Shloka 3

Daṇḍanīti and the King as the Cause of Yuga-Order (दण्डनीतिः राजधर्मश्च युगकारणत्वम्)

Devanagari script

भीष्म उवाच राजवृत्तं महाराज शृणुष्वावहितो5खिलम्‌ । यत्‌ कार्य पार्थिवेनादौ पार्थिवप्रकृतेन वा,भीष्मजीने कहा--महाराज! क्षत्रिय राजा अथवा राजकार्य करनेवाले अन्य पुरुषको सबसे पहले जो कार्य करना चाहिये, वह सारा राजकीय आचार-व्यवहार सावधान होकर सुनो

Transliteration

bhīṣma uvāca rājavṛttaṃ mahārāja śṛṇuṣvāvahito 'khilam | yat kāryaṃ pārthivenādau pārthivaprakṛtena vā ||

Translation

Sabi ni Bhīṣma: “O dakilang hari, makinig kang mabuti sa buong tuntunin ng asal at gawi ng paghahari. Sasabihin ko sa iyo kung ano ang dapat unahin ng isang pinuno—at gayundin kung ano ang dapat gawin ng sinumang, ayon sa likas na katangian at tungkulin, ay angkop na maglingkod sa hari at gumanap ng mga pananagutang pangkaharian.”

Word by Word

भीष्मःBhishma

उवाचsaid

राजवृत्तम्royal conduct / duties of a king

महाराजO great king

शृणुष्वlisten

आवहितःattentive

अखिलम्entirely; the whole (of it)

यत्which; what

कार्यम्duty; what is to be done

पार्थिवेनby a king

आदौat first; in the beginning

पार्थिवप्रकृतेनby one having the nature/temperament of a king

वाor

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhishma

Mahārāja (Yudhiṣṭhira)

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?

Bhishma frames the start of his instruction on rājadharma: a king (and those acting in royal capacity) must first learn and follow the complete discipline of proper governance, approached with careful attention and seriousness.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Shanti Parva’s post-war instruction, Bhishma addresses Yudhishthira and begins laying out the principles of statecraft and ethical kingship, asking him to listen closely as he explains what a ruler should do first.