Shloka 24

Devanagari script

वैश्यस्यार्थे च साहाय्य॑ं कुर्वाण: क्षत्रियो भुवि । स सर्वेष्वपि लोकेषु प्रजा रज्जयते ध्रुवम्‌,जो क्षत्रिय इस भूतलपर वैश्यके कार्यमें सहायता पहुँचाता है, वह निश्चय ही सम्पूर्ण लोकोंमें प्रजाको प्रसन्न करनेवाला राजा होता है

Transliteration

vaiśyasyārthe ca sāhāyyaṁ kurvāṇaḥ kṣatriyo bhuvi | sa sarveṣv api lokeṣu prajā rañjayate dhruvam ||

Translation

ਜੋ ਖੱਤਰੀ ਇਸ ਧਰਤੀ ਉੱਤੇ ਵੈਸ਼ ਦੇ ਕੰਮ-ਕਾਜ ਅਤੇ ਭਲਾਈ ਵਿੱਚ ਸਹਾਇਤਾ ਕਰਦਾ ਹੈ, ਉਹ ਨਿਸ਼ਚਿਤ ਹੀ ਸਭ ਲੋਕਾਂ ਵਿੱਚ ਪ੍ਰਜਾ ਨੂੰ ਪ੍ਰਸੰਨ ਕਰਨ ਵਾਲਾ ਰਾਜਾ ਬਣਦਾ ਹੈ।

Word by Word

वैश्यस्यof the vaiśya (merchant/producer class)

अर्थेin the matter/purpose (work)

चand

साहाय्यम्help, assistance

कुर्वाणःdoing, rendering

क्षत्रियःa kṣatriya (warrior/ruler)

भुविon earth

सःhe

सर्वेषुin all

अपिeven/also

लोकेषुin the worlds/realms

प्रजाःsubjects, people

रञ्जयतेpleases, delights

ध्रुवम्certainly, surely

Speaker

युधिछिर उवाच

Characters & Entities

Yudhiṣṭhira

kṣatriya

vaiśya

prajā (subjects/people)

bhūmi (earth)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A ruler’s dharma includes actively supporting the economic and livelihood activities of the productive class; such protection and facilitation is what makes a king truly beloved and legitimate.

What is happening in the narrative?

Yudhiṣṭhira articulates a principle of rājadharma: the kṣatriya’s role is not only to fight or punish but to ensure social prosperity by aiding the vaiśya’s work, thereby securing the happiness of the subjects.