Shloka 17

Daṇḍa-svarūpa-nirūpaṇa

The Nature, Forms, and Function of Daṇḍa

Devanagari script

एवं मयूरवद्‌ राजा स्वराज्यं परिपालयेत्‌ | आत्मवृद्धिकरीं नीतिं विदधीत विचक्षण:

Transliteration

evaṁ mayūravad rājā svarājyaṁ paripālayet | ātmavṛddhikarīṁ nītiṁ vidadhīta vicakṣaṇaḥ ||

Translation

毗湿摩说道：“因此，正如孔雀警醒地守护自己的栖处，明辨之王当谨慎护持并治理其国。应当采取能促成自身增长的治国之策——巩固地位、增益富庶——使其统治安稳而有条理。”

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus, in this manner
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम्

• मयूरवत्: like a peacock
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मयूरवत्

• राजा: the king
• राजा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• स्वराज्यम्: his own kingdom
• स्वराज्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वराज्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• परिपालयेत्: should protect / should govern
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि-पाल्
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• आत्मवृद्धिकरीम्: bringing about one’s own prosperity
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आत्मवृद्धिकर
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• नीतिम्: policy, conduct, statecraft
• नीतिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: नीति
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• विदधीत: should adopt / should institute
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-धा
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• विचक्षणः: wise, discerning
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विचक्षण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• king (rājā)
• peacock (mayūra)
• kingdom/realm (svarājya)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A king must vigilantly protect and administer his own realm, and he should adopt prudent policies (nīti) that strengthen his stability and prosperity—advancement here means securing the kingdom through wise, beneficial governance.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on kingship (rājadharma), Bhishma continues advising the ruler on practical governance, using the peacock as an illustrative comparison for alert protection of one’s domain and the adoption of growth-supporting policy.