Shloka 2

Bala and Dharma in Kṣatriya Governance (बल-धर्म सम्बन्धः)

Devanagari script

विभक्तपुरराष्ट्रस्य निर्द्रव्यनिचयस्य च । असम्भावितमित्रस्य भिन्नामात्यस्य सर्वश:

Transliteration

vibhaktapurarāṣṭrasya nirdravyanicayasya ca | asambhāvitamitrasya bhinnāmātyasya sarvaśaḥ ||

Translation

尤狄史提罗说道：“噢，婆罗多族中最卓越者啊，当一位国王的城邑与国土被击碎而瓜分；当其府库与积蓄之财耗尽；当他不再受人敬重、因而无从倚赖友朋；当其群臣尽皆离散、被敌方收买——这样的君主既遭敌军侵袭，又为灾厄所震荡，还剩下什么作为？他当如何行，方能脱离此危局？”

Word by Word

• विभक्त: divided, partitioned
• विभक्त: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विभक्त (वि+भज्, कृदन्त-भूतकृदन्त)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter (agreeing with पुर-राष्ट्रस्य), Genitive, Singular

• पुर: city
• पुर: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• राष्ट्रस्य: of the kingdom/state
• राष्ट्रस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: राष्ट्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• निर्द्रव्य: without wealth, destitute
• निर्द्रव्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्द्रव्य (निर्+द्रव्य, प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter (agreeing with निचयस्य), Genitive, Singular

• निचयस्य: of the store/accumulation
• निचयस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: निचय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• असम्भावित: not respected/valued; disregarded
• असम्भावित: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: असम्भावित (अ+सम्+भाव्, कृदन्त-भूतकृदन्त)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter (agreeing with मित्रस्य), Genitive, Singular

• मित्रस्य: of the friend/ally
• मित्रस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: मित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• भिन्न: split, alienated, won over (by enemy)
• भिन्न: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भिन्न (भिद्, कृदन्त-भूतकृदन्त)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter (agreeing with अमात्यस्य), Genitive, Singular

• अमात्यस्य: of the minister/counsellor
• अमात्यस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अमात्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• सर्वशः: entirely, in every way
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वशस्

Speaker

युधिछिर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Bharata lineage (addressed: ‘best of the Bharatas’)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames an extreme political and moral crisis: when a ruler has lost territory, wealth, allies, and loyal ministers, ordinary instruments of power fail. It sets up the rājadharma inquiry—what dharmic, practical course remains when the foundations of kingship (kośa, daṇḍa, mitra, amātya, rāṣṭra) have collapsed.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Śānti Parva’s rājadharma discourse, Yudhiṣṭhira asks an elder authority (addressed as ‘best of the Bharatas’) about the remedy for a king overwhelmed by enemies and misfortune—specifically one whose realm is fragmented, treasury depleted, allies unreliable, and ministers divided.