Shloka 20

अध्याय ७२ — राजधर्मः: प्रजारक्षण, कर-नीति, दण्ड-नीति, अमात्य-नियोजन

Chapter 72 — Royal Duty: protection of subjects, taxation, punishment, and appointments

Devanagari script

मालाकारोपमो राजन्‌ भव मा<5<ड्रारिकोपम: । तथायुक्तश्रिरं राज्यं भोक्त शक्ष्यसि पालयन्‌

Transliteration

mālākāropamo rājan bhava māṇḍrārikopamaḥ | tathāyuktaśrīraṁ rājyaṁ bhoktuṁ śakṣyasi pālayan, yudhiṣṭhira ||

Translation

ହେ ରାଜନ! ମାଳୀ ପରି ହୁଅ; କୋଇଲା କରୁଥିବା ଲୋକ ପରି ନୁହେଁ। ମାଳୀ ମୂଳକୁ ସିଞ୍ଚି ଗଛକୁ ରକ୍ଷା କରେ, ତାପରେ ଫୁଲ-ଫଳ ଭୋଗ କରେ; କିନ୍ତୁ କୋଇଲା କରୁଥିବା ଲୋକ ଗଛକୁ ମୂଳସହିତ ଧ୍ୱଂସ କରେ। ସେହିପରି ପ୍ରଜାପାଳନରେ ତତ୍ପର ରହି ରାଜ୍ୟକୁ ପୋଷଣ ଓ ସୁରକ୍ଷା କଲେ, ହେ ଯୁଧିଷ୍ଠିର, ତୁମେ ଦୀର୍ଘକାଳ ରାଜ୍ୟସମୃଦ୍ଧି ଭୋଗ କରିପାରିବ।

Word by Word

• मालाकारोपमः: like a gardener
• मालाकारोपमः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मालाकार-उपम
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• राजन्: O king
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• भव: be (become)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू
• Form: Imperative, Second, Singular, Parasmaipada

• मा: do not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मा

• अङ्गारिकोपमः: like a charcoal-burner
• अङ्गारिकोपमः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अङ्गारिक-उपम
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तथा: thus, in that manner
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• युक्तश्रीः: endowed with proper prosperity/splendor
• युक्तश्रीः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: युक्त-श्री
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• राज्यम्: kingdom
• राज्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: राज्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• भोक्तुम्: to enjoy
• Type: Verb
• Root: भुज्
• Form: Tumun (infinitive)

• शक्ष्यसि: you will be able
• Type: Verb
• Root: शक्
• Form: Future, Second, Singular, Parasmaipada

• पालयन्: while protecting, protecting
• पालयन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: पाल्
• Form: Shatr (present active participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• युधिष्ठिर: O Yudhishthira
• Type: Noun
• Root: युधिष्ठिर
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Yudhiṣṭhira
• king (rājan)
• gardener (mālākāra)
• charcoal-maker (māṇḍrārika)
• kingdom (rājya)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A ruler should govern like a gardener—nourishing and protecting the roots of the realm (the people and institutions) and taking only rightful benefit—rather than like a charcoal-maker who gains by destroying the very source of prosperity.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on rājadharma, Bhīṣma counsels King Yudhiṣṭhira using a vivid metaphor: sustainable, protective rule yields long-lasting prosperity, whereas exploitative rule ruins the kingdom.