Shloka 36

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

Devanagari script

तस्मान्नित्यं दया कार्या चातुर्वण्यें विपश्चिता | धर्मात्मा सत्यवाक्‌ चैव राजा रञ्जयति प्रजा:

Transliteration

tasmān nityaṃ dayā kāryā cāturvarṇye vipaścitā | dharmātmā satyavāk caiva rājā rañjayati prajāḥ ||

Translation

因此，明智的君王应当恒常以慈悲对待四姓诸众。唯有持法而行、言必真实的统治者，才能使百姓心悦而安。

Word by Word

• तस्मात्: therefore/from that (reason)
• तस्मात्: Apadana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद्
• Form: ablative (pañcamī), singular, masculine/neuter (pronominal)

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य
• Form: adverbial accusative (avyayībhāva usage), singular

• दया: compassion
• दया: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: दया
• Form: feminine, nominative, singular

• कार्या: to be done/should be practiced
• कार्या: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कार्य
• Form: feminine, nominative, singular (gerundive/necessitative; agrees with दया)

• चातुर्वर्ण्ये: in the fourfold social order (the four varṇas)
• चातुर्वर्ण्ये: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: चातुर्वर्ण्य
• Form: neuter, locative, singular

• विपश्चिता: by the wise person
• विपश्चिता: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विपश्चित्
• Form: masculine, instrumental, singular

• धर्मात्मा: a righteous-souled (king)
• धर्मात्मा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्मात्मन्
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• सत्यवाक्: truth-speaking
• सत्यवाक्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत्यवाच्
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च
• Form: conjunction

• एव: indeed/only
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव
• Form: particle

• राजा: the king
• राजा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• रञ्जयति: pleases/delights
• Type: Verb
• Root: रञ्ज्
• Form: present (laṭ), parasmaipada, 3rd person, singular

• प्रजाः: the subjects/people
• प्रजाः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजा
• Form: feminine, accusative, plural

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• rājā (the king)
• prajāḥ (the subjects/people)
• cāturvarṇya (the four varṇas)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A ruler’s legitimacy and public welfare rest on two pillars: compassion toward all sections of society (cāturvarṇya) and personal integrity—being dharmic in conduct and truthful in speech. Such a king alone can truly keep the people satisfied and harmonious.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Śānti Parva, Bhīṣma instructs Yudhiṣṭhira on rājadharma (the duties of kings). Here he emphasizes that wise governance requires steady compassion across the whole social body, and that a king’s righteousness and truthfulness are what win the people’s contentment.