Shloka 5

Āśrama-dharma: Duties of the Four Life-Stages (आश्रमधर्मः)

Devanagari script

केषु विश्वसितव्यं स्याद्‌ राज्ञा कस्याज्चिदापदि । कुतो वा5>त्मा दृढं रक्ष्यस्तन्मे ब्रूहि पितामह

Transliteration

keṣu viśvasitavyaṃ syād rājñā kasyāś cid āpadi | kuto vātmā dṛḍhaṃ rakṣyas tan me brūhi pitāmaha ||

Translation

പിതാമഹാ! ഏതെങ്കിലും ആപത്ത് വന്നാൽ രാജാവ് ആരിൽ വിശ്വാസം വെക്കണം? പിന്നെ ആരിൽ നിന്നാണ് തന്റെ ശരീരത്തെ ദൃഢമായി കാക്കേണ്ടത്? അത് എനിക്ക് പറയുക.

Word by Word

• केषु: in/among whom
• केषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम्
• Form: All, Locative, Plural

• विश्वसितव्यम्: should be trusted
• विश्वसितव्यम्: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: विश्वस् (धातु)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular, Gerundive (तव्यत्), impersonal obligation

• स्यात्: would/should be
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: Optative (विधिलिङ्), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• राज्ञा: by the king
• राज्ञा: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• कस्य: of whom/whose
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम्
• Form: All, Genitive, Singular

• चित्: ever/at all (enclitic particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: चित् (निपात)

• आपदि: in calamity/distress
• आपदि: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: आपद्
• Form: Feminine, Locative, Singular

• कुतः: from where; how/whence
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कुतः (अव्यय)

• वा: or
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)

• आत्मा: self; body/person
• आत्मा: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• दृढम्: firmly; securely
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दृढ
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• रक्ष्यः: is to be protected/should be guarded
• Type: Verb
• Root: रक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular, Gerundive (यत्), obligation

• तत्: that (matter)
• तत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• मे: to me
• मे: Sampradana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: All, Dative, Singular

• ब्रूहि: tell (you)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: Imperative (लोट्), 2nd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• पितामह: O grandsire
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितामह
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Pitāmaha (Bhīṣma)
• rājā (the king)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames a key rājadharma problem: in times of danger, a ruler must discern reliable allies and identify potential threats, balancing trust with prudent self-protection.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana introduces a question addressed to Pitāmaha (Bhīṣma), asking for guidance on whom a king should trust during calamity and from whom he should guard his own person.