Shloka 11

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

Devanagari script

नगर, जनपद तथा मल्ललोग जहाँ व्यायाम करते हों, उन स्थानोंमें ऐसी युक्तिसे गुप्तचर नियुक्त करने चाहिये, जिससे वे आपसमें भी एक-दूसरेको पहचान न सकें ।।

Transliteration

bhīṣma uvāca | cārāṃś ca vidyāt prahitān pareṇa bharatarṣabha | āpaṇeṣu vihāreṣu samājeṣu ca bhikṣuṣu ||

Translation

بھیشم نے کہا—اے بھرتَرشبھ! بادشاہ کو اپنے جاسوسوں کے ذریعے دشمن کے بھیجے ہوئے جاسوسوں اور چوروں کی پہچان کرتے رہنا چاہیے—بازاروں میں، سیر و تفریح کے مقامات میں، سماجی اجتماعوں اور تہواروں میں، گداگروں کے گروہوں میں، اور باغات و سیرگاہوں میں۔

Word by Word

• चारान्: spies
• चारान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: चार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• विद्यात्: should know/ascertain
• विद्यात्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (धातु)
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• प्रहितान्: sent, dispatched
• प्रहितान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र-हि (धातु) / प्रहित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural, Past passive participle (क्त)

• परेण: by the enemy/other (person)
• परेण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• भरतर्षभ: O bull among the Bharatas
• Type: Noun
• Root: भरत + ऋषभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• आपणेषु: in markets/shops
• आपणेषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: आपण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Plural

• विहारेषु: in promenades/places of recreation
• विहारेषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: विहार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Plural

• समाजेषु: in assemblies/gatherings
• समाजेषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: समाज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Plural

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

• भिक्षुषु: among mendicants/beggars
• भिक्षुषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भिक्षु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Plural

• भरतश्रेष्ठ: O best of the Bharatas
• Type: Noun
• Root: भरत + श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• Bharatarshabha (addressed king, i.e., Yudhishthira)
• spies (cāra)
• enemy (para)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A ruler must maintain discreet intelligence networks to detect enemy agents in ordinary public spaces (markets, promenades, assemblies, even among mendicants), thereby protecting the kingdom while minimizing disruption to civic life.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on kingship (rājadharma), Bhishma advises the king (addressed as Bharatarṣabha) on practical governance: how to monitor society for hostile espionage and ensure internal security through counter-intelligence.