Shloka 105

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

Devanagari script

तस्मात्‌ कौरव्य धर्मेण प्रजा: पालय नीतिमान्‌ । एवं वृत्त: प्रजा रक्षन्‌ स्वर्ग जेतासि दुर्जयम्‌

Transliteration

tasmāt kauravya dharmeṇa prajāḥ pālaya nītimān | evaṁ vṛttaḥ prajā rakṣan svargaṁ jetāsi durjayam ||

Translation

Vì vậy, hỡi Kauravya, hãy nương theo chính sách đúng đắn mà bảo hộ dân chúng theo dharma. Nếu ngươi sống và hành xử như thế, giữ kỷ cương và che chở thần dân, ngươi sẽ đoạt được cả cõi trời vốn khó bề chinh phục.

Word by Word

• तस्मात्: therefore/from that reason
• तस्मात्: Apadana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद्
• Form: ablative singular (masc/neut)

• कौरव्य: O Kaurava (descendant of Kuru)
• कौरव्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: कौरव्य
• Form: vocative singular masculine

• धर्मेण: by/with righteousness, according to dharma
• धर्मेण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म
• Form: instrumental singular masculine

• प्रजाः: subjects, people
• प्रजाः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजा
• Form: accusative plural feminine

• पालय: protect, govern
• पालय: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: पाल्
• Form: imperative, 2nd person singular, parasmaipada

• नीतिमान्: O prudent/wise one (possessing नीति)
• नीतिमान्: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नीतिमत्
• Form: vocative singular masculine

• एवम्: thus, in this manner
• एवम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम्
• Form: indeclinable

• वृत्तः: having behaved/acting (thus)
• वृत्तः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वृत्त
• Form: nominative singular masculine (past passive participle of √वृत्/√वृत्त् 'to behave/act')

• प्रजाः: the subjects, people
• प्रजाः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजा
• Form: accusative plural feminine

• रक्षन्: protecting
• रक्षन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: रक्ष्
• Form: present active participle, nominative singular masculine

• स्वर्गम्: heaven
• स्वर्गम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर्ग
• Form: accusative singular masculine

• जेतासि: you will conquer
• जेतासि: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: जि
• Form: periphrastic future, 2nd person singular, parasmaipada

• दुर्जयम्: hard to conquer
• दुर्जयम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर्जय
• Form: accusative singular masculine (agreeing with स्वर्गम्)

• अतः: therefore, hence
• अतः: Apadana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अतः
• Form: indeclinable

• कुरुनन्दन: O delight of the Kurus
• कुरुनन्दन: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुरुनन्दन
• Form: vocative singular masculine

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Kauravya (Kuru-descendant addressee, i.e., Yudhiṣṭhira)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A king’s highest duty is to protect and sustain the people through dharma-informed governance and prudent policy (nīti); such righteous rule yields the supreme reward, symbolized as conquering even difficult-to-attain heaven.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Śānti Parva, Bhīṣma instructs Yudhiṣṭhira on rājadharma (the duties of kings). Here he urges the Kuru king to rule ethically, using disciplined statecraft to protect the subjects, promising spiritual merit as the outcome.