Shloka 18

Kṣātra-dharma as the Public Foundation of Dharma (क्षात्रधर्म-प्रशंसा)

Devanagari script

आनयित्वा यथापाठं विप्रेभ्यो दत्तदक्षिण: । संग्रामे विजयं प्राप्य तथाल्पं यदि वा बहु

Transliteration

ānayitvā yathāpāṭhaṃ viprebhyo dattadakṣiṇaḥ | saṃgrāme vijayaṃ prāpya tathālpaṃ yadi vā bahu ||

Translation

Bhishma berkata: “Setelah bacaan Veda dilaksanakan tepat menurut ketetapan dan setelah diberikan dakṣiṇā yang sewajarnya kepada para Brahmin, kemudian—sama ada kemenangan di medan perang itu kecil atau besar—(raja hendaklah meneruskan tindakannya menurut dharma).” Dalam konteksnya, Bhishma menggariskan kitaran hidup etika seorang raja: pembelajaran yang berdisiplin dan tanggungjawab ritual, sokongan dermawan kepada golongan pendeta, perlindungan rakyat, serta penggunaan kejayaan ketenteraan secara terkawal sebagai alat menegakkan tertib, bukan untuk memuaskan nafsu peribadi.

Word by Word

• आनयित्वा: having brought / after bringing
• आनयित्वा: Karana
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-नी (धातु: नी)
• Form: क्त्वा, कर्तरि, पूर्वकाले (absolutive)

• यथापाठम्: according to the prescribed recitation
• यथापाठम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा + पाठ
• Form: true

• विप्रेभ्यः: to the brahmins
• विप्रेभ्यः: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Plural

• दत्तदक्षिणः: one who has given the sacrificial fee (dakṣiṇā)
• दत्तदक्षिणः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दत्त + दक्षिणा
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular, क्त (दत्त), qualifies an implied masculine subject (e.g., राजा/क्षत्रियः)

• संग्रामे: in battle
• संग्रामे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: संग्राम
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• विजयम्: victory
• विजयम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: विजय
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• प्राप्य: having obtained
• प्राप्य: Karana
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-आप् (धातु: आप्)
• Form: ल्यप् (क्त्वान्त-प्रकार), कर्तरि, पूर्वकाले (having obtained)

• तथा: likewise / so
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा
• Form: true

• अल्पम्: small / slight
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अल्प
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular, adjectival accusative used adverbially with विजयम् (as 'small')

• यदि: if
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि
• Form: true

• वा: or
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा
• Form: true

• बहु: much / great
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular, adjectival accusative used adverbially with विजयम् (as 'great')

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• Brahmins (vipra)
• battle/war (saṃgrāma)
• dakṣiṇā (ritual honorarium)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A king’s power must be anchored in dharma: perform rites correctly, honor learned Brahmins with proper dakṣiṇā, and treat military victory—small or great—as a responsibility to uphold order and protect subjects, not as a license for arrogance.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on rājanīti and dharma, Bhishma continues advising the ruler: after ensuring correct Vedic procedure and rewarding priests, the king, having won in war, should proceed with disciplined, duty-centered governance.