Shloka 10

Vāmadeva’s Counsel on Rooted Kingship and Non-violent Victory (वामदेवोपदेशः—दृढमूलराजधर्मः)

Devanagari script

यदार्यजनविद्धिष्टं कर्म तन्नाचरेद्‌ बुध: । यत्‌ कल्याणमभिशध्यायेत्‌ तत्रात्मानं नियोजयेत्‌

Transliteration

yad āryajanaviddhiṣṭaṃ karma tan nācared budhaḥ | yat kalyāṇam abhiśadhyāyet tatrātmānaṃ niyojayet ||

Translation

यदार्यजनविद्धिष्टं कर्म तन्नाचरेद् बुधः । यत् कल्याणमभिसंध्यायेत तत्रात्मानं नियोजयेत् ॥

Word by Word

यदाwhen

आर्यजनविद्धिष्टम्disapproved/condemned by noble people

कर्मan act/deed

तत्that

नnot

आचरेत्should practice/should do

बुधःa wise person

यत्whatever/that which

कल्याणम्goodness/welfare (what is beneficial)

अभिशध्यायेत्should contemplate/should meditate upon

तत्रthere/in that (matter)

आत्मानम्oneself

नियोजयेत्should apply/should engage (oneself)

Speaker

वामदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vāmadeva

āryajana (the noble/virtuous people)

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?

Ethical action should be guided by the standards of the virtuous and by clear discernment of what leads to welfare (kalyāṇa). A wise person avoids deeds condemned by good people and deliberately commits to what is beneficial.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Śānti Parva’s instruction on dharma and right conduct, the sage Vāmadeva offers a normative rule for behavior: reject actions reproached by the noble and direct oneself toward what is judged to be truly auspicious and good.