Shloka 26

राजवृत्त-रक्षा-प्रणिधि-षाड्गुण्योपदेशः

Royal Conduct, Protection, Intelligence, and Policy Measures

Devanagari script

ब्राह्मणाश्षतुरो वेदान्‌ नाधीयीरंस्तपस्विन: । विद्यास्नाता व्रतस्नाता यदि राजा न पालयेत्‌

Transliteration

brāhmaṇāś caturō vedān nādhīyīraṁs tapasvinaḥ | vidyā-snāta vratā-snāta yadi rājā na pālayet ||

Translation

அரசன் பாதுகாப்பைச் செய்யாவிட்டால், கல்வியில் ஸ்நாதகமும் விரதத்தில் ஸ்நாதகமும் ஆன தவமுடைய பிராமணர்களும் நான்கு வேதங்களின் অধ্যயனத்தை விட்டுவிடுவர்।

Word by Word

• ब्राह्मणाः: Brahmins
• ब्राह्मणाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• चतुरः: four
• चतुरः: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• वेदान्: Vedas
• वेदान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

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

• अधीयीरन्: should study / would study
• Type: Verb
• Root: अधि-इ
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Plural, Parasmaipada

• तपस्विनः: ascetics, practitioners of austerity
• तपस्विनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस्विन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• विद्यास्नाताः: bathed/finished in learning (graduates in knowledge)
• विद्यास्नाताः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विद्या-स्नात
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• व्रतस्नाताः: bathed/finished in vows (those who have completed the vow/discipline)
• व्रतस्नाताः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: व्रत-स्नात
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• यदि: if
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि

• राजा: the king
• राजा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

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

• पालयेत्: should protect / would rule (properly)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पाल्
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

वसुमना उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vasumanā
• rājā (the king)
• brāhmaṇāḥ (Brahmins)
• catur-vedāḥ (the four Vedas)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Vedic learning and disciplined religious life flourish only when the king upholds rajadharma—protecting society and maintaining order. Without protection, even the most qualified and austere Brahmins would abandon Vedic study.

What is happening in the narrative?

In a discussion on governance and dharma in the Śānti Parva, Vasumanā argues for the necessity of royal protection by stating that the failure of a king to protect would undermine the very foundations of sacred education and ascetic practice.