtues—charity, generosity, humility, and moral modesty—radiate outward and become the expected ethical standard for the whole realm; leadership by dharmic example shapes public character.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana describes the moral atmosphere of any place where Yudhiṣṭhira dwells, emphasizing that his presence and conduct influence the city and countryside, making the people inclined toward virtuous behavior.