Shloka 12

Gārhasthya-Śreṣṭhatā and Kṣatriya-Daṇḍadhāraṇa

Householder Primacy and the Royal Duty of Punishment

Devanagari script

एतानि राज्ञां कर्माणि सुकृतानि विशाम्पते । इमं लोकममुं चैव साधयन्तीति न: श्रुतम्‌

Transliteration

etāni rājñāṁ karmāṇi sukṛtāni viśāmpate | imaṁ lokam amuṁ caiva sādhayantīti naḥ śrutam |

Translation

毗耶娑说道：“噢，众民之主，我们听闻：诸王若能善行其业，便能成就今世与来世。”

Word by Word

• एतानि: these
• एतानि: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Plural

• राज्ञाम्: of kings
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• कर्माणि: deeds, duties
• कर्माणि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Plural

• सुकृतानि: well-performed, meritorious
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुकृत
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Plural

• विशाम्पते: O lord of the people
• Type: Noun
• Root: विशाम्पति
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• इमम्: this
• इमम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• लोकम्: world
• लोकम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अमुम्: that (other)
• अमुम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अदस्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

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

• एव: indeed, just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• साधयन्ति: accomplish, make successful
• Type: Verb
• Root: साध्
• Form: Present, Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• इति: thus (quotative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति

• नः: of us, our
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: Genitive, Plural

• श्रुतम्: heard (has been heard)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

Speaker

व्यास उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vyāsa
• kings (rājānaḥ)
• viśāmpati (lord of the people; addressee)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

That a king’s properly performed duties (sukṛtāni karmāṇi) are not merely political acts but dharmic works that secure welfare in both the present world and the next.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vyāsa addresses a ruler (viśāmpati) and frames the discussion of royal duties by stating the traditional teaching that such deeds, when done rightly, lead to success in both worldly governance and spiritual outcome.