Shloka 4

अध्याय ७२ — राजधर्मः: प्रजारक्षण, कर-नीति, दण्ड-नीति, अमात्य-नियोजन

Chapter 72 — Royal Duty: protection of subjects, taxation, punishment, and appointments

Devanagari script

प्रत्युत्थायोपसंगृह््‌ चरणावभिवाद्य च । अथ सर्वाणि कुर्वीथा: कार्याणि सपुरोहित:,जब घरपर वेदव्रतपरायण, शास्त्रज्ञ एवं धर्मिष्ठ गुणवान्‌ ब्राह्मण पधारें, उस समय उन्हें देखते ही खड़े हो उनका स्वागत करो। उनके चरण पकड़कर प्रणाम करो और उनकी विधिपूर्वक अर्चन करके पूजा करो। तदनन्तर पुरोहितको साथ लेकर समस्त आवश्यक कार्य सम्पन्न करो

Transliteration

pratyutthāyopasaṅgṛhya caraṇāv abhivādya ca | atha sarvāṇi kurvīthāḥ kāryāṇi sa-purohitaḥ ||

Translation

प्रत्युत्थायोपसंगृह्य चरणावभिवाद्य च। अथ सर्वाणि कुर्वीथाः कार्याणि सपुरोहितः॥

Word by Word

प्रत्युत्थायhaving risen up (in response)

उपसंगृह्यhaving respectfully taken/held (e.g., clasped)

चरणौthe two feet

अभिवाद्यhaving saluted

चand

अथthen

सर्वाणिall

कुर्वीथाःyou should do/perform

कार्याणिduties/necessary tasks

सtogether with

पुरोहितःthe family priest

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhīṣma

purohita (household priest)

brāhmaṇa (implied: learned righteous brāhmaṇa/guest)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Dharma includes proper reception and reverence toward a worthy brāhmaṇa/teacher—rising to greet, saluting at the feet—and then conducting one’s duties with the guidance of the purohita, so that action is aligned with sacred law and right conduct.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma is instructing the listener on correct social and religious protocol: when a qualified brāhmaṇa arrives, one should immediately stand, welcome and bow respectfully, and thereafter proceed to accomplish necessary affairs in association with the household priest.