Shloka 5

Bhṛtya-niyoga: Role-appropriate appointment of servants and protection of the royal treasury (भृत्यनियोगः कोशरक्षणं च)

Devanagari script

कुलज: प्राकृतो राज्ञा स्वकुलीनतया सदा । न पापे कुरुते बुद्धि भिद्यमानो5प्यनागसि,कुलीन पुरुष यदि कभी राजाके द्वारा बिना अपराधके ही तिरस्कृत हो जाय और लोग उसे फोड़ें या उभाड़ें तो भी वह अपनी कुलीनताके कारण राजाका अनिष्ट करनेकी बात कभी मनमें नहीं लाता है

Transliteration

Bhīṣma uvāca: kulajaḥ prākṛto rājñā svakulīnatayā sadā | na pāpe kurute buddhiṁ bhidyamāno 'py anāgasi ||

Translation

ಕುಲೀನನಾದವನು ರಾಜನಿಂದ ನಿರಪರಾಧಿಯಾಗಿದ್ದರೂ ತಿರಸ್ಕೃತನಾಗಿ, ಇತರರಿಂದ ಅವಮಾನಿತನಾದರೂ, ತನ್ನ ಸಹಜ ಕುಲೀನತೆಯಿಂದ ಪಾಪದ ಕಡೆಗೆ ಮನಸ್ಸು ತಿರುಗಿಸುವುದಿಲ್ಲ; ರಾಜನಿಗೆ ಹಾನಿ ಮಾಡುವ ಯೋಚನೆ ಅವನ ಮನದಲ್ಲಿ ಹುಟ್ಟದು.

Word by Word

कुलजःwell-born, of noble lineage

प्राकृतःnatural, straightforward (simple-minded)

राज्ञाby the king

स्वकुलीनतयाby/through his own nobility (good breeding)

सदाalways

नnot

पापेin sin/evil (in wrongdoing)

कुरुतेmakes, forms, directs (his mind)

बुद्धिम्thought, intention, mind

भिद्यमानःbeing split/harassed/tormented

अपिeven, although

अनागसिwhen (he is) guiltless; in the state of being without fault

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhishma

king (rājā)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

True nobility is shown by restraint: even when an innocent person is insulted or harmed by royal authority, he does not let his mind turn toward sinful retaliation or wishing harm to the king.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on righteous conduct, Bhishma describes the hallmark of a kulīna (well-born, well-bred) person—enduring unjust treatment without forming malicious intent against the ruler.