Shloka 20

राजधर्मस्य नवनीतम्—रक्षा, दण्ड, चार, उत्थान

Rājadharma’s ‘Essence’: Protection, Punishment, Intelligence, and Royal Diligence

Devanagari script

यच्चास्य कार्य वृजिनमार्जवेनैव धारयेत्‌ । दम्भनार्थ च लोकस्य धर्मिष्ठामाचरेत्‌ क्रियाम्‌

Transliteration

yaccāsya kārya vṛjinam ārjavenaiva dhārayet | dambhanārthaṃ ca lokasya dharmiṣṭhām ācaret kriyām ||

Translation

Wika ni Bhīṣma: Anumang maling gawa na mapipilitan ang hari na gawin, dapat niya itong pasanin nang may tuwid na loob (hindi palihim, hindi mapanlinlang). At upang maging halimbawa sa daigdig, dapat siyang magsagawa ng mga gawaing matibay na nakaugat sa dharma, upang ang mga tao’y hindi mailigaw ng pagkukunwari kundi magabayan ng matuwid na asal.

Word by Word

• यत्: whatever (that which)
• यत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• अस्य: of him/this (his)
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• कार्यं: duty; what is to be done
• कार्यं: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्य
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• वृजिनम्: sin; wrongdoing
• वृजिनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृजिन
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• आर्जवेन: by straightforwardness; by sincerity
• आर्जवेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: आर्जव
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• एव: indeed; only
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• धारयेत्: should uphold/maintain
• Type: Verb
• Root: धृ
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• दम्भनार्थम्: for the sake of deception/ostentation
• Type: Noun
• Root: दम्भनार्थ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• लोकस्य: of the people/world
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• धर्मिष्ठाम्: most righteous; very virtuous
• धर्मिष्ठाम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्मिष्ठ
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• आचरेत्: should practice/perform
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-चर्
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• क्रियाम्: act; conduct; action
• क्रियाम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रिया
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• loka (the people/the world)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even when compelled to deal with morally tainted necessities, one should act with straightforward honesty and avoid deceit; at the same time, one must actively practice the most dharmic conduct so that society is guided by genuine righteousness rather than hypocrisy.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Shanti Parva, Bhishma instructs Yudhishthira on dharma and governance. Here he emphasizes integrity (ārjava) and the ruler’s duty to model righteous action publicly, warning against conduct that becomes mere show (dambha) and misleads the world.