Shloka 13

Ānṛśaṃsya, Amātya-Guṇa, and Reconciliatory Counsel (आनृशंस्य–अमात्यगुण–संधि-उपदेशः)

Devanagari script

कालकवृक्षीय मुनि राजा जनकका राजकुमार क्षेमदर्शीके साथ मेल करा रहे हैं धर्मात्मनां क्वचिल्लोके नान्यास्ति गतिरीदृशी । महात्मा राजपुत्रो5यं सतां मार्गमनुछित:

Transliteration

dharmātmanāṁ kvacil loke nānyāsti gatir īdṛśī | mahātmā rājaputro ’yaṁ satāṁ mārgam anucchitaḥ ||

Translation

بھیشم نے کہا—“اس دنیا میں دین دار بادشاہوں کے لیے کبھی کبھی نیک لوگوں کا راستہ—یعنی صالحین کی رہنمائی—جیسی کوئی اور راہِ نجات نہیں۔ یہ شہزادہ بلند ہمت ہے؛ اس نے نیکوں کے طریقے کو اختیار کیا ہے۔”

Word by Word

• {'dharmātmanām': 'of the righteous-minded

• of those whose nature is dharma', 'kvacit': 'at some time

• in some cases', 'loke': 'in the world

• among people', 'na': 'not', 'anyā': 'other', 'asti': 'there is', 'gatiḥ': 'course, resort, way, refuge, means', 'īdṛśī': 'of this kind

• like this', 'mahātmā': 'great-souled

• noble', 'rājaputraḥ': 'king’s son

• prince', 'ayam': 'this', 'satām': 'of the good/virtuous', 'mārgaḥ': 'path

• way of conduct', 'anucchitaḥ': 'followed/accepted

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• rājaputra (the prince)
• dharmātmānaḥ (righteous kings)
• sat (the virtuous/good people)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A king’s best ‘refuge’ or practical course is to align with dharma by following the guidance and example of the virtuous; ethical governance depends on good counsel and right conduct.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma, instructing on royal duty in the Shanti Parva, praises a prince for adopting the conduct of good people and states that for righteous rulers there is no better recourse than such virtuous guidance.