Shloka 19

Daṇḍanīti and the King as the Cause of Yuga-Order (दण्डनीतिः राजधर्मश्च युगकारणत्वम्)

Devanagari script

यात्रायां यदि विज्ञातमनाक्रन्दमनन्तरम्‌ | व्यासक्तं च प्रमत्तं च दुर्बलं च विचक्षण:

Transliteration

bhīṣma uvāca | yātrāyāṃ yadi vijñātam anākrandam anantaram | vyāsaktaṃ ca pramattaṃ ca durbalaṃ ca vicakṣaṇaḥ ||

Translation

ଯାତ୍ରା (ଅଭିଯାନ) ଆରମ୍ଭ କରିବାବେଳେ ବିଚକ୍ଷଣ ରାଜା ଅବିଳମ୍ବେ ଶତ୍ରୁର ଅବସ୍ଥା ଜାଣିବା ଉଚିତ। ଯଦି ଶତ୍ରୁ ମିତ୍ରହୀନ, ସହାୟ-ବନ୍ଧୁହୀନ, ଅନ୍ୟତ୍ର ଜଡିତ, ଅସାବଧାନ ଓ ଦୁର୍ବଳ ଦେଖାଯାଏ, ଏବଂ ନିଜ ସେନା ପ୍ରବଳ ଥାଏ—ତେବେ ଯୁଦ୍ଧନିପୁଣ ବୀର ରାଜା ସେନାକୁ କୂଚ କରିବାର ଆଜ୍ଞା ଦେବା ଉଚିତ; କିନ୍ତୁ ପ୍ରଥମେ ନିଜ ରାଜଧାନୀ ଓ ପଛଦିଗର ସୁରକ୍ଷା ସୁନିଶ୍ଚିତ କରି, ତାପରେ ଶତ୍ରୁ ଉପରେ ଆକ୍ରମଣ କରିବା ଉଚିତ।

Word by Word

• यात्रायाम्: in the march/expedition
• यात्रायाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: यात्रा
• Form: Feminine, Locative, Singular

• यदि: if
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि

• विज्ञातम्: known/ascertained
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-ज्ञा
• Form: Kta (past passive participle), Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• अनाक्रन्दम्: without outcry/without alarm
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनाक्रन्द
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• अनन्तरम्: immediately/without interval
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अनन्तर

• व्यासक्तम्: attached/engrossed/entangled
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि-आसज्
• Form: Kta (past passive participle), Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

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

• प्रमत्तम्: careless/negligent
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र-मत्
• Form: Kta (past passive participle), Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

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

• दुर्बलम्: weak
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर्बल
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

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

• विचक्षणः: the discerning (one)
• विचक्षणः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: विचक्षण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A righteous and prudent ruler should not rush into war: first gather reliable intelligence, attack only when the enemy is strategically vulnerable, and ensure one’s own homeland and capital are secured before launching an offensive.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on kingship and governance, Bhishma teaches Yudhishthira principles of campaign-planning—evaluating the enemy’s weakness and one’s own strength, and prioritizing internal security before marching against an opponent.