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Shloka 8

Gaṇānāṃ Vṛttiḥ — On the Sustenance and Cohesion of Assemblies

Gaṇa-nīti

भेदमूलो विनाशो हि गणानामुपलक्षये । मन्त्रसंवरणं दुःखं बहूनामिति मे मतिः

bhedamūlo vināśo hi gaṇānām upalakṣaye | mantrasaṃvaraṇaṃ duḥkhaṃ bahūnām iti me matiḥ ||

ຢຸທິສຖິຣະ ກ່າວວ່າ: «ຂ້າພະເຈົ້າເຫັນວ່າ ຄວາມພິນາດຂອງຊຸມຊົນ ແລະ ສະພາທັງຫຼາຍ ມີຮາກມາຈາກຄວາມແຕກແຍກພາຍໃນ. ແລະການຮັກສາຄໍາປຶກສາ ແລະ ນະໂຍບາຍໃຫ້ລັບແທ້ ເປັນຄວາມລໍາບາກເມື່ອມີຄົນຫຼາຍເຂົ້າຮ່ວມ—ນີ້ແມ່ນຄວາມເຫັນອັນພິຈາລະນາແລ້ວຂອງຂ້າພະເຈົ້າ».

भेदdivision, dissension
भेद:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootभेद
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
मूलःhaving as its root; rooted in
मूलः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootमूल
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
विनाशःdestruction, ruin
विनाशः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootविनाश
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
हिindeed, for
हि:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootहि
गणानाम्of groups/assemblies
गणानाम्:
TypeNoun
Rootगण
FormMasculine, Genitive, Plural
उपलक्षयेI observe, I notice
उपलक्षये:
TypeVerb
Rootउपलक्ष्
FormPresent, First, Singular, Parasmaipada
मन्त्रof counsel/secret counsel
मन्त्र:
TypeNoun
Rootमन्त्र
FormMasculine, Genitive, Singular
संवरणम्concealment, covering up
संवरणम्:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootसंवरण
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular
दुःखम्painful, a hardship
दुःखम्:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootदुःख
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular
बहूनाम्of many (people)
बहूनाम्:
TypeAdjective
Rootबहु
FormMasculine/Neuter, Genitive, Plural
इतिthus (quotative)
इति:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइति
मेmy, of me
मे:
TypePronoun
Rootअस्मद्
FormGenitive, Singular
मतिःopinion, view
मतिः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootमति
FormFeminine, Nominative, Singular

युधिछिर उवाच

Y
Yudhiṣṭhira
G
gaṇa (assemblies/communities)
M
mantra (counsel/policy)

Educational Q&A

A polity or community collapses primarily due to internal factionalism; and effective governance requires confidential counsel, which becomes difficult to preserve when too many people are included in deliberations.

In the Śānti Parva’s discussions on dharma and rulership after the war, Yudhiṣṭhira reflects on practical causes of political failure—especially dissension within groups and the challenge of maintaining secrecy in collective decision-making.