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Shloka 7

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

यदि कोई राजा पहलेका उपकारी हो और किसी कारणवश वर्तमानकालमें द्वेष करने लगा हो तो उस समय जो भूपाल उसे युद्धमें बंदी बनाकर द्वेषवश उसका सम्मान नहीं करता, वह भी क्षत्रियधर्मसे गिर जाता है ।। शक्तः स्यात्‌ सुसुखो राजा कुर्यात्‌ करणमापदि । प्रियो भवति भूतानां न च विश्रश्यते श्रिय:

yadi ko rājā pūrvakopakārī syāt ca kasyacid kāraṇavaśāt vartamānakāle dveṣaṁ karoti, tadā yo bhūpālaḥ taṁ yuddhe bandī kṛtvā dveṣavaśāt tasya sammānaṁ na karoti, so 'pi kṣatriyadharmāt patati || śaktaḥ syāt susukho rājā kuryāt karaṇam āpadi | priyo bhavati bhūtānāṁ na ca viśraśyate śriyaḥ ||

ວາມະເທວະ ສອນວ່າ: ແມ່ນແຕ່ກະສັດຜູ້ເຄີຍເປັນຜູ້ມີຄຸນ ແລ້ວດ້ວຍເຫດບາງຢ່າງກາຍເປັນສັດຕູໃນປັດຈຸບັນ ການປະພຶດທີ່ຖືກຕ້ອງຂອງຜູ້ປົກຄອງກໍຍັງຕ້ອງຢູ່ໃນຂອບເຂດແຫ່ງ ກະສັດຕຣິຍະ-ທັມ. ຖ້າກະສັດຈັບສັດຕູນັ້ນໄດ້ໃນສົງຄາມ ແລ້ວເພາະຄວາມຊັງບໍ່ໃຫ້ກຽດທີ່ຄວນໄດ້ ກະສັດນັ້ນເອງກໍຕົກຈາກຈັນຍາຂອງນັກຮົບ. ກະສັດຜູ້ມີກຳລັງ ແລະມັ່ນຄົງ ຄວນກະທຳຢ່າງເດັດຂາດໃນຍາມວິກິດ; ດ້ວຍການນັ້ນ ພຣະອົງຈະເປັນທີ່ຮັກຂອງປະຊາ ແລະສິຣີສົມບັດບໍ່ຫຼຸດລົງ.

शक्तःable, capable
शक्तः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootशक्त (शक्)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
स्यात्should be / may be
स्यात्:
TypeVerb
Rootअस्
FormOptative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada
सुसुखःvery happy / well-contented
सुसुखः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootसुसुख
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
राजाking
राजा:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootराजन्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
कुर्यात्should do / should make
कुर्यात्:
TypeVerb
Rootकृ
FormOptative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada
करणम्a measure, action, means (to be done)
करणम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootकरण
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
आपदिin calamity / in distress
आपदि:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootआपद्
FormFeminine, Locative, Singular
प्रियःdear, beloved
प्रियः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootप्रिय
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
भवतिbecomes / is
भवति:
TypeVerb
Rootभू
FormPresent (Lat), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada
भूतानाम्of beings / of creatures
भूतानाम्:
TypeNoun
Rootभूत
FormNeuter, Genitive, Plural
not
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
and
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
विश्रश्यतेfalls away / declines / perishes
विश्रश्यते:
TypeVerb
Rootश्रस् (वि-श्रस्)
FormPresent (Lat), 3rd, Singular, Atmanepada
श्रियाḥfrom prosperity / from fortune
श्रियाḥ:
Apadana
TypeNoun
Rootश्री
FormFeminine, Ablative, Singular

वामदेव उवाच

वामदेव (Vāmadeva)
राजा (king)
भूपाल (ruler/king)
भूतानि/प्रजा (subjects, beings)

Educational Q&A

Hatred must not govern a king’s conduct: even toward a hostile former benefactor captured in war, denying due honor out of spite is a lapse from kṣatriya-dharma. Competent, timely action in crisis sustains public affection and preserves royal prosperity.

In the Śānti Parva’s discourse on rājadharma, Vāmadeva addresses standards of royal behavior, especially in wartime and after victory. He warns that vindictive treatment of a captive enemy undermines the ruler’s dharmic standing and political stability.