Shloka 5
अध्याय ६ — युधिष्ठिरस्य वैराग्य-वाक्यं धृतराष्ट्रस्य वनगमनाभिलाषश्च
Chapter 6: Yudhiṣṭhira’s Renunciatory Appeal and Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Resolve for the Forest
इस प्रकार श्रीमह्याभारत आश्रमवासिकपवके अन्तर्गत आश्रमवासपर्वमें धृतराष्रका उपदेशविषयक पाँचवाँ अध्याय पूरा हुआ
etad maṇḍalam ity āhur ācāryā nīti-kovidāḥ | kuru-śreṣṭha amātya-janapada-nānā-vidha-durga-senāsu śatrūṇāṃ yathā-iṣṭaṃ lakṣyaṃ bhavati | ataḥ teṣāṃ rakṣāyāṃ sadā apramādaḥ kartavyaḥ | prabho kuntī-nandana! uparyuktā dvādaśa-vidhā manuṣyā rājñāṃ mukhyā viṣayāḥ | amātyādhīnāni kṛṣi-ādīni ṣaṣṭi-guṇāḥ pūrvoktāś ca dvādaśa-vidhā manuṣyāḥ—etān sarvān nīti-jñā ācāryāḥ “maṇḍalam” iti nāmnā vadanti | atra ṣāḍguṇyam āyattaṃ yudhiṣṭhira nibodha tat ||
एतन्मण्डलमित्याहुराचार्या नीतिकोविदाः । कुरुश्रेष्ठामात्यजनपददुर्गसेनासु वै रिपवो यथेष्टं लक्ष्यं कुर्वन्ति तस्मात् तेषां रक्षणे सदा सावधानो भवेत् । प्रभो कौन्तेय! पूर्वोक्ता द्वादश जनाः राज्ञां मुख्यविषयाः । अमात्याधीनाः कृष्यादयः षष्टिर्गुणाः, तैश्च द्वादशभिः सह—एतत्सर्वं मण्डलमिति नीतिविदो वदन्ति । अत्र षाड्गुण्यमायत्तं युधिष्ठिर निबोध तत् ॥
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
A king’s effective rule depends on understanding and safeguarding the ‘maṇḍala’—the interconnected political and administrative factors (ministers, realm, forts, army, key social categories). Since enemies constantly watch these vulnerabilities, vigilant protection is a moral and practical duty of governance; upon this foundation rests the sixfold diplomatic policy (ṣāḍguṇya).
Vaiśampāyana continues a didactic passage addressed to Yudhiṣṭhira, summarizing how authorities on polity define the ‘maṇḍala’ and warning that enemies target a kingdom’s core supports. The discourse transitions toward explaining the ṣāḍguṇya (six measures of foreign policy) as dependent on this framework.