Shloka 1

Bala and Dharma in Kṣatriya Governance (बल-धर्म सम्बन्धः)

Devanagari script

ऑपन-माजल छा अ<-छकऋाज (आपडद्धर्मपर्व) एकत्रिशदधिकशततमो< ध्याय: आप्त्तिग्रस्त राजाके कर्तव्यका वर्णन युधिछिर उवाच क्षीणस्य दीर्घसूत्रस्य सानुक्रोशस्य बन्धुषु । परिशड्किततवृत्तस्य श्रुतमन्त्रस्य भारत

Transliteration

Yudhiṣṭhira uvāca: kṣīṇasya dīrghasūtrasya sānukrośasya bandhuṣu | pariśaṅkitavṛttasya śrutamantrasya bhārata ||

Translation

ଯୁଧିଷ୍ଠିର କହିଲେ— ହେ ଭାରତ! ଯାହାର ବଳ ଓ ସମ୍ପଦ କ୍ଷୀଣ ହୋଇଯାଇଛି, ଯିଏ ଢିଲାସୁସ୍ତ ଓ ବିଳମ୍ବପ୍ରବଣ; ନିଜ ବନ୍ଧୁବାନ୍ଧବଙ୍କ ପ୍ରତି ଅତ୍ୟଧିକ କରୁଣାରୁ ତାଙ୍କର ବିନାଶ ଭୟେ ସେମାନଙ୍କୁ ସହ ନେଇ ଶତ୍ରୁଙ୍କ ସମ୍ମୁଖୀନ ହୋଇପାରେ ନାହିଁ; ଯାହାର ଆଚରଣ ସନ୍ଦେହାସ୍ପଦ (କିମ୍ବା ଯିଏ ମନ୍ତ୍ରୀମାନଙ୍କ ଆଚରଣ ଉପରେ ସନ୍ଦେହ କରେ); ଏବଂ ଯାହାର ମନ୍ତ୍ରଣା ଗୁପ୍ତ ରହିନାହିଁ, ଅନ୍ୟେ ଶୁଣି ନେଇଛନ୍ତି—ଏମିତି ରାଜା ଆପଦାରେ ପୀଡ଼ିତ ଓ ମନେ ଉଦ୍ବିଗ୍ନ ହେଲେ ତାଙ୍କ ପାଇଁ କେଉଁ ଉପାୟ ଅବଶିଷ୍ଟ? ଏହି ସଙ୍କଟରୁ ମୁକ୍ତି ପାଇଁ ସେ କ’ଣ କରିବା ଉଚିତ?

Word by Word

• युधिष्ठिरः: Yudhishthira
• युधिष्ठिरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: युधिष्ठिर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect, Third, Singular

• क्षीणस्य: of one who is diminished/exhausted
• क्षीणस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षीण
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• दीर्घसूत्रस्य: of one who is procrastinating/slow in action
• दीर्घसूत्रस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दीर्घसूत्र
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• सानुक्रोशस्य: of one who is compassionate
• सानुक्रोशस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सानुक्रोश
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• बन्धुषु: among/with kinsmen
• बन्धुषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: बन्धु
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Plural

• परिशङ्कितवृत्तस्य: of one whose conduct is suspected
• परिशङ्कितवृत्तस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परिशङ्कितवृत्त
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• श्रुतमन्त्रस्य: of one whose counsel/secret has been overheard
• श्रुतमन्त्रस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रुतमन्त्र
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• भारत: O Bharata (descendant of Bharata)
• भारत: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भारत
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

युधिछिर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Bhārata (address/title)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames a rāja-dharma problem: when a ruler is weakened materially and psychologically, divided by misplaced compassion, and compromised by distrust and leaked strategy, he must seek a disciplined, realistic remedy—restoring secrecy, decisive action, reliable counsel, and protective measures—rather than drifting in delay and fear.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Śānti Parva, Yudhiṣṭhira questions the elder authority (addressed as ‘Bhārata’) about what a distressed king should do when his power is depleted, his decision-making is delayed, his inner circle is unreliable or suspected, and his strategic counsel has been exposed—setting up Bhīṣma’s instruction on conduct in political calamity.