Shloka 30

Kośa, Bala, and Maryādā: Treasury, Capacity, and Enforceable Limits (कोश-बल-मर्यादा)

Devanagari script

परस्पर हि संरक्षा राज्ञा राष्ट्रेण चापदि | नित्यमेव हि कर्तव्या एष धर्म: सनातन:,इसलिये आपत्तिकालमें राजा और राज्यकी प्रजा दोनोंको निरन्तर एक-दूसरेकी रक्षा करनी चाहिये। यही सदाका धर्म है

Transliteration

paraspara hi saṃrakṣā rājñā rāṣṭreṇa cāpadi | nityam eva hi kartavyā eṣa dharmaḥ sanātanaḥ ||

Translation

ฉะนั้นในยามวิกฤต พระราชาและประชาชนแห่งแว่นแคว้นพึงคุ้มครองกันและกันอยู่เนืองนิตย์ นี่แลคือธรรมอันเป็นนิรันดร์

Word by Word

परस्परम्mutually, each other

हिindeed, for

संरक्षाprotection, safeguarding

राज्ञाby the king

राष्ट्रेणby the realm/state (i.e., the people/kingdom)

चand

आपदिin calamity, in time of distress

नित्यम्always, continually

एवindeed, just, certainly

हिindeed

कर्तव्याto be done, ought to be performed

एषःthis

धर्मःduty, law, dharma

सनातनःeternal, perennial

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhishma

king (rājā)

kingdom/realm (rāṣṭra)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches reciprocal duty: in times of danger, the king must protect the people and the people must support and protect the king; this mutual responsibility is presented as an eternal principle of dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on dharma and governance, Bhishma is advising on rajadharma, emphasizing that political authority and the populace are bound by a two-way obligation of protection, especially during crises.