Shloka 3

मयूरवद्राजधर्मः (Mayūra-vat Rāja-dharma) — The Peacock-Model of Protective Kingship

Devanagari script

स्वजातिगुणसम्पन्ना: स्वेषु कर्मसु संस्थिता: । प्रकर्तव्या ह्ामात्यास्तु नास्थाने प्रक्रिया क्षमा

Transliteration

bhīṣma uvāca | svajātiguṇasampannāḥ sveṣu karmasu saṃsthitāḥ | prakartavyā hy āmātyās tu nāsthāne prakriyā kṣamā ||

Translation

Bhishma nói: Những người đầy đủ các đức tính thích hợp với giai tầng (varna) của mình và vững vàng trong bổn phận đã được quy định thì nên được bổ nhiệm làm đại thần. Nhưng giao cho bất kỳ ai một việc không đúng chỗ—vượt ngoài năng lực và địa vị của họ—là điều không thể chấp nhận trong việc trị quốc.

Word by Word

• स्वजातिगुणसम्पन्नाः: endowed with the qualities of their own birth/community
• स्वजातिगुणसम्पन्नाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व-जाति-गुण-सम्पन्न
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• स्वेषु: in their own
• स्वेषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Locative, Plural

• कर्मसु: duties/acts
• कर्मसु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन्
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Plural

• संस्थिताः: steadfast/engaged
• संस्थिताः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: संस्था (धातु: स्था) → संस्थित
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• प्रकर्तव्याः: should be appointed/should be made
• प्रकर्तव्याः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र-कर्तव्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• हि: indeed/for
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि

• अमात्याः: ministers/counsellors
• अमात्याः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अमात्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• तु: but/however
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• अस्थाने: in an improper place/position
• अस्थाने: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्थान
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• प्रक्रिया: procedure/assignment/engagement
• प्रक्रिया: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रक्रिया
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• क्षमा: proper/acceptable
• क्षमा: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षमा
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• āmātya (minister/counsellor)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A king should appoint ministers who are grounded in their own proper virtues and duties; administrative assignments must match a person’s rightful role and competence, since misplacement in office is ethically and practically improper.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on rajadharma, Bhishma advises Yudhishthira on statecraft, emphasizing careful selection of ministers and warning against placing people in unsuitable positions.