Shloka 35

Varṇa-dharma and Rājadharma: Yudhiṣṭhira’s Inquiry and Bhīṣma’s Normative Outline (वर्णधर्म-राजधर्म-प्रश्नोत्तरम्)

Devanagari script

साम भेद: प्रदानं च ततो दण्डश्न पार्थिव | उपेक्षा पञ्चमी चात्र कार्त्स्न्येन समुदाह्यता

Transliteration

sāma bhedaḥ pradānaṃ ca tato daṇḍaś ca pārthiva | upekṣā pañcamī cātra kārtsnyena samudāhṛtā ||

Translation

毗湿摩说道：“噢，国王啊，此处已将国政五策尽数宣示：和解（sāma）、离间（bheda）、施与诱引（pradāna/dāna）、惩罚与武力（daṇḍa），以及作为第五的upekṣā——策略性的忽置与不干预。”

Word by Word

• साम: conciliation
• साम: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सामन्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• भेदः: dissension / division
• भेदः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भेद
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• प्रदानम्: giving (gift/bribe)
• प्रदानम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रदान
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

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

• ततः: then / thereafter
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

• दण्डः: punishment / force
• दण्डः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: दण्ड
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• पार्थिव: O king
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थिव
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• उपेक्षा: neglect / indifference
• उपेक्षा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपेक्षा
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• पञ्चमी: the fifth
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्चम
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

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

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

• कार्त्स्न्येन: completely / in full
• कार्त्स्न्येन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्त्स्न्य
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• समुदाहृताः: have been stated / enumerated
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-उद्-आ-हृ (धातु: हृ)
• Form: Past Passive Participle (PPP), Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• pārthiva (the king addressed, i.e., Yudhiṣṭhira in the Śānti Parva dialogue)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A ruler should know and apply five policy instruments—conciliation, inducement, division, punishment, and strategic non-interference—ideally using the least harmful means first and escalating only as required by circumstances and dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti Parva instruction on kingship, Bhishma continues advising Yudhiṣṭhira on practical governance (nīti), summarizing the classic five upāyas used to manage allies, rivals, and threats.