Shloka 47

Kośa, Bala, and Maryādā: Treasury, Capacity, and Enforceable Limits (कोश-बल-मर्यादा)

Devanagari script

न च राज्यसमो धर्म: कश्चिदस्ति परंतप । धर्म: संशब्दितो राज्ञामापदर्थमतोडन्यथा

Transliteration

na ca rājya-samo dharmaḥ kaścid asti parantapa | dharmaḥ saṃśabdito rājñām āpad-artham ato 'nyathā, parantapa ||

Translation

Бхишма сказал: «О жгущий врагов, нет долга, равного защите и сохранению царской власти. “Дхарма”, о которой здесь говорится, предписана правителям лишь как чрезвычайная мера во времена бедствий; в обычных обстоятельствах её нельзя считать нормальным правилом».

Word by Word

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

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

• राज्य-समः: equal to kingship/sovereignty
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• धर्मः: duty, dharma
• धर्मः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• कश्चित्: any (one)
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: किम्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अस्ति: is/exists
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस्
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• परंतप: O scorcher of foes
• Type: Noun
• Root: परंतप
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• धर्मः: dharma (this duty)
• धर्मः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• संशब्दितः: so-called, designated
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सं-शब्दित
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular, kta (past passive participle)

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

• आपद्-अर्थम्: for the purpose of calamity (i.e., in distress)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थ
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अतः: therefore/for that reason
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अतः

• अन्यथा: otherwise
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्यथा

• परंतप: O scorcher of foes
• Type: Noun
• Root: परंतप
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Yudhiṣṭhira

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Bhīṣma prioritizes rāja-dharma: for a ruler, safeguarding the kingdom is the highest duty. He also draws a boundary—certain exceptional measures (āpad-dharma) are permitted only during crises and should not be normalized in peaceful times.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Śānti Parva, Yudhiṣṭhira receives instruction from Bhīṣma on statecraft and ethics after the war. Here Bhīṣma clarifies that the earlier-discussed special rule is meant for emergencies affecting rulers, while the ordinary standard of conduct applies otherwise.