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Shloka 43

अध्याय ५७ — राज्ञः नित्यप्रयत्नः, रक्षा-प्रधानता, तथा त्याग-नीतिः

Chapter 57: Constant Royal Vigilance, Primacy of Protection, and Principles of Dismissal

प्राचेतसेन मनुना श्लोकौ चेमावुदाहतौ । राजधर्मेषु राजेन्द्र ताविहैकमना: शृणु,राजेन्द्र! प्राचेतस मनुने राजधर्मके विषयमें ये दो श्लोक कहे हैं। तुम एकचित होकर उन दोनों श्लोकोंको यहाँ सुनो

prācetasena manunā ślokau cemāv udāhṛtau | rājadharmeṣu rājendra tāv ihaikamanāḥ śṛṇu ||

భీష్ముడు అన్నాడు: రాజేంద్రా, రాజధర్మాల విషయములో ప్రాచేతస మనువు ఈ రెండు శ్లోకాలను పలికెను. ఇప్పుడు నీవు ఏకాగ్రచిత్తంతో ఇక్కడ ఆ రెండు శ్లోకాలను వినుము.

प्राचेतसेनby Prācetasa
प्राचेतसेन:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootप्राचेतस
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Singular
मनुनाby Manu
मनुना:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootमनु
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Singular
श्लोकौtwo verses
श्लोकौ:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootश्लोक
FormMasculine, Nominative, Dual
and
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
इमौthese two
इमौ:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootइदम्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Dual
उदाहतौwere uttered/recited
उदाहतौ:
TypeVerb
Rootउद्-आ-हृ
FormMasculine, Nominative, Dual, क्त (past passive participle)
राजधर्मेषुin (matters of) kingly duties/statecraft
राजधर्मेषु:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootराजधर्म
FormMasculine, Locative, Plural
राजेन्द्रO king of kings
राजेन्द्र:
TypeNoun
Rootराजेन्द्र
FormMasculine, Vocative, Singular
तौthose two (verses)
तौ:
Karma
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine, Accusative, Dual
इहhere
इह:
Adhikarana
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइह
एकमना:single-minded, attentive
एकमना::
TypeAdjective
Rootएकमनस्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
शृणुlisten
शृणु:
TypeVerb
Rootश्रु
FormImperative, Second, Singular, Parasmaipada

भीष्म उवाच

B
Bhīṣma
M
Manu (Prācetasa)
P
Pracetā (implied by patronymic)
R
Rājendra (Yudhiṣṭhira as addressee)

Educational Q&A

The verse frames rāja-dharma as a disciplined, authoritative teaching: Bhīṣma signals that what follows is grounded in Manu’s traditional authority and must be received with focused attention, implying that governance requires careful listening, restraint, and adherence to established ethical norms.

During Bhīṣma’s instruction to Yudhiṣṭhira in the Śānti Parva, Bhīṣma introduces two verses attributed to Manu (Prācetasa) on the duties of kings, asking the king to listen attentively before the cited guidance is delivered.