Shloka 38

Devanagari script

यः सत्करोति ज्ञानानि ज्ञेये परहिते रत: । सतां वर्त्मनिगस्त्यागी स राजा राज्यमहति,जो ज्ञान एवं ज्ञानियोंका सत्कार करता है, शास्त्रके ज्ञातव्य विषयको समझने तथा परहित-साधन करनेमें संलग्न रहता है, सत्पुरुषोंके मार्गपर चलनेवाला और स्वार्थत्यागी है, वही राजा राज्य चलानेके योग्य समझा जाता है

Transliteration

yaḥ satkaroti jñānāni jñeye parahite rataḥ | satāṁ vartmanigastyāgī sa rājā rājyam arhati ||

Translation

Bhīṣma bersabda: Raja yang memuliakan ilmu dan para berilmu, yang tekun memahami apa yang dinyatakan kitab suci sebagai hal yang patut diketahui, dan yang giat mengusahakan kebajikan untuk orang lain—yang meniti jalan orang saleh serta menanggalkan kepentingan diri—dialah sahaja yang layak memerintah sebuah kerajaan.

Word by Word

यःwho

सत्करोतिhonours, shows respect to

ज्ञानानिknowledges, branches of knowledge

ज्ञेयेin what is to be known

परहितेin others' welfare

रतःengaged, devoted

सताम्of the good (people)

वर्त्मनिon the path

गस्त्यागीone who abandons (self-interest); self-sacrificing

सःhe

राजाking

राज्यम्kingdom, rule

अर्हतिis fit/deserving (to)

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhishma

king (ideal ruler)

the virtuous (sat)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A ruler becomes worthy of sovereignty by honoring knowledge and those who possess it, seeking true understanding of what should be known, working for others’ welfare, walking in the conduct of the virtuous, and renouncing selfish motives.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on rajadharma, Bhishma teaches Yudhishthira the standards of good governance, defining the ethical and intellectual qualities that make a king fit to rule.