Shloka 1

Treasury Security, Protection of Informants, and the Kalakavṛkṣīya Exemplum (Śānti Parva 83)

Devanagari script

/ ऑपनआक्रात बछ। अकाल ३. जो आपत्तियाँ स्वतः अपने ही करतूतोंसे आती हैं

Transliteration

bhīṣma uvāca | eṣā prathamato vṛttir dvitīyāṃ śṛṇu bhārata | yaḥ kaścid janayed arthaṃ rājñā rakṣyaḥ sadā naraḥ ||

Translation

ਭੀਸ਼ਮ ਨੇ ਆਖਿਆ—ਹੇ ਭਾਰਤਵੰਸ਼ੀ! ਇਹ ਰਾਜਨੀਤੀ ਦਾ ਪਹਿਲਾ ਅਸੂਲ ਹੈ; ਹੁਣ ਦੂਜਾ ਸੁਣ। ਜੋ ਕੋਈ ਵੀ ਮਨੁੱਖ ਰਾਜੇ ਦੇ ਧਨ ਅਤੇ ਸਰੋਤਾਂ ਵਿੱਚ ਵਾਧਾ ਕਰੇ, ਰਾਜੇ ਨੂੰ ਉਸ ਦੀ ਸਦਾ ਰੱਖਿਆ ਕਰਨੀ ਚਾਹੀਦੀ ਹੈ।

Word by Word

• एषा: this (she/this one)
• एषा: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• प्रथमतो: firstly
• प्रथमतो: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रथम

• वृत्तिः: conduct; policy; course of action
• वृत्तिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृत्ति
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• द्वितीयाम्: the second (one)
• द्वितीयाम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वितीय
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• शृणु: hear; listen
• शृणु: Kriya
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु
• Form: Imperative, Second, Singular, Parasmaipada

• भारत: O Bharata
• भारत: Sambodhana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भारत
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• यः: who
• यः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• कश्चित्: someone; any (person)
• कश्चित्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: किम्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• जनयेत्: should produce; would generate
• जनयेत्: Kriya
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन्
• Form: Optative, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• अर्थम्: wealth; benefit; resources
• अर्थम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• राज्ञा: by the king
• राज्ञा: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• रक्ष्यः: to be protected
• रक्ष्यः: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रक्ष्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular, Gerundive (future passive participle), -य (raksya)

• सदा: always
• सदा: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा

• नरः: man; person
• नरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Bhārata (Yudhiṣṭhira)
• rājā (the king)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A king’s duty includes safeguarding those who increase the kingdom’s wealth and resources; productive contributors to the state are to be consistently protected as part of sound rājadharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on kingship, Bhishma continues advising Yudhiṣṭhira, marking a transition from a ‘first principle’ to a ‘second principle’ of royal conduct, emphasizing protection of those who generate revenue and prosperity for the king.