Shloka 5

Daṇḍa-svarūpa-nirūpaṇa

The Nature, Forms, and Function of Daṇḍa

Devanagari script

तैक्ष्ण्यं जिद्वात्वमादाल्भ्यं सत्यमार्जवमेव च | मध्यस्थ: सत्त्वमातिष्ठंस्तथा वै सुखमृच्छति

Transliteration

taikṣṇyaṁ jidvātvaṁ ādālbhyam satyam ārjavam eva ca | madhyasthaḥ sattvam ātiṣṭhaṁs tathā vai sukham ṛcchati ||

Translation

ଭୀଷ୍ମ କହିଲେ— ରାଜା ନିର୍ପକ୍ଷ ଭାବରେ ରହି ତୀକ୍ଷ୍ଣ ଦୃଢତା, ସୂକ୍ଷ୍ମ ରାଜନୀତି, ଅଭୟଦାନ, ସତ୍ୟ ଓ ସରଳତା—ଏହି ଗୁଣଗୁଡ଼ିକୁ ଧାରଣ କରିବା ଉଚିତ। ଏପରି ସମତୁଳିତ ସଦ୍ଗୁଣରେ ସ୍ଥିତ ହେଲେ ସେ କଲ୍ୟାଣ ଓ ସୁଖ ପାଏ।

Word by Word

• तैक्ष्ण्यम्: sharpness, severity
• तैक्ष्ण्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: तैक्ष्ण्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• जिद्वात्वम्: crooked policy, deceitfulness
• जिद्वात्वम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: जिद्वात्व
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• आदाल्भ्यम्: fearlessness; giving of assurance (abhaya)
• आदाल्भ्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: आदाल्भ्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• सत्यम्: truth
• सत्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• आर्जवम्: straightforwardness, simplicity
• आर्जवम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: आर्जव
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• एव: indeed, just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• मध्यस्थः: impartial, neutral
• मध्यस्थः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मध्यस्थ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सत्त्वम्: goodness; noble disposition
• सत्त्वम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्त्व
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• आतिष्ठन्: adopting, abiding by
• आतिष्ठन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-स्था
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तथा: thus, in that manner
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• वै: indeed (emphatic particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै

• सुखम्: happiness, comfort
• सुखम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुख
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• ऋच्छति: attains, reaches
• Type: Verb
• Root: ऋच्छ्
• Form: Lat (Present), Parasmaipada, Third, Singular

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

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• rājā (the king)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Bhīṣma teaches that a ruler’s happiness and success arise from balanced kingship: impartiality combined with firmness, protective assurance to subjects, truthfulness, and straightforward integrity—so that power is exercised without bias and with moral steadiness.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on rājadharma, Bhīṣma continues advising the king (in context, Yudhiṣṭhira) on the qualities and policies a ruler should adopt, emphasizing impartial governance and ethical statecraft as the basis of public welfare and royal well-being.