Shloka 9

दुर्ग-निवेश-राजधर्मः | Fortified Capital and the King’s Residential Polity

Rājadharma

Devanagari script

सुप्रभं सानुनादं च सुप्रशस्तनिवेशनम्‌ । शुराब्यजनसम्पन्नं ब्रह्मघोषानुनादितम्‌

Transliteration

suprabhaṁ sānunādaṁ ca supraśastaniveśanam | śūrābhyajanasampannaṁ brahmaghoṣānunāditam ||

Translation

Bhīṣma nói: “Thành ấy rực rỡ và vang vọng; cách quy hoạch và nhà cửa được sắp đặt tuyệt hảo, đáng ca ngợi. Nơi đó đầy những người dũng mãnh và cao quý, và khắp nơi vọng lên tiếng tụng đọc trang nghiêm các thánh chú của Bà-la-môn.”

Word by Word

• सुप्रभम्: very bright, splendid
• सुप्रभम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुप्रभ
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• सानुनादम्: resounding, with reverberation
• सानुनादम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सानुनाद
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

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

• सुप्रशस्त-निवेशनम्: a well-praised dwelling/abode
• सुप्रशस्त-निवेशनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: निवेशन
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• शूर-अव्यजन-सम्पन्नम्: endowed with heroes and fans/whisks
• शूर-अव्यजन-सम्पन्नम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्पन्न
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• ब्रह्म-घोष-अनुनादितम्: echoing with Vedic chants
• ब्रह्म-घोष-अनुनादितम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनुनादित
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• Brahmanic/Vedic chants (brahmaghoṣa)
• Settlement/dwellings (niveśana)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A well-ordered society is portrayed as one where material prosperity (splendour, good planning, strong citizens) is harmonized with sacred culture (the pervasive sound of Vedic recitation), suggesting that civic excellence and dharmic practice mutually reinforce each other.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma is describing an exemplary settlement or city: it is bright and lively, well-designed and reputable, populated by brave and well-born people, and filled with the reverberation of sacred Brahmanic/Vedic chants.