Shloka 10

Gārhasthya-Śreṣṭhatā and Kṣatriya-Daṇḍadhāraṇa

Householder Primacy and the Royal Duty of Punishment

Devanagari script

यज्ञो विद्या समुत्थानमसंतोष: श्रयं प्रति । दण्डधारणमुग्रत्वं प्रजानां परिपालनम्‌

Transliteration

yajño vidyā samutthānam asantoṣaḥ śriyaṃ prati | daṇḍadhāraṇam ugrātvaṃ prajānāṃ paripālanam ||

Translation

ଯଜ୍ଞ, ବିଦ୍ୟାଭ୍ୟାସ, ଉଦ୍ୟମ (ଶତ୍ରୁମାନଙ୍କ ଉପରେ ଅଭିଯାନ ସହିତ), ରାଜଲକ୍ଷ୍ମୀ ପାଇଲେ ମଧ୍ୟ ଆତ୍ମତୃପ୍ତିରେ ଶିଥିଳ ନ ହେବା, ଦଣ୍ଡ ଧାରଣରେ ସଦା ପ୍ରସ୍ତୁତି, ଉଗ୍ର ପରାକ୍ରମ, ଏବଂ ପ୍ରଜାଙ୍କର ପାଳନ‑ରକ୍ଷଣ—ଏହି ସବୁ ରାଜଧର୍ମର ନିର୍ଦ୍ଦିଷ୍ଟ କର୍ତ୍ତବ୍ୟ।

Word by Word

• यज्ञः: sacrifice; yajña
• यज्ञः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• विद्या: knowledge; learning
• विद्या: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: विद्या
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• समुत्थानम्: rising up; enterprise; exertion
• समुत्थानम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: समुत्थान
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• असन्तोषः: lack of contentment; dissatisfaction
• असन्तोषः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: असन्तोष
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• श्रियम्: prosperity; royal fortune
• श्रियम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• प्रति: towards; with regard to
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रति

• दण्डधारणम्: bearing the rod; wielding punishment
• दण्डधारणम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: दण्ड-धारण
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• उग्रत्वम्: fierceness; sternness
• उग्रत्वम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: उग्रत्व
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• प्रजानाम्: of the subjects; of the people
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजा
• Form: Feminine, Genitive, Plural

• परिपालनम्: protection; governance; maintenance
• परिपालनम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: परि-पालन
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

व्यास उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vyāsa
• kṣatriyas (warrior-rulers)
• prajā (subjects/people)
• daṇḍa (rod/punishment)
• śrī (royal fortune/prosperity)
• yajña (sacrifice)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A ruler’s dharma is a balanced discipline: religious responsibility (yajña), education (vidyā), energetic initiative (samutthāna), vigilance against complacency in power (asantoṣa toward śrī), firm law-enforcement (daṇḍadhāraṇa), and above all the protection and welfare of the people (prajā-paripālana).

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Shānti Parva’s instruction on governance, Vyāsa enumerates key royal duties, outlining the qualities and actions expected of kṣatriya rulers as part of rajadharma.