Shloka 64

Śaraṇāgatapālana—Prastāvanā

Protection of the Refuge-Seeker: Opening of the Kapota Narrative

Devanagari script

श्रेणीमूख्योपजापेषु वललभानुनयेषु च । अमात्यान्‌ परिरक्षेत भेदसंघातयोरपि

Transliteration

śreṇīmūkhyopajāpeṣu vallabhānunayeṣu ca | amātyān parirakṣeta bhedasaṅghātayor api ||

Translation

毗湿摩说：“当有人暗中游说那些有势力的行会首领，当宠臣与盟友被以劝诱与谄媚拉拢，当分化之计与结党之网四面铺张之时——君主必须谨慎护持自己的大臣。务使他们不为阴谋所离间，也不致自成一派，反噬其主。”

Word by Word

• श्रेणीमुख्योपजापेषु: in (matters of) secret instigations against the leaders of guilds
• श्रेणीमुख्योपजापेषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रेणीमुख्योपजाप (श्रेणी + मुख्य + उपजाप)
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Plural

• वललभानुनयेषु: in conciliations/entreaties (made) to favorites
• वललभानुनयेषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वललभानुनय (वललभ + अनुनय)
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Plural

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

• अमात्यान्: ministers/counsellors
• अमात्यान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अमात्य
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• परिरक्षेत: should protect/guard
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि-रक्ष्
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• भेदसंघातयोः: of dissension and coalition/combination
• Type: Noun
• Root: भेदसंघात (भेद + संघात)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Dual

• अपि: even/also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• amātya (ministers)
• śreṇī (guilds/organized factions)
• śreṇīmūkhya (guild leaders)
• vallabha (favourites/confidants)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A ruler must actively safeguard the loyalty and unity of his ministers, especially when rival forces use covert persuasion, flattery, and divide-and-rule tactics to create factions.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Bhīṣma’s instruction on rājadharma in the Śānti Parva, he warns about political moments when guild leaders and influential persons are being manipulated through secret intrigue and conciliation; in such times the king must protect his ministers from being split or co-opted into opposing blocs.