Shloka 53

Śaraṇāgatapālana—Prastāvanā

Protection of the Refuge-Seeker: Opening of the Kapota Narrative

Devanagari script

“शत्रु ककणाजनक वचन बोल रहा हो तो भी उसे मारे बिना न छोड़े। जिसने पहले अपना अपकार किया हो, उसको अवश्य मार डाले और उसमें दु:ख न माने ।।

Transliteration

bhīṣma uvāca | saṅgrahānugrahe yatnaḥ sadā kāryo 'n-asūyatā | nigrahaś cāpi yatnena kartavyo bhūtim icchatā ||

Translation

ଭୀଷ୍ମ କହିଲେ—ଶତ୍ରୁ କରୁଣାଜନକ ବାକ୍ୟ କହୁଥିଲେ ମଧ୍ୟ ତାକୁ ନିହତ କରିବା ବିନା ଛାଡ଼ିବା ଉଚିତ୍ ନୁହେଁ; ଯେ ପୂର୍ବରୁ ଅପକାର କରିଛି, ତାକୁ ନିଶ୍ଚୟ ନିହତ କରିବା ଉଚିତ୍, ଏବଂ ତାହାରେ ଦୁଃଖ କରିବା ଉଚିତ୍ ନୁହେଁ। ଐଶ୍ୱର୍ୟ ଇଚ୍ଛା କରୁଥିବା ରାଜା ଦୋଷଦୃଷ୍ଟି ଓ ଇର୍ଷ୍ୟା ତ୍ୟାଗ କରି ସଦା ଲୋକମାନଙ୍କୁ ନିଜ ପକ୍ଷରେ ଧରିରଖିବା ଓ ଅନୁଗ୍ରହ କରିବା ପାଇଁ ଯତ୍ନଶୀଳ ହେଉ; ଏବଂ ଶତ୍ରୁମାନଙ୍କ ନିଗ୍ରହ/ଦମନ ମଧ୍ୟ ଯତ୍ନପୂର୍ବକ କରୁ।

Word by Word

• संग्रह: in winning over / in conciliation (of people)
• संग्रह: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: संग्रह
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• अनुग्रहे: in showing favor / in granting help
• अनुग्रहे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनुग्रह
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• यत्नः: effort
• यत्नः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: यत्न
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सदा: always
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा

• कार्यः: to be done / should be made
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कार्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अनसूयता: freedom from envy / non-censoriousness
• अनसूयता: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनसूयता
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• निग्रहः: restraint / suppression (of enemies)
• निग्रहः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: निग्रह
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

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

• अपि: also / even
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• यत्नेन: by effort
• यत्नेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: यत्न
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• कर्तव्यः: ought to be done
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कर्तव्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• भूतिम्: prosperity / success
• भूतिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूति
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• इच्छता: by (one) desiring
• इच्छता: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: इष्
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A ruler aiming at prosperity should combine two disciplines: (1) saṅgraha and anugraha—winning, retaining, and supporting people through benevolence; and (2) nigraha—firmly restraining enemies and disruptive forces. Both require steady, intentional effort, and should be pursued without envy or fault-finding.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Shanti Parva’s instruction on kingship (rājadharma), Bhishma continues advising Yudhishthira on practical governance. Here he summarizes a balanced policy: cultivate allies and subjects through favor and inclusion, while also suppressing threats to the kingdom with disciplined resolve.