Shloka 6

Vāmadeva’s Rājadharma: Norm-Setting, Counsel, and the Prevention of Rāṣṭra-Vināśa (वामदेव-प्रोक्तं राजधर्मम्)

Devanagari script

द्विषन्तं कृतकल्याणं गृहीत्वा नृपतिं रणे । यो न मानयते द्वेषात क्षत्रधर्मादपैति सः

Transliteration

dviṣantaṃ kṛtakalyāṇaṃ gṛhītvā nṛpatiṃ raṇe | yo na mānayate dveṣāt kṣatradharmād apaiti saḥ ||

Translation

போரில் பகை கொண்ட அரசனைப் பிடித்தபோதும், அவன் முன்பு ஏதோ நன்மை செய்திருந்தால்—வெறுப்பினால் அவனை மதிக்க மறுப்பவன் க்ஷத்திரிய-தர்மத்திலிருந்து விலகுகிறான்.

Word by Word

• द्विषन्तम्: hating; hostile
• द्विषन्तम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्विष् (धातु)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• कृतकल्याणम्: one who has done good (a benefactor)
• कृतकल्याणम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृतकल्याण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• गृहीत्वा: having seized/taken
• Type: Verb
• Root: ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive (Gerund)

• नृपतिम्: king
• नृपतिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृपति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• रणे: in battle
• रणे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• यः: who
• यः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)

• मानयते: honors; shows respect
• Type: Verb
• Root: मान् (धातु) [णिच्]
• Form: Present, Third, Singular

• द्वेषात्: from hatred; out of hatred
• द्वेषात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Ablative, Singular

• क्षत्रधर्मात्: from the duty of a kshatriya
• क्षत्रधर्मात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षत्रधर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Ablative, Singular

• अपैति: departs; falls away
• Type: Verb
• Root: अप-इ (धातु)
• Form: Present, Third, Singular

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

वामदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

• वामदेव (Vāmadeva)
• नृपति (a king)
• राण/रण (battlefield)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A kṣatriya must uphold honor and fairness even toward an enemy; if the enemy has done one good turn, hatred should not erase gratitude or proper respect. Letting personal malice govern one’s conduct is a deviation from kṣatriya-dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vāmadeva states a rule of conduct for warriors: when a king is captured in battle, the captor should not, out of sheer hatred, deny him due honor—especially if that enemy had previously done some good. The verse frames this as a test of adherence to the warrior code.