Shloka 64

Śaraṇāgatapālana—Prastāvanā

Protection of the Refuge-Seeker: Opening of the Kapota Narrative

Devanagari script

श्रेणीमूख्योपजापेषु वललभानुनयेषु च । अमात्यान्‌ परिरक्षेत भेदसंघातयोरपि

Transliteration

śreṇīmūkhyopajāpeṣu vallabhānunayeṣu ca | amātyān parirakṣeta bhedasaṅghātayor api ||

Translation

Bhīṣma disse: “Quando se trabalha secretamente sobre os líderes influentes das corporações, quando favoritos e aliados são cortejados com persuasão e lisonja, e quando por toda parte se espalham tramas de divisão e de facções—então o governante deve proteger cuidadosamente os seus ministros. Deve assegurar que eles não sejam cindidos pela intriga nem formem um grupo separado que se volte contra ele.”

Word by Word

• श्रेणीमुख्योपजापेषु: in (matters of) secret instigations against the leaders of guilds
• श्रेणीमुख्योपजापेषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रेणीमुख्योपजाप (श्रेणी + मुख्य + उपजाप)
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Plural

• वललभानुनयेषु: in conciliations/entreaties (made) to favorites
• वललभानुनयेषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वललभानुनय (वललभ + अनुनय)
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Plural

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

• अमात्यान्: ministers/counsellors
• अमात्यान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अमात्य
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• परिरक्षेत: should protect/guard
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि-रक्ष्
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• भेदसंघातयोः: of dissension and coalition/combination
• Type: Noun
• Root: भेदसंघात (भेद + संघात)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Dual

• अपि: even/also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• amātya (ministers)
• śreṇī (guilds/organized factions)
• śreṇīmūkhya (guild leaders)
• vallabha (favourites/confidants)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A ruler must actively safeguard the loyalty and unity of his ministers, especially when rival forces use covert persuasion, flattery, and divide-and-rule tactics to create factions.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Bhīṣma’s instruction on rājadharma in the Śānti Parva, he warns about political moments when guild leaders and influential persons are being manipulated through secret intrigue and conciliation; in such times the king must protect his ministers from being split or co-opted into opposing blocs.