Shloka 13

Devanagari script

स्थापयेदेव मर्यादां जनचित्तप्रसादिनीम्‌ । अल्पे>प्यर्थे च मर्यादा लोके भवति पूजिता,राजाको ऐसी ही मर्यादा स्थापित करनी चाहिये, जो सब लोगोंके चित्तको प्रसन्न करनेवाली हो। लोकमें छोटे-से काममें भी मर्यादाका ही मान होता है

Transliteration

sthāpayet eva maryādāṃ janacitta-prasādinīm | alpe 'py arthe ca maryādā loke bhavati pūjitā ||

Translation

ภีษมะกล่าวว่า “พระราชาพึงสถาปนามรยาทา คือขอบเขตและแบบแผนแห่งความประพฤติอันทำให้จิตใจประชาชนสงบและยินดี ในโลกนี้ แม้กิจเล็กน้อยเพียงใด มรยาทาก็ยังเป็นสิ่งที่ได้รับการยกย่อง”

Word by Word

स्थापयेत्should establish

एवindeed/just

मर्यादाम्a boundary; rule; propriety; standard

जन-चित्त-प्रसादिनीम्pleasing (bringing clarity/joy) to people's minds

अल्पेin a small (matter)

अपिeven/also

अर्थेin a matter/affair

चand

मर्यादाpropriety/standard (of conduct)

लोकेin the world/among people

भवतिis/becomes

पूजिताhonoured/respected

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhīṣma

rājā (the king, as an implied addressee/subject)

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?

The core teaching is that legitimate rule depends on establishing maryādā—clear, fair, and socially accepted standards of conduct that steady and please the public mind; even minor affairs gain dignity when handled within proper limits and procedure.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Śānti Parva’s instruction on rājadharma, Bhīṣma continues advising the king (Yudhiṣṭhira in context) on principles of governance, emphasizing that orderly norms and propriety are respected by society and are essential to stable rule.