Shloka 129

Varṇa-dharma and Rājadharma: Yudhiṣṭhira’s Inquiry and Bhīṣma’s Normative Outline (वर्णधर्म-राजधर्म-प्रश्नोत्तरम्)

Devanagari script

दण्डनीत्या च सततं रक्षितव्य॑ नरेश्वर । नाधर्षयेत्‌ तथा कश्रिच्चारनिष्पन्ददर्शनात्‌

Transliteration

daṇḍanītyā ca satataṃ rakṣitavyaṃ nareśvara | nādharṣayet tathā kaścit cāranispandadarśanāt ||

Translation

Bhīṣma nói: “Hỡi chúa tể loài người, ngài phải luôn bảo hộ quốc độ bằng chính sách trị phạt và trị quốc (daṇḍanīti). Hãy đặt mật thám và quan sát tình trạng vương quốc với sự cảnh giác như thế, để không ai dám quấy nhiễu hay xâm phạm, vì biết rằng mạng lưới tình báo của ngài đang tỉnh thức và hoạt động.”

Word by Word

• दण्डनीत्या: by the policy of punishment (statecraft of danda)
• दण्डनीत्या: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: दण्डनीति
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

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

• सततम्: always, constantly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सतत

• रक्षितव्यम्: must be protected
• Type: Verb
• Root: रक्ष्
• Form: तव्यत् (gerundive/obligative), Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• नरेश्वर: O lord of men (king)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरेश्वर
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

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

• आधर्षयेत्: should assail / dare to attack
• Type: Verb
• Root: धृष्
• Form: Vidhi-ling (optative), Present-system, 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada, आ

• तथा: thus, in that manner
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• कश्चित्: someone, anyone
• कश्चित्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: कश्चित्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• चार: spy, agent
• Type: Noun
• Root: चार
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• निष्पन्द: motionless, without movement
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निष्पन्द
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• दर्शनात्: from seeing / on account of the sight
• दर्शनात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: दर्शन
• Form: Neuter, Ablative, Singular

• नरेश्वर: O king
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरेश्वर
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• nareśvara (the king)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A king must safeguard the state continuously through daṇḍanīti—firm, lawful enforcement—supported by an effective intelligence system (cāras). Visible preparedness and informed oversight deter aggression before it arises.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on rājadharma, Bhīṣma advises the ruler to appoint spies and keep constant watch over the kingdom’s condition, so that potential enemies or wrongdoers do not dare to attack or disturb the realm.