Shloka 5

Bhīṣma’s Appraisal of Yudhiṣṭhira’s Dharmic Rule (भीष्मोक्त-युधिष्ठिर-राजधर्म-प्रशंसा)

Devanagari script

तेषां तथा विधेयानां निभृतानां महात्मनाम्‌ | किमर्थ नीतिमान्‌ पार्थ: श्रेयो नैषां करिष्यति,“जो इस प्रकार आज्ञापालक, विनयशील और महात्मा हैं, ऐसे अपने छोटे भाइयोंका नीतिज्ञ धर्मराज कैसे भला नहीं करेंगे?

Transliteration

teṣāṃ tathā vidheyānāṃ nibhṛtānāṃ mahātmanām | kimarthaṃ nītimān pārthaḥ śreyo naiṣāṃ kariṣyati |

Translation

Vaiśampāyana berkata: “Memandangkan para jiwa besar ini begitu patuh pada perintah dan begitu menahan diri, atas sebab apakah Pārtha yang bijaksana tidak akan mengusahakan yang terbaik bagi mereka?”

Word by Word

तेषाम्of them

तथाthus, in that manner

विधेयानाम्of the obedient/tractable

निभृतानाम्of the restrained, modest

महात्मनाम्of the great-souled ones

किम्what

अर्थम्purpose, reason

नीतिमान्wise in policy, prudent

पार्थःPartha (Arjuna)

श्रेयःthe good, welfare, benefit

नnot

एषाम्of these (men)

करिष्यतिwill do, will make

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Pārtha

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 leader who is nītimān (guided by ethical policy and right conduct) should actively pursue śreyas—the true welfare—of those who are disciplined, obedient, and noble; responsibility increases when followers are self-controlled and cooperative.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana comments that, given the Pāṇḍavas’ obedient and restrained disposition, it would be unreasonable to think that Pārtha (the prudent leader among them, identified in context with Dharmarāja/Yudhiṣṭhira) would fail to act for their best interest.