Shloka 37

Devanagari script

धृष्ट शूरं प्रहर्तारिमनृशंसं जितेन्द्रियम्‌ । वत्सलं संविभक्तारमुपजीवन्ति तं नरा:,जो राजा निर्भय, शूरवीर, प्रहार करनेमें कुशल, दयालु, जितेन्द्रिय, प्रजावत्सल और दानी होता है, उसीका आश्रय लेकर मनुष्य जीवन-निर्वाह करते हैं

Transliteration

dhṛṣṭaśūraṁ prahartāram anṛśaṁsaṁ jitendriyam | vatsalaṁ saṁvibhaktāram upajīvanti taṁ narāḥ ||

Translation

Sinabi ni Bhishma: Nabubuhay ang mga tao sa pagkanlong sa haring walang takot at magiting, bihasa sa pagpuksa sa mga mananalakay ngunit mahabagin; yaong nagtagumpay sa pagpipigil sa mga pandama, mapagmahal sa mga nasasakupan, at mapagbigay sa pamamahagi ng yaman. Ang gayong pinuno ang nagiging matibay at ligtas na sandigan ng lipunan—tapang na sinasapawan ng awa at mahigpit na pagpipigil-sa-sarili.

Word by Word

धृष्टम्bold, fearless

शूरम्hero, brave man

प्रहर्तारम्striker, assailant (one who smites)

अनृशंसम्compassionate, not cruel

जितेन्द्रियम्self-controlled (having conquered the senses)

वत्सलम्affectionate

संविभक्तारम्distributor, giver (one who apportions)

उपजीवन्तिlive by, subsist on

तम्him, that (person)

नराःmen, people

Speaker

भीष्य उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhishma

king (ideal ruler)

people/subjects (narāḥ)

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?

An ideal king sustains society by combining fearlessness and the capacity to punish with compassion, self-mastery, parental care for subjects, and generous distribution of resources; people naturally depend on such a ruler for security and livelihood.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on rajadharma, Bhishma describes the traits of a worthy ruler, explaining why subjects ‘live by’ taking refuge in a king who protects firmly yet remains humane and disciplined.