Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 147

ज्येष्ठ-कनिष्ठ-धर्मः — Duties of Elders and Juniors

Anuśāsana-parva 108

Devanagari script

प्रजापालनयुक्तश्न न क्षतिं लभते क्वचित्‌ । युक्तिशास्त्रं च ते ज्ञेयं शब्दशास्त्रं च भारत

Transliteration

prajāpālanayuktaś ca na kṣatiṃ labhate kvacit | yuktiśāstraṃ ca te jñeyaṃ śabdaśāstraṃ ca bhārata ||

Translation

毗湿摩说道：君王若恒常致力于护持臣民、谋其安乐，则无论身在何处都不致遭受损害。噫，婆罗多之后裔啊，你也应当习得两门学问：理则之学（论辩与推理）与言辞之学（语法及语言之律）。

Word by Word

• प्रजापालनयुक्तः: engaged in protecting the subjects
• प्रजापालनयुक्तः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रजा-पालन-युक्त
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

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

• क्षतिम्: loss, harm
• क्षतिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षति
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• लभते: obtains, incurs
• Type: Verb
• Root: लभ्
• Form: Present, 3rd, Singular, Atmanepada

• क्वचित्: ever, at any time
• क्वचित्: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्वचित्

• युक्तिशास्त्रम्: the science of reasoning (logic)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युक्ति-शास्त्र
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

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

• ते: for you / to you
• ते: Sampradana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: —, Dative, Singular

• ज्ञेयम्: to be known
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्ञेय
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• शब्दशास्त्रम्: the science of words/grammar
• Type: Noun
• Root: शब्द-शास्त्र
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

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

• भारत: O Bharata (descendant of Bharata)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भारत
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Bhārata (Yudhiṣṭhira)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Bhishma teaches that a ruler’s safety and success are grounded in steadfast protection of the people, and that effective kingship requires both clear reasoning (yuktiśāstra) and mastery of language/grammar for precise understanding and communication (śabdaśāstra).

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Anuśāsana Parva’s instruction on dharma, Bhishma continues advising Yudhiṣṭhira on ideal conduct for kings. Here he emphasizes people-centered governance and the intellectual disciplines a king should learn to judge rightly and speak/interpret correctly.