Shloka 9

मयूरवद्राजधर्मः (Mayūra-vat Rāja-dharma) — The Peacock-Model of Protective Kingship

Devanagari script

साधव: कुलजा: शूरा ज्ञानवन्तो5नसूयका: । अक्षद्रा: शुचयो दक्षा:स्युर्नरा: पारिपाश्वका:

Transliteration

bhīṣma uvāca | sādhavaḥ kulajāḥ śūrā jñānavanto 'nasūyakāḥ | akṣadrāḥ śucayo dakṣāḥ syur narāḥ pāripārśvakāḥ ||

Translation

毗湿摩说道：“君王当择立近侍者：其人须贤善、出身良族而勇武；具明辨而无嫉妒；不嗜赌博，行止清净，办事干练。此等人立于君侧，以其品德与才干同样守护国土。”

Word by Word

• साधवः: virtuous, good
• साधवः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: साधु
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• कुलजाः: well-born (born in a good family)
• कुलजाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कुलज
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• शूराः: brave, heroic
• शूराः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शूर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• ज्ञानवन्तः: possessing knowledge, wise
• ज्ञानवन्तः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्ञानवत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• अनसूयकाः: not envious, not censorious
• अनसूयकाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनसूयक
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• अक्षुद्राः: not mean, not petty (noble-minded)
• अक्षुद्राः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अक्षुद्र
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• शुचयः: pure, clean
• शुचयः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुचि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• दक्षाः: capable, efficient
• दक्षाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दक्ष
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• स्युः: should be / may be
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस्
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• नराः: men, persons
• नराः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• पारिपाश्वकाः: attendants at one’s side; close retainers
• पारिपाश्वकाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पारिपाश्वक
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• king (rājā)
• pāripārśvaka (close attendant/courtier)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Bhishma teaches that a king’s inner circle should be chosen by moral and practical qualifications: virtue, good lineage and courage, wisdom without envy, freedom from gambling, purity, and competence. Such attendants protect the king and the state by preventing corruption, intrigue, and reckless habits.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on rājadharma, Bhishma advises Yudhishthira on governance. Here he specifies the traits required in those who remain close to the king—his side-attendants and courtiers—so that the ruler’s decisions and administration are supported by trustworthy, disciplined, and capable people.