Previous Verse
Next Verse

Shloka 19

Gaṇānāṃ Vṛttiḥ — On the Sustenance and Cohesion of Assemblies

Gaṇa-nīti

चारमन्त्रविधानेषु कोशसंनिचयेषु च । नित्ययुक्ता महाबाहो वर्धन्ते सर्वती गणा:

cāramantravidhāneṣu kośasaṃnicayeṣu ca | nityayuktā mahābāho vardhante sarvatī gaṇāḥ ||

भीष्म म्हणाले— महाबाहु युधिष्ठिर! गणराज्याचे नागरिक गुप्तचर व दूतकार्य, राज्यहितासाठी गुप्त मंत्रणा, विधिनिर्मिती आणि कोश-संग्रह यांत सदैव तत्पर असतात; म्हणून ते सर्व बाजूंनी उन्नत होतात.

चारमन्त्रविधानेषुin the arrangements of spies, counsel, and legislation
चारमन्त्रविधानेषु:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootचार-मन्त्र-विधान
FormNeuter, Locative, Plural
कोशसंनिचयेषुin the accumulation of the treasury
कोशसंनिचयेषु:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootकोश-संनिचय
FormMasculine, Locative, Plural
and
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
नित्ययुक्ताःalways engaged/ever intent
नित्ययुक्ताः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootनित्ययुक्त
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
महाबाहोO mighty-armed one
महाबाहो:
TypeNoun
Rootमहाबाहु
FormMasculine, Vocative, Singular
वर्धन्तेthey prosper/increase
वर्धन्ते:
TypeVerb
Rootवृध्
FormPresent, Third, Plural, Atmanepada
सर्वतःfrom all sides / in every way
सर्वतः:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootसर्वतः
गणाःthe groups/assemblies (republican bodies)
गणाः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootगण
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural

भीष्म उवाच

B
Bhishma
Y
Yudhishthira
G
gaṇa (republic/assembly)
K
kośa (treasury)
C
cāra (spies/intelligence agents)

Educational Q&A

A polity—especially a gaṇa or republic—prospers when its members are consistently disciplined in (1) intelligence and diplomacy, (2) confidential policy deliberation aimed at public welfare, (3) sound lawmaking/administration, and (4) careful accumulation and protection of the treasury.

In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on rajadharma, Bhishma advises Yudhishthira about the practical causes of a state’s stability and growth, highlighting how organized collective effort in counsel, legislation, intelligence, and finance leads to all-round prosperity for a republican assembly.