Shloka 4

राजधर्मस्य नवनीतम्—रक्षा, दण्ड, चार, उत्थान

Rājadharma’s ‘Essence’: Protection, Punishment, Intelligence, and Royal Diligence

Devanagari script

रक्षामेव प्रशंसन्ति धर्म धर्मभूतां वर । राज्ञां राजीवताम्राक्ष साधन चात्र मे शृणु

Transliteration

bhīṣma uvāca | rakṣām eva praśaṃsanti dharmaṃ dharmabhūtāṃ vara | rājñāṃ rājīvatāmrākṣa sādhanaṃ cātra me śṛṇu ||

Translation

毗湿摩说道：“义人之最胜者啊，他们最为称颂的，是护佑之法——君王之责，而此责本身即是一种法。莲眼者啊，且听我说，我将陈述成就此护民之责的诸般方法。”

Word by Word

• रक्षाम्: protection
• रक्षाम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: रक्षा
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

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

• प्रशंसन्ति: praise
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-शंस्
• Form: Present, Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• धर्मम्: duty/law (dharma)
• धर्मम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• धर्मभूताम्: having the nature of dharma / consisting of dharma
• धर्मभूताम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्मभूत
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• वर: O best/excellent one
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

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

• राजीवताम्राक्ष: O lotus-reddish-eyed one
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजीवताम्राक्ष
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• साधनम्: means/instrument
• साधनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: साधन
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

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

• अत्र: here/in this matter
• अत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र

• मे: my/of me
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: Genitive, Singular

• शृणु: listen
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु
• Form: Imperative, Second, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• Yudhishthira

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The king’s foremost dharma is rakṣā—protecting and sustaining the people. This protective function is not merely administrative; it is presented as intrinsically righteous (dharmabhūtā) and therefore the central ethical measure of rulership.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Shanti Parva dialogue, Bhishma instructs Yudhishthira on rajadharma. Here he transitions into explaining the practical means (sādhana) of the protective duty of kings, urging Yudhishthira to listen.