Shloka 52

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

Devanagari script

जर्जर चास्य विषयं कुर्वन्ति प्रतिरूपकै: । स्त्रीरक्षिभिश्व सज्जन्ते तुल्यवेषा भवन्ति च

Transliteration

jarjaraṃ cāsya viṣayaṃ kurvanti pratirūpakaiḥ | strīrakṣibhiś ca sajjante tulyaveṣā bhavanti ca ||

Translation

毗湿摩说道：“他们借助冒名之徒与替身之人，侵蚀并削弱国王的疆土；又与后宫女眷之所的守卫相结，或换上相似装束乔装出入，在其间往来游走。”

Word by Word

• जर्जरम्: shattered, ruined
• जर्जरम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जर्जर
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

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

• अस्य: of him/its
• अस्य: Sambandha
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• विषयम्: realm, territory, domain
• विषयम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: विषय
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• कुर्वन्ति: they make, they render
• कुर्वन्ति: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: Present, Indicative, Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• प्रतिरूपकैः: by impostors, by those in disguise
• प्रतिरूपकैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रतिरूपक
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• स्त्रीरक्षिभिः: with the women-guards (guards of the inner apartments)
• स्त्रीरक्षिभिः: Saha/Instrumental
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्रीरक्षि
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

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

• सज्जन्ते: they attach themselves, they associate
• सज्जन्ते: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: सञ्ज्
• Form: Present, Indicative, Third, Plural, Atmanepada

• तुल्यवेषाः: of similar dress/disguise
• तुल्यवेषाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तुल्यवेष
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• भवन्ति: they become
• भवन्ति: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू
• Form: Present, Indicative, Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

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

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• king (implied)
• the realm/kingdom (viṣaya)
• impostors/doubles (pratirūpaka)
• guards of the women’s quarters (strīrakṣi)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse warns that a kingdom can be destabilized through deception: impostors and disguised agents infiltrate sensitive spaces and compromise security by colluding with insiders. Ethically, it highlights vigilance and integrity in governance, especially regarding protection of the inner palace and prevention of covert corruption.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Bhishma’s instruction on righteous rule and practical governance, he describes a tactic used by hostile agents: they employ doubles and disguises to weaken the state, and they gain access to the women’s quarters either by befriending the guards or by adopting similar dress to move about unnoticed.