Shloka 53

Devanagari script

विशालान्‌ राजमार्गाश्न कारयीत नराधिप: । प्रपाश्न विपणांश्नैव यथोद्देशं समाविशेत्‌,प्रत्येक नरेशको बड़ी-बड़ी सड़कें बनवानी चाहिये और जहाँ जैसी आवश्यकता हो उसके अनुसार जलक्षेत्र और बाजारोंकी व्यवस्था करनी चाहिये

Transliteration

bhīṣma uvāca | viśālān rājamārgān kārayīta narādhipaḥ | prapāś ca vipanāś caiva yathoddeśaṃ samāviśet |

Translation

Bhishma berkata: “Wahai raja, hendaklah tuanku membina jalan raya diraja yang luas. Dan menurut keperluan setiap tempat, dirikan juga tempat persinggahan air untuk umum serta pasar-pasar, agar perjalanan, perdagangan, dan kesejahteraan harian rakyat terpelihara.”

Word by Word

विशालान्large, broad

राजमार्गान्royal highways, main roads

कारयीतshould cause to be made / should have made

नराधिपःthe king, ruler of men

प्रपाःwater-sheds, drinking places

विपणान्markets, shops

चand

एवindeed, also

यथोद्देशम्according to the locality/region; as per the place

समाविशेत्should establish/arrange; should set up

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhishma

King (narādhipaḥ)

Royal highways (rājamārga)

Water-stations (prapā)

Marketplaces (vipanā)

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 king’s dharma includes practical public welfare: building wide main roads and ensuring essential civic amenities—water facilities and markets—tailored to local needs, so that society functions smoothly and justly.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on rājadharma, Bhishma advises the ruler on concrete administrative duties, emphasizing infrastructure and provisioning as part of ethical kingship.