Shloka 34

Devanagari script

इति वाचा मधुरया शलक्ष्णया सोपचारया । स्वरश्मीनभ्यवसृजेद्‌ योगमाधाय कालवित्‌,समयकी गतिविधिको पहचाननेवाले राजाको चाहिये कि वह इसी प्रकार स्नेहयुक्त और अनुनयपूर्ण मधुर वचनोंद्वारा समझा-बुझाकर उपयुक्त उपायका आश्रय ले अपने पैदल सैनिकों या सेवकोंको प्रजाजनोंके घरपर धनसंग्रहके लिये भेजे

Transliteration

iti vācā madhurayā śalakṣṇayā sopacārayā | svaraśmīn abhyavasṛjed yogam ādhāya kālavit ||

Translation

Бхишма сказал: «Так, речью сладкой, мягкой и учтивой, знающий надлежащее время и обстоятельство должен действовать с мерной стратегией — посылая своих людей с кротким убеждением и уместными средствами, а не с суровостью, когда устраивает сбор богатства с домов ради нужд царства».

Word by Word

इतिthus

वाचाby speech/with words

मधुरयाsweet

शलक्ष्णयाgentle/soft

सोपचारयाcourteous (with due attentions)

स्वरश्मीन्his rays

अभ्यवसृजेत्should emit/let forth

योगम्means/expedient; (also) concentration

आधायhaving adopted/placing

कालवित्knower of the proper time

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhishma

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A ruler should act with awareness of timing and circumstance, using courteous and gentle speech and appropriate strategy—especially in sensitive acts like collecting revenue—so that governance remains ethical and non-oppressive.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Bhishma’s instruction on rajadharma in the Shanti Parva, he advises how a king should proceed practically: by employing polite persuasion and suitable measures when dispatching agents for wealth collection, emphasizing tact over coercion.