Shloka 102

Dasyu-maryādā and Buddhi-guided Rāja-nīti (दस्युमर्यादा तथा बुद्धिप्रधान-राजनीति)

Devanagari script

दत्त्वाभयं स्वयं राजा प्रमाणं कुरुते यदि । स सर्वसुखकृज्ज्ञेय: प्रजा धर्मेण पालयन्‌

Transliteration

dattvābhayaṁ svayaṁ rājā pramāṇaṁ kurute yadi | sa sarvasukhakṛj jñeyaḥ prajā dharmeṇa pālayan ||

Translation

اگر بادشاہ خود اپنی رعایا کو اَمن و اَمان (ابھَے دان) عطا کرکے اپنے ہی کردار کو معیارِ حق بنائے اور دھرم کے مطابق رعایا کی پرورش و حفاظت کرے، تو وہ سب کے لیے سعادت و بہبود کا سبب سمجھا جاتا ہے۔

Word by Word

• दत्त्वा: having given
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (दाने)
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), कर्तरि

• अभयम्: fearlessness, security
• अभयम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अभय
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• स्वयम्: himself
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम्

• राजा: the king
• राजा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• प्रमाणम्: authority, standard, proof
• प्रमाणम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रमाण
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• कुरुते: makes, establishes
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (करणे)
• Form: लट्, आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• यदि: if
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• सर्वसुखकृत्: maker of all happiness (benefactor)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्वसुखकृत्
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• ज्ञेयः: is to be known (as)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्ञा (अवबोधने)
• Form: यत् (gerundive), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• प्रजाः: subjects, people
• प्रजाः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजा
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• धर्मेण: by righteousness, according to dharma
• धर्मेण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• पालयन्: protecting, governing
• Type: Verb
• Root: पाल् (रक्षणे)
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

ब्रह्मदत्त उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Brahmadatta
• rājā (the king)
• prajāḥ (subjects/people)
• dharma

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A ruler’s legitimacy rests on granting security and embodying dharma personally; when the king’s own conduct becomes the standard and he protects the people righteously, he becomes a source of welfare for all.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on royal duty (rājadharma), Brahmadatta states a criterion for ideal kingship: the king must first assure fearlessness to the populace and then govern as a living example of dharma while protecting his subjects.