Shloka 4

Gaṇānāṃ Vṛttiḥ — On the Sustenance and Cohesion of Assemblies

Gaṇa-nīti

Devanagari script

समहीनाधिकानां च यथावल्लक्षणं च यत्‌ । मध्यमस्य च तुष्ट्यर्थ यथा स्थेयं विवर्धता

Transliteration

yudhiṣṭhira uvāca | samahīnādhi-kānāṃ ca yathāval lakṣaṇaṃ ca yat | madhyamasya ca tuṣṭyarthaṃ yathā stheyaṃ vivardhatā ||

Translation

Yudhiṣṭhira nói: “Xin hãy nói đúng như thật về những dấu hiệu phân biệt người ngang hàng, kẻ kém hơn và người vượt trội; và xin chỉ dạy một vị vua đang tiến lên vững bền phải xử sự thế nào để làm cho tầng lớp trung lưu được thỏa lòng.”

Word by Word

• सम: equal
• सम: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Nominative/Accusative (as first member in compound), Singular

• हीन: inferior
• हीन: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हीन
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Nominative/Accusative (as member in compound), Singular

• अधिक: superior, greater
• अधिक: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अधिक
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Nominative/Accusative (as member in compound), Singular

• आनाम्: of (gen. pl.)
• आनाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ (प्रत्यय: -नाम्)
• Form: This is the genitive plural ending -नाम् attached to the compound stem समहीनाधिक-

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

• यथावत्: properly, as it should be
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथावत्

• लक्षणम्: mark, characteristic
• लक्षणम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: लक्षण
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

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

• यत्: which, what
• यत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• मध्यमस्य: of the middle (person/class)
• मध्यमस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun/Adjective
• Root: मध्यम
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

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

• तुष्टि-अर्थम्: for the sake of satisfaction
• तुष्टि-अर्थम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: तुष्टि + अर्थ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• यथा: how, in what manner
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा

• स्थेयम्: is to be maintained/abided in
• स्थेयम्: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु) → स्थेय (भाव्य/विधेय)
• Form: Gerundive (भाव्य/तव्यत्-समर्थ), Passive sense, Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• विवर्धता: by one who is prospering/increasing
• विवर्धता: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + वृध् (धातु) → विवर्धत्
• Form: Present active participle, Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

Speaker

युधिछिर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Yudhiṣṭhira

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A ruler must discern people by their true characteristics—recognizing equals, inferiors, and superiors—and govern with steady, growth-oriented conduct that maintains the contentment of the middle ranks, a key pillar of social stability in rājadharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti Parva dialogue on kingship and dharma, Yudhiṣṭhira continues his inquiry, asking for practical criteria to judge different social standings and for guidance on how an advancing king should behave to keep the ‘middle’ segment of society satisfied.