Shloka 9

उपायधर्म-सेनायोगः

Upāya-dharma and Senāyoga: Expedient Ethics & Army Deployment

Devanagari script

ऋष्टयस्तोमरा: खड्गा निशिताश्न परश्वधा: । फलकान्यथ चर्माणि प्रतिकल्प्यान्यनेकश:

Transliteration

ṛṣṭayas tomarāḥ khaḍgā niśitāśn paraśvadhāḥ | phalakāny atha carmāṇi pratikalpyāny anekaśaḥ ||

Translation

毗湿摩说道：“当大量备办长矛、投枪、利剑与锋锐之斧；又当制成多种式样的圆盾与皮盾。噢，昆蒂之子啊，君王应将此等攻守之具多量预备，使在危难之时，护卫军士与战兽——尤其战象——并维持秩序之事，永不听凭侥幸。”

Word by Word

• ऋष्टयः: spears/lances (ṛṣṭis)
• ऋष्टयः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋष्टि
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

• तोमराः: javelins (tomaras)
• तोमराः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: तोमर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• खड्गाः: swords
• खड्गाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: खड्ग
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• निशिताः: sharpened/keen
• निशिताः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निशित
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• अश्न: stone (whetstone/stone)
• अश्न: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्न
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• परश्वधाः: axes
• परश्वधाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: परश्वध
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• फलकानि: shields/boards (phalakas)
• फलकानि: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: फलक
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Plural

• अथ: and then/also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ

• चर्माणि: hides/leathers
• चर्माणि: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: चर्मन्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Plural

• प्रतिकल्प्यानि: to be prepared/made ready
• प्रतिकल्प्यानि: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रति-कल्प्य
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Plural

• अनेकशः: in many ways; in great numbers
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अनेकशः

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Kuntīnandana (Yudhiṣṭhira)
• ṛṣṭi (spear)
• tomara (javelin)
• khaḍga (sword)
• paraśvadha (axe)
• phalaka (buckler)
• carman (leather shield)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A ruler’s dharma includes practical preparedness: maintaining adequate arms and defensive gear so that protection of the realm and its forces is assured when threats arise.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Śānti Parva, Bhīṣma instructs Yudhiṣṭhira on rājadharma, listing specific weapons and protective items that should be manufactured and kept ready in large quantities as part of responsible kingship.