Shloka 11

राजधर्मप्रश्नः — Yudhiṣṭhira’s Inquiry into Rājadharma (Śānti-parva 56)

Devanagari script

शृणु कार्त्स्न्येन मत्तस्त्वं राजधर्मान्‌ युधिष्ठिर । निरुच्यमानान्‌ नियतो यच्चान्यदपि वाउ्छसि

Transliteration

śṛṇu kārtsnyena mattas tvaṁ rājadharmān yudhiṣṭhira | nirucyamānān niyato yac cānyad api vāñchasi ||

Translation

毗湿摩说道：“尤提士提罗啊，当我将王道之责完整陈述之时，你当全神贯注地听我说。守持纪律，专心一意；你还想听的其他一切，也一并听取。”

Word by Word

• शृणु: hear, listen
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (imperative), 2, singular, परस्मैपद

• कार्त्स्न्येन: completely, in entirety
• कार्त्स्न्येन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्त्स्न्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: neuter, instrumental, singular

• मत्तः: from me
• मत्तः: Apadana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: ablative, singular

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: nominative, singular

• राजधर्मान्: duties of kings, royal duties
• राजधर्मान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजधर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: masculine, accusative, plural

• युधिष्ठिर: O Yudhiṣṭhira
• Type: Noun
• Root: युधिष्ठिर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: masculine, vocative, singular

• निरुच्यमानान्: being explained/expounded
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर् + वच् (धातु) → निरुच्यमान (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: शानच् (present passive participle), masculine, accusative, plural

• नियतः: restrained, attentive, disciplined
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नियत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• यत्: whatever (that which)
• यत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

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

• अन्यत्: other (anything else)
• अन्यत्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

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

• वा: or
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा

• इच्छसि: you desire, you wish
• Type: Verb
• Root: इष्/इच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), 2, singular, परस्मैपद

• युधिष्ठिर: O Yudhiṣṭhira
• Type: Noun
• Root: युधिष्ठिर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: masculine, vocative, singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Yudhiṣṭhira
• rājadharma (royal duty/kingship ethics)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames the ethical method of learning rājadharma: the student must be disciplined and attentive, and the teacher will expound the principles of righteous rule in a complete, systematic way, also accommodating further questions.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Śānti Parva, after the war, Yudhiṣṭhira seeks guidance on righteous rule. Bhīṣma, lying on his bed of arrows, begins (and continues) a sustained instruction on royal duties, urging Yudhiṣṭhira to listen carefully to the full exposition.