Shloka 34

Varṇa-dharma and Rājadharma: Yudhiṣṭhira’s Inquiry and Bhīṣma’s Normative Outline (वर्णधर्म-राजधर्म-प्रश्नोत्तरम्)

Devanagari script

अमात्यरक्षा प्रणिधी राजपुत्रस्य लक्षणम्‌ | चारश्न विविधोपाय: प्रणिधेय: पृथग्विध:

Transliteration

amātya-rakṣā praṇidhī rāja-putrasya lakṣaṇam | cāraś ca vividha-upāyaḥ praṇidheyaḥ pṛthag-vidhaḥ ||

Translation

ਭੀਸ਼ਮ ਬੋਲੇ—ਰਾਜਨੀਤੀ-ਸ਼ਾਸਤਰ ਵਿੱਚ ਮੰਤਰੀਆਂ ਦੀ ਰੱਖਿਆ, ਪ੍ਰਣਿਧੀ (ਵਿਸ਼ਵਾਸਯੋਗ ਦੂਤ/ਅਧਿਕਾਰੀ), ਰਾਜਪੁੱਤਰ ਦੇ ਲੱਛਣ, ਗੁਪਤਚਰਾਂ ਦੀ ਚਾਲ ਲਈ ਨਾਨਾ ਉਪਾਅ ਅਤੇ ਵੱਖ-ਵੱਖ ਥਾਵਾਂ ‘ਤੇ ਵੱਖ-ਵੱਖ ਕਿਸਮ ਦੇ ਗੁਪਤ ਏਜੰਟਾਂ ਦੀ ਨਿਯੁਕਤੀ—ਇਹ ਸਭ ਦੱਸਿਆ ਗਿਆ ਹੈ; ਅਤੇ ਸਾਮ, ਦਾਨ, ਭੇਦ, ਦੰਡ ਤੇ ਉਪੇਖਾ—ਇਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਪੰਜ ਉਪਾਵਾਂ ਦਾ ਵੀ ਪੂਰਾ ਪ੍ਰਤਿਪਾਦਨ ਹੈ।

Word by Word

• अमात्यरक्षा: protection of ministers
• अमात्यरक्षा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अमात्य-रक्षा
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• प्रणिधी: agents/commissioners (envoys, officers)
• प्रणिधी: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रणिधि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• राजपुत्रस्य: of the prince
• राजपुत्रस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजपुत्र
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• लक्षणम्: characteristic/mark
• लक्षणम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: लक्षण
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• चाराः: spies
• चाराः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: चार
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

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

• विविधोपायः: various means/strategies
• विविधोपायः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: विविध-उपाय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• प्रणिधेयः: to be appointed/placed (to be deployed)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र-नि-धा (धातु) → प्रणिधेय (gerundive)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पृथग्विधः: of separate kinds; in different forms
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पृथक्-विध
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• amātya (ministers)
• rāja-putra (prince)
• cāra (spies)
• praṇidhi (envoy/agent)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A king’s stability depends on disciplined governance: protect ministers from enemy influence, deploy reliable envoys/operatives, recognize the qualities of a capable prince, and maintain a well-structured intelligence network. Policy should be applied through the five classical means—conciliation, inducement, division, punishment, and strategic non-engagement—according to context.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on rājadharma, Bhīṣma continues advising Yudhiṣṭhira on practical kingship. Here he summarizes key topics of political science: ministerial security, appointment of agents and spies, criteria for a prince, and the systematic use of the five upāyas in administration and diplomacy.