Shloka 28

Daṇḍa-svarūpa-nirūpaṇa

The Nature, Forms, and Function of Daṇḍa

Devanagari script

अलुब्धान्‌ शिक्षितान्‌ दान्तान्‌ धर्मेषु परिनिष्ठितान्‌ । स्थापयेत्‌ सर्वकार्येषु राजा धर्मार्थरक्षिण:

Transliteration

alubdhān śikṣitān dāntān dharmeṣu pariniṣṭhitān | sthāpayet sarvakāryeṣu rājā dharmārtharakṣiṇaḥ ||

Translation

ରାଜା ସମସ୍ତ କାର୍ଯ୍ୟରେ ଅଲୋଭୀ, ଶିକ୍ଷିତ, ଇନ୍ଦ୍ରିୟଦମନଶୀଳ, ଧର୍ମରେ ଦୃଢ଼ନିଷ୍ଠ ଏବଂ ଧର୍ମ-ଅର୍ଥର ରକ୍ଷାକୁ ସମର୍ଥ—ଏମିତି ଲୋକମାନଙ୍କୁ ହିଁ ସ୍ଥାପିତ କରୁନ୍ତୁ।

Word by Word

• अलुब्धान्: free from greed
• अलुब्धान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अलुब्ध
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• शिक्षितान्: trained/educated
• शिक्षितान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शिक्षित
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• दान्तान्: self-controlled
• दान्तान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दान्त
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• धर्मेषु: in matters of dharma / in duties
• धर्मेषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Plural

• परिनिष्ठितान्: firmly established/devoted
• परिनिष्ठितान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परिनिष्ठित
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• स्थापयेत्: should appoint/establish
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (स्थापयति)
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• सर्वकार्येषु: in all tasks/affairs
• सर्वकार्येषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्वकार्य
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Plural

• राजा: the king
• राजा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• धर्मार्थरक्षिणः: protectors of dharma and artha
• धर्मार्थरक्षिणः: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्मार्थरक्षिन्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• rājā (the king)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A ruler must entrust public responsibilities only to people who are non-greedy, educated, self-controlled, and firmly grounded in dharma, because such officials protect both moral order (dharma) and public welfare/prosperity (artha).

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on rājadharma, Bhīṣma advises the king on statecraft—specifically, the ethical criteria for selecting and appointing persons to carry out the kingdom’s affairs.