Shloka 1

राजधर्मप्रश्नः — Yudhiṣṭhira’s Inquiry into Rājadharma (Śānti-parva 56)

Devanagari script

अत-#-#क्त षट्पज्चाशत्तमो<5 ध्याय: युधिष्ठटिरके पूछनेपर भीष्मके द्वारा राजधर्मका वर्णन

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca | praṇipatya hṛṣīkeśam abhivādya pitāmaham | anumānya gurūn sarvān paryapṛcchad yudhiṣṭhiraḥ ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana nói: Sau khi cúi lạy Hṛṣīkeśa (Kṛṣṇa) và kính bái bậc Tổ phụ Bhīṣma, Yudhiṣṭhira—đã được sự chuẩn thuận của tất cả các bậc trưởng thượng và thầy dạy hiện diện—liền nêu câu hỏi của mình. Cảnh này đặt nền cho lời giáo huấn sắp đến về vương pháp như một cuộc vấn đạo có kỷ luật, đầy tôn kính, có sự đồng thuận và nghiêm cẩn về đạo lý.

Word by Word

• वैशम्पायनः: Vaishampayana
• वैशम्पायनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैशम्पायन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• प्रणिपत्य: having bowed down
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-निपत्
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage)

• हृषीकेशम्: Hrishikesha (Krishna)
• हृषीकेशम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृषीकेश
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अभिवाद्य: having respectfully greeted
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-वाद्
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage)

• पितामहम्: the grandsire (Bhishma)
• पितामहम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितामह
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अनुमान्य: having obtained/received permission
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनु-मान्
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage)

• गुरून्: elders/teachers
• गुरून्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• सर्वान्: all
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• पर्यपृच्छत्: asked (inquired)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि-प्रच्छ्
• Form: Imperfect, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• युधिष्ठिरः: Yudhishthira
• युधिष्ठिरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: युधिष्ठिर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Hṛṣīkeśa (Kṛṣṇa)
• Pitāmaha (Bhīṣma)
• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Gurūn (elders/teachers)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Before seeking guidance on statecraft and dharma, the king must approach knowledge with humility, proper respect to spiritual and moral authorities, and with the community of elders’ consent—signaling that righteous rule begins with disciplined inquiry and reverence.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana narrates that Yudhiṣṭhira bows to Kṛṣṇa and Bhīṣma, receives the approval of the assembled elders, and then formally asks his question—setting the stage for Bhīṣma’s discourse on rajadharma in the Shānti Parva.