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Shloka 3

उपायधर्म-सेनायोगः

Upāya-dharma and Senāyoga: Expedient Ethics & Army Deployment

उपायधर्मान्‌ वक्ष्यामि सिद्धार्थानर्थधर्मयो: । निर्मर्यादा दस्यवस्तु भवन्ति परिपन्थिन:,युधिष्ठिर! अब मैं अर्थसिद्धिके साधनभूत धर्मोंका वर्णन करूँगा। यदि डाकू और लुटेरे अर्थ और धर्मकी मर्यादा तोड़ने लगें, तब उनके विनाशके लिये वेदोंमें जो साधन बताया गया है, उसका वर्णन आरम्भ करता हूँ। तुम समस्त कार्योकी सिद्धिके लिये उन उपायोंको मुझसे सुनो

upāyadharmān vakṣyāmi siddhārthān arthadharmayoḥ | nirmaryādā dasyavas tu bhavanti paripanthinaḥ ||

毗湿摩说道:“尤提士提罗啊,我将讲述种种权宜之法——那些已被证实能同时保全阿尔塔(财富、国利)与达摩(正法、义理)的实践戒律。若无法无天的盗贼与匪徒抛弃阿尔塔与达摩的界限,化为拦路的强盗,我便开始陈述《吠陀》所认可的手段,用以制止并剿灭他们。你当从我这里聆听这些权策,使一切事业皆得成就。”

उपायधर्मान्means-related duties / expedient dharmas
उपायधर्मान्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootउपायधर्म
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural
वक्ष्यामिI shall speak / I will explain
वक्ष्यामि:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootवच्
FormSimple Future (Luṭ), First, Singular, Parasmaipada
सिद्धार्थान्effective; accomplishing the purpose
सिद्धार्थान्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootसिद्धार्थ
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural
अर्थधर्मयोःof artha and dharma
अर्थधर्मयोः:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootअर्थधर्म
FormMasculine, Genitive, Dual
निर्मर्यादाःwithout bounds; lawless
निर्मर्यादाः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootनिर्मर्याद
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
दस्यवःbandits; robbers
दस्यवः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootदस्यु
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
तुbut; however
तु:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतु
भवन्तिbecome; are
भवन्ति:
TypeVerb
Rootभू
FormPresent (Laṭ), Third, Plural, Parasmaipada
परिपन्थिनःhighwaymen; obstructers (of the path)
परिपन्थिनः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootपरिपन्थिन्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
युधिष्ठिरO Yudhiṣṭhira
युधिष्ठिर:
TypeNoun
Rootयुधिष्ठिर
FormMasculine, Vocative, Singular

भीष्म उवाच

B
Bhīṣma
Y
Yudhiṣṭhira
V
Veda (as authority, implied)

Educational Q&A

Bhīṣma frames governance as the protection of both artha (public welfare and stability) and dharma (moral-legal order), and introduces ‘upāya-dharma’—practical, result-tested measures that a ruler may employ, including sanctioned force, to restrain lawless disruptors.

In the Śānti Parva dialogue, Yudhiṣṭhira receives instruction from Bhīṣma on kingship and policy. Here Bhīṣma begins a section on pragmatic statecraft: how to deal with bandits and social predators who violate the bounds of dharma and artha.