Shloka 12

Adharmic Victory as Unstable; Rules of Restraint, Mediation, and Conciliation (अधर्मविजय-अध्रुवत्व तथा क्षमा-नयः)

Devanagari script

जो कोई धर्मका लोप और मर्यादाको भंग करके विजय पाता है, उसके इस बर्तावका विजयाभिलाषी नरेशको अनुसरण नहीं करना चाहिये। धर्मके द्वारा प्राप्त हुई विजयसे बढ़कर दूसरा कौन-सा लाभ हो सकता है? ।।

Transliteration

bhīṣma uvāca | yo ko'pi dharmasya lopaṁ maryādāyāś ca bhaṅgaṁ kṛtvā vijayaṁ prāpnoti, tasya etādṛśaṁ vyavahāraṁ vijayābhilāṣiṇā nṛpeṇa nānusaraṇīyam | dharmeṇa prāptād vijayāt paraṁ dvitīyaṁ ko nāma lābhaḥ syāt? || sahasā anāryabhūtāni kṣipram eva prasādayet | sāntvena bhogadānena sa rājñāṁ paramo nayaḥ ||

Translation

ଭୀଷ୍ମ କହିଲେ—ଯେ ଧର୍ମର ଲୋପ କରି ଓ ମର୍ଯ୍ୟାଦା ଭଙ୍ଗ କରି ବିଜୟ ପାଏ, ବିଜୟାଭିଲାଷୀ ରାଜା ତାହାର ଆଚରଣ ଅନୁସରଣ କରିବା ଉଚିତ ନୁହେଁ। ଧର୍ମଦ୍ୱାରା ପ୍ରାପ୍ତ ବିଜୟଠାରୁ ବଡ଼ ଲାଭ ଆଉ କ’ଣ ହୋଇପାରେ? ତେଣୁ ବିଜୟୀ ରାଜା ମଧୁର ବଚନ ଓ ଭୋଗ୍ୟବସ୍ତୁ-ଦାନ ଦ୍ୱାରା ଅନାର୍ୟ (ମ୍ଲେଚ୍ଛ ଆଦି) ପ୍ରଜାକୁ ମଧ୍ୟ ଶୀଘ୍ର ପ୍ରସନ୍ନ କରିବା ଉଚିତ; ଏହି ହେଉଛି ରାଜମାନଙ୍କର ପରମ ନୀତି।

Word by Word

• सहसा: suddenly, rashly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सहसा

• अनार्यभूतानि: those who have become non-Ārya (uncivilized)
• अनार्यभूतानि: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनार्यभूत
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• क्षिप्रम्: quickly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्षिप्र

• एव: indeed, just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• प्रसादयेत्: should please / should conciliate
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रसादय् (प्र + सद्/साद् caus.)
• Form: Vidhi-linga (Optative), Present-system, 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• सान्त्वेन: by conciliation, by gentle words
• सान्त्वेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सान्त्व
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• भोगदानेन: by giving enjoyments/benefits
• भोगदानेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भोगदान
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• सः: that (he/this)
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• राज्ञाम्: of kings
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• परमः: highest, supreme
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• नयः: policy, statecraft
• Type: Noun
• Root: नय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• king (nṛpa/rājā)
• anārya people (anāryabhūta)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Victory is not truly beneficial if achieved by violating dharma and social bounds; the highest gain is a dharma-based victory. A ruler should govern by ethical means and stabilize rule through conciliation and welfare-giving rather than lawless force.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on kingship, Bhishma advises Yudhishthira on proper royal conduct: do not emulate unrighteous conquerors, and after victory, pacify potentially hostile or outsider groups swiftly through gentle speech and material benefits.