Shloka 68

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

Devanagari script

इस प्रकार श्रीमह्या भारत शान्तिपर्वके अन्तर्गत राजधर्मानुशासनपर्वमें ब॒हस्पतिजीका उपदेशविषयक अड़सठवाँ अध्याय पूरा हुआ

Transliteration

vigṛhya āsanam ity eva yātrāṁ samparigṛhya ca | daidhībhāvas tathānyesāṁ saṁśrayo ’tha parasya ca ||

yudhiṣṭhira! imeṣāṁ ṣaḍ-guṇānāṁ paricayaṁ śṛṇu—śatrunā saha sandhiṁ kṛtvā śāntena upaviśanam, śatror upari yātrā (abhyāgamanam), vigrahaṁ kṛtvā sthānam, ākramaṇa-pradarśana-mātreṇa bhīṣaṇaṁ kṛtvā sthānam, śatrūṇāṁ madhye bheda-praveśanam, tathā durge vā durjaye rājani āśraya-grahaṇam.

Translation

اے یدھشٹھِر! راج نیتی کے یہ چھ طریقے سمجھو—صلح (سندھی)، جنگ (وِگْرہ)، ٹھہراؤ (آسن)، مہم/کوچ (یاترا)، دشمنوں میں پھوٹ ڈالنا (دَیْدھی بھاو)، اور پناہ لینا (سَمشْرَی: قلعے میں یا کسی سخت ناقابلِ تسخیر بادشاہ کے زیرِسایہ)۔ وقت اور حالات کے مطابق انہی سے بادشاہ اپنی مملکت کی حفاظت کرتا ہے۔

Word by Word

• विगृह्य: having opposed / having broken (relations)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-ग्रह्
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund)

• आसनम्: sitting still; remaining quiet
• आसनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: आसन
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• इति: thus; as (called)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति

• एव: indeed; just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• यात्राम्: march; expedition
• यात्राम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: यात्रा
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• सम्परिगृह्य: having undertaken / having adopted
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-परि-ग्रह्
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund)

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

• दैधीभावः: duplicity; creating dissension (policy of sowing division)
• दैधीभावः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैधीभाव
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तथा: likewise; also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• अन्येषाम्: of others
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• संश्रयः: seeking shelter; alliance/protection
• संश्रयः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: संश्रय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अथ: then; and now
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ

• परस्य: of another; of the enemy/other party
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

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

Speaker

वसुमना उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vasumanā
• Yudhiṣṭhira
• enemy (śatru)
• fortress (durga)
• formidable king (durjaya rājā)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A king should know and deliberately choose among six strategic policies—peace, march, hostility, intimidation by show of force, creating dissension, and seeking shelter—so that action is guided by circumstance and restrained by rajadharma rather than impulse.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on royal duty, Vasumanā addresses Yudhiṣṭhira and enumerates key options of political-military conduct, framing them as recognized ‘measures’ a ruler may adopt toward enemies and rival powers.