Shloka 41

Devanagari script

कि तैयेंडनडुहो नोह्या: किं धेन्वा वाप्यदुग्धया । वन्ध्यया भार्यया को<्ं:र्थ:कोड्ड थो राज्ञाप्परक्षता,जो बोझ न ढो सकें, ऐसे बैलोंसे क्या लाभ? जो दूध न दे, ऐसी गाय किस कामकी? जो बाँझ हो, ऐसी स्त्रीसे क्या प्रयोजन है? और जो रक्षा न कर सके, ऐसे राजासे क्या लाभ है?

Transliteration

kiṁ tair indanaduhobhir nohyaiḥ? kiṁ dhenvā vāpy adugdhayā? vandhyayā bhāryayā ko 'rthaḥ? ko 'rtho rājñāparakṣatā?

Translation

โคผู้ที่แบกแอกและลากภาระมิได้จะมีประโยชน์อันใด โคที่ไม่ให้น้ำนมจะมีค่าอะไร ภรรยาที่เป็นหมันจะมีความหมายใด และพระราชาผู้คุ้มครองมิได้จะให้คุณประโยชน์อะไรเล่า

Word by Word

किम्what (use?)

तैःby/with those

इन्द्रनडुहःbulls (draught-oxen; lit. 'Indra-drawing')

अनडुहःbulls/oxen

नnot

उह्याःfit to carry/draw (a load)

किम्what (use?)

धेन्वाwith a cow

वाor

अपिeven/also

अदुग्धयाnot giving milk

वन्ध्ययाbarren

भार्ययाwith a wife

कःwhat (is)

अर्थःuse/purpose/benefit

राज्ञाwith/by a king

अपरक्षताnot protecting/one who does not protect

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhishma

king (rājā)

oxen/bulls (draught animals)

cow (dhenū)

wife (bhāryā)

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 verse stresses functional dharma: the worth of a role is measured by its essential duty—oxen must bear loads, cows must yield milk, a spouse sustains lineage and household aims, and above all a king must protect. Without fulfilling the defining obligation, the office becomes meaningless.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on governance and conduct, Bhishma addresses the standards of kingship and social responsibility. He uses sharp analogies from agrarian and household life to emphasize that a ruler who cannot protect his people fails the very purpose of being king.