Shloka 102

Devanagari script

दण्डनीतिं पुरस्कृत्य विजाननू क्षत्रिय: सदा । अनवाप्तं च लिप्सेत लब्धं च परिपालयेत्‌

Transliteration

daṇḍanītiṃ puraskṛtya vijānannū kṣatriyaḥ sadā | anavāptaṃ ca lipseta labdhaṃ ca paripālayet ||

Translation

ദണ്ഡനീതിയെ മുൻനിർത്തി ക്ഷത്രിയൻ എപ്പോഴും വിവേകത്തോടെ പ്രവർത്തിക്കണം. ഇതുവരെ ലഭിക്കാത്തത് നേടാൻ ശ്രമിക്കണം; ലഭിച്ചതിനെ കാത്തുസൂക്ഷിച്ച് പരിപാലിക്കണം.

Word by Word

• दण्डनीतिम्: policy of punishment; governance/discipline
• दण्डनीतिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: दण्डनीति
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• पुरस्कृत्य: having put foremost; having prioritized
• Type: Verb
• Root: पुरस् + कृ
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage), having placed in front / having made primary

• विजानन्: knowing; understanding
• विजानन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + ज्ञा
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• क्षत्रियः: a Kshatriya (warrior/ruler)
• क्षत्रियः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षत्रिय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सदा: always
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा

• अनवाप्तम्: not obtained; unacquired
• अनवाप्तम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन + अवाप्त
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• लिप्सेत: should desire to obtain; should seek
• Type: Verb
• Root: लिप्स्
• Form: Vidhi-linga (optative), Present-system (desiderative base), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• लब्धम्: obtained; acquired
• लब्धम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लभ्
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• परिपालयेत्: should protect; should preserve
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि + पाल्
• Form: Vidhi-linga (optative), Present, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• kṣatriya
• daṇḍanīti

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A ruler should make daṇḍanīti (just governance and enforcement) his guiding framework, combining clear judgment with two duties: to pursue what is necessary but not yet secured, and to safeguard what has already been achieved.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Śānti Parva, Bhīṣma instructs Yudhiṣṭhira on rājadharma. Here he summarizes a practical maxim of kingship: disciplined statecraft, strategic acquisition, and vigilant preservation of the realm’s gains.