Shloka 9

उपायधर्म-सेनायोगः

Upāya-dharma and Senāyoga: Expedient Ethics & Army Deployment

Devanagari script

ऋष्टयस्तोमरा: खड्गा निशिताश्न परश्वधा: । फलकान्यथ चर्माणि प्रतिकल्प्यान्यनेकश:

Transliteration

ṛṣṭayas tomarāḥ khaḍgā niśitāśn paraśvadhāḥ | phalakāny atha carmāṇi pratikalpyāny anekaśaḥ ||

Translation

ଭୀଷ୍ମ କହିଲେ—ଋଷ୍ଟି, ତୋମର, ଖଡ୍ଗ ଓ ତୀକ୍ଷ୍ଣ ପରଶୁ—ଏସବୁ ପ୍ରଚୁର ପରିମାଣରେ ପ୍ରସ୍ତୁତ ହେଉ; ଏବଂ ଫଲକ ଓ ଚର୍ମଢାଳ ମଧ୍ୟ ନାନା ପ୍ରକାରରେ ତିଆରି ହେଉ। କୁନ୍ତୀନନ୍ଦନ! ରାଜା ଆକ୍ରମଣ ଓ ରକ୍ଷାର ଏହି ସାଧନଗୁଡ଼ିକୁ ବହୁ ପରିମାଣରେ ସଦା ସଜାଇ ରଖୁ, ଯେପରି ବିପଦକାଳେ ସେନା ଓ ପଶୁବାହନ (ବିଶେଷତଃ ହାତୀ)ର ରକ୍ଷା ଯାଦୃଚ୍ଛିକତା ଉପରେ ନ ରହେ।

Word by Word

• ऋष्टयः: spears/lances (ṛṣṭis)
• ऋष्टयः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋष्टि
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

• तोमराः: javelins (tomaras)
• तोमराः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: तोमर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• खड्गाः: swords
• खड्गाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: खड्ग
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• निशिताः: sharpened/keen
• निशिताः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निशित
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• अश्न: stone (whetstone/stone)
• अश्न: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्न
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• परश्वधाः: axes
• परश्वधाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: परश्वध
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• फलकानि: shields/boards (phalakas)
• फलकानि: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: फलक
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Plural

• अथ: and then/also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ

• चर्माणि: hides/leathers
• चर्माणि: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: चर्मन्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Plural

• प्रतिकल्प्यानि: to be prepared/made ready
• प्रतिकल्प्यानि: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रति-कल्प्य
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Plural

• अनेकशः: in many ways; in great numbers
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अनेकशः

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Kuntīnandana (Yudhiṣṭhira)
• ṛṣṭi (spear)
• tomara (javelin)
• khaḍga (sword)
• paraśvadha (axe)
• phalaka (buckler)
• carman (leather shield)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A ruler’s dharma includes practical preparedness: maintaining adequate arms and defensive gear so that protection of the realm and its forces is assured when threats arise.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Śānti Parva, Bhīṣma instructs Yudhiṣṭhira on rājadharma, listing specific weapons and protective items that should be manufactured and kept ready in large quantities as part of responsible kingship.