Shloka 44

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

Devanagari script

संकटद्वारकाणि स्युरुच्छवासार्थ पुरस्य च । तेषां च द्वारवद्‌ गुप्ति: कार्या सर्वात्मना भवेत्‌

Transliteration

saṅkaṭa-dvārakāṇi syur ucchvāsārthaṁ purasya ca | teṣāṁ ca dvāravad guptiḥ kāryā sarvātmanā bhavet ||

Translation

Bhishma nói: “Trong thành, nên làm những cửa phụ hẹp trên lũy ngoài để không khí lưu thông; và các lối ấy, như những cổng chính, phải được canh giữ với sự cảnh giác trọn vẹn.”

Word by Word

• संकट-द्वारकाणि: narrow gates
• संकट-द्वारकाणि: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: संकटद्वारक (संकट + द्वारक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Plural

• स्युः: should be / should exist
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (भू/अस् धातु)
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), Third, Plural

• उच्छ्वास-अर्थम्: for ventilation / for breathing-space
• उच्छ्वास-अर्थम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: उच्छ्वासार्थ (उच्छ्वास + अर्थ)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• पुरस्य: of the city
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुर
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Singular

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

• तेषाम्: of those (gates)
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Plural

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

• द्वारवत्: like (main) gates
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: द्वारवत्

• गुप्तिः: protection/guarding
• गुप्तिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुप्ति
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• कार्या: to be done / should be made
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु) → कार्य (कृत्य-प्रत्यय)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• सर्वात्मना: entirely / in every way
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वात्मन्

• भवेत्: should be
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), Third, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• pura (city)
• saṅkaṭa-dvārakāṇi (narrow postern-gates)
• dvāra (main gates)
• parakoṭa (outer ramparts/encircling walls)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even minor openings created for comfort (like ventilation posterns) must be protected as carefully as major gates; small vulnerabilities can endanger the whole polity. In rājadharma, thoroughness and vigilance are ethical duties of governance.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on rājadharma, Bhishma advises the king on practical city-fortification: build narrow openings in the outer walls for airflow, but ensure they are guarded with the same rigor as the main gates.