Shloka 326

धन-राजधर्म संवादः

Discourse on Wealth and Royal Duty

Devanagari script

एवं राजकुलाद्‌ वित्त पृथिवीं प्रति तिष्ठति । प्राचीनकालमें जो राजर्षि हो गये हैं

Transliteration

evaṁ rājakulād vittam pṛthivīṁ prati tiṣṭhati | prācīna-kāle ye rājarṣayo gatāḥ, ye ca sāmprataṁ svarge nivasanti, teṣām api mate rāja-dharmasyaivam eva vyākhyā kṛtā—yathā pūrṇād mahāsāgarād jalāni megha-rūpeṇotthāya sarvā diśo varṣanti, tathā rājabhyo nirgataṁ dhanaṁ sarvāṁ pṛthivīṁ vyāpnoti ||

Translation

ଅର୍ଜୁନ କହିଲେ—ଏହିପରି ରାଜକୁଳମାନଙ୍କୁ ଠାରୁ ବାହାରିଥିବା ଧନ ଶେଷେ ସମଗ୍ର ପୃଥିବୀରେ ଯାଇ ନିବାସ କରେ। ପ୍ରାଚୀନ ରାଜର୍ଷିମାନେ—ଯେମାନେ ଏବେ ସ୍ୱର୍ଗରେ ବସନ୍ତି—ରାଜଧର୍ମକୁ ଏହିପରି ଭାବେ ବ୍ୟାଖ୍ୟା କରନ୍ତି: ଯେପରି ପୂର୍ଣ୍ଣ ମହାସାଗରରୁ ଜଳ ମେଘରୂପେ ଉଠି ସମସ୍ତ ଦିଗରେ ବର୍ଷେ, ସେପରି ଧନ ରାଜାମାନଙ୍କ ଠାରୁ ପ୍ରବାହିତ ହୋଇ ସମଗ୍ର ପୃଥିବୀରେ ପ୍ରସାରିତ ହୁଏ।

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus, in this manner
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम्

• राजकुलात्: from the royal household/dynasty
• राजकुलात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजकुल
• Form: Neuter, Ablative, Singular

• वित्तम्: wealth
• वित्तम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वित्त
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• पृथिवीम्: the earth
• पृथिवीम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृथिवी
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• प्रति: towards, in the direction of
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रति

• तिष्ठति: stands; remains; is established/spreads (towards)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (तिष्ठ)
• Form: Present (Lat), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

अर्जुन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Arjuna
• royal households (rājakula)
• ancient royal sages (rājarṣi)
• Svarga (heaven)
• Mahāsāgara (great ocean)
• Megha (clouds)
• Pṛthivī (earth)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A king’s righteous duty includes circulating wealth outward for the benefit of the whole realm; hoarded riches should move through society like rain that nourishes all directions.

What is happening in the narrative?

Arjuna speaks within the Shanti Parva’s discussion of rāja-dharma, citing the authority of ancient rājarṣis and using the ocean-to-cloud-to-rain image to explain how wealth should flow from rulers to the entire earth.