Shloka 31

राज्ञोऽभिषेकः, अराजकदोषः, दण्डधारणस्य आवश्यकता

Royal Consecration, the Fault of Kinglessness, and the Necessity of Enforcement

Devanagari script

नरव्याप्र नरेश! जो समय-समयपर सम्पत्ति और उपहार देकर समस्त प्राणियोंका सम्मान करता रहता है, वह साधु पुरुषोंके आश्रममें निवासका पुण्यफल पा लेता है ।।

Transliteration

bhīṣma uvāca | naravyāghra nareśa! yo samaya-samaye sampattiṃ ca upahārān ca dattvā samasta-prāṇināṃ sammānaṃ karoti, sa sādhu-puruṣāṇām āśrameṣu nivāsa-puṇya-phalaṃ prāpnoti | daśa-dharma-gata-kṣā api yo dharmaṃ pratyavekṣate, sarva-lokasya kaunteya rājā bhavati so ’śramī |

Translation

ଭୀଷ୍ମ କହିଲେ—ନରବ୍ୟାଘ୍ର ନରେଶ! ଯେ ରାଜା ସମୟେ ସମୟେ ଧନ ଓ ଦାନ ଦେଇ ସମସ୍ତ ପ୍ରାଣୀଙ୍କୁ ନିରନ୍ତର ସମ୍ମାନ କରେ, ସେ ସାଧୁଜନଙ୍କ ଆଶ୍ରମରେ ବାସ କରିବାର ପୁଣ୍ୟଫଳ ପାଏ। ଏବଂ, କୌନ୍ତେୟ! ମନୁପ୍ରୋକ୍ତ ଦଶଧର୍ମରେ ଅବସ୍ଥିତ ହୋଇ ମଧ୍ୟ ଯେ ରାଜା ସମଗ୍ର ଲୋକର ଧର୍ମକୁ ଦୃଷ୍ଟିରେ ରଖି ତାହାକୁ ରକ୍ଷା ଓ ସ୍ଥାପନ କରେ, ସେ ସମସ୍ତ ଆଶ୍ରମର ପୁଣ୍ୟଫଳର ଭାଗୀ ହୁଏ।

Word by Word

• दश: ten
• दश: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दश
• Form: —, —, —

• धर्मगतः: situated in dharma
• धर्मगतः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्मगत
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अपि: even/also
• अपि: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि
• Form: —, —, —

• यः: who
• यः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• धर्मम्: dharma; righteousness
• धर्मम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• प्रत्यवेक्षते: observes; keeps in view; considers
• प्रत्यवेक्षते: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रति-अव-ईक्ष्
• Form: Present, 3rd, Singular, Ātmanepada

• सर्वलोकस्य: of the entire world
• सर्वलोकस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्वलोक
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• कौन्तेय: O son of Kuntī
• कौन्तेय: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: कौन्तेय
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

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

• भवति: becomes; is
• भवति: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू
• Form: Present, 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• आश्रमी: one possessing (the merit of) all āśramas; āśrama-holder
• आश्रमी: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: आश्रमिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• Kaunteya (Yudhishthira)
• Manu
• King (ideal ruler)
• Sādhu-puruṣa (righteous people)
• Āśrama (hermitages / life-stages)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A ruler earns profound spiritual merit not only through personal virtue but by actively honoring all beings through timely generosity and by safeguarding the dharma of society as a whole; such governance is said to confer the merit of all āśramas.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on rājadharma, Bhishma addresses Yudhiṣṭhira, describing the ethical ideal of kingship: the king should give appropriately, respect all creatures, and oversee the world’s dharma, thereby attaining merit comparable to living among sages and fulfilling all life-stages.