Shloka 1
Gaṇānāṃ Vṛttiḥ — On the Sustenance and Cohesion of Assemblies
Gaṇa-nīti
/ ऑपन-- माल बक। अति <-छऋज>आ सप्ताधिकशततमो< ध्याय: गणततन्त्र राज्यका वर्णन और उसकी नीति युधिछिर उवाच ब्राह्मणक्षत्रियविशां शूद्राणां च परंतप । धर्मवृत्तं च वित्तं च वृत््युपाया: फलानि च
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca | brāhmaṇa-kṣatriya-viśāṁ śūdrāṇāṁ ca parantapa | dharma-vṛttaṁ ca vittaṁ ca vṛtty-upāyāḥ phalāni ca ||
尤狄希提罗说道：“噢，焚敌者（Parantapa），你已阐明婆罗门、刹帝利、吠舍与首陀罗四姓依达摩而行的规范——并及财富、谋生之道，以及正行所结之果。又依地方风俗与诸《沙斯特拉》（śāstra）之教，你简要陈述了合乎达摩之事：君王的财力与国库及其积聚之法，克敌取胜之道，大臣的品德与应守的举止，百姓与国本诸要素的兴盛，六种治国方略（如结盟与交恶）的运用，军旅的纪律与统御，识别奸恶之人，辨认贤善之相，并如实衡量与己等同、低下或高胜之人——并指示一位日益强盛的君王当如何使中等阶层安宁满足，以及为何应庇护弱者并为其安排生计。”
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames rāja-dharma as comprehensive: ethical conduct across social classes, economic foundations (wealth and treasury), competent counsel, diplomacy, military discipline, and the king’s duty to protect and provide for the vulnerable—all grounded in śāstra and appropriate local custom.
Yudhiṣṭhira addresses his teacher (honorifically ‘Parantapa’) and summarizes the wide range of governance topics already explained—varna duties, livelihood, treasury, ministers, diplomacy, and social welfare—setting up a continuation or deepening of instruction on kingship and policy.