Shloka 68

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

Devanagari script

प्रत्यक्षाश्न परोक्षाशक्ष सर्वाधिकरणेष्वथ । वृत्तेर्भरतशार्दूल नित्यं चैवान्ववेक्षणम्‌

Transliteration

pratyakṣāś ca parokṣāś ca sarvādhikaraṇeṣv atha | vṛtter bharataśārdūla nityaṃ caivānvavekṣaṇam ||

Translation

毗湿摩说道：噢，婆罗多族中的猛虎，阎提施提罗啊！你应当每日监察一切司法事务——无论是凭直接证据裁断的，还是由间接推断而定的——并且也要察看国王官吏在这些审理中的行为与往来。如此持续不懈的监督，同样为权威教诲所明令。

Word by Word

• {'pratyakṣa': 'directly perceived

• based on immediate evidence', 'parokṣa': 'indirect

• inferred or not directly seen', 'sarva-adhikaraṇa': 'all cases/tribunals

• all matters under jurisdiction', 'atha': 'and then

• moreover', 'vṛtti': 'conduct, behavior, practical dealings (especially of officials)', 'bharataśārdūla': '‘tiger among the Bharatas’

• honorific address', 'nityam': 'always

• continually', 'eva': 'indeed

• emphatically', 'anvavekṣaṇam': 'close inspection, supervision, oversight'}

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• Yudhishthira
• Bharata lineage (Bharatas)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A king must ensure justice by personally and regularly supervising all legal proceedings—those based on direct proof and those based on indirect inference—and by monitoring the integrity and behavior of state officials, so that administration remains fair and free from abuse.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on kingship (rājadharma), Bhishma continues advising Yudhishthira on practical governance, emphasizing daily oversight of courts and officials as a duty grounded in śāstric authority.