Shloka 70

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

Devanagari script

रक्षणं चैव पौराणां राष्ट्रस्य च विवर्धनम्‌ । मण्डलस्था च या चिन्ता राजन्‌ द्वादशराजिका

Transliteration

rakṣaṇaṃ caiva paurāṇāṃ rāṣṭrasya ca vivardhanam | maṇḍalasthā ca yā cintā rājan dvādaśarājikā ||

Translation

毗湿摩说道：“大王啊，此论典亦阐明：护卫城邑之民，巩固并扩展国土，以及关于诸国环势（曼荼罗）的战略思虑——亦即有关十二种王权要素之学说。”

Word by Word

• रक्षणम्: protection
• रक्षणम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: रक्षण
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

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

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

• पौराणाम्: of the citizens/townsmen
• Type: Noun
• Root: पौर
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• राष्ट्रस्य: of the kingdom/state
• Type: Noun
• Root: राष्ट्र
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Singular

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

• विवर्धनम्: increase/prosperity (promotion)
• विवर्धनम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: विवर्धन
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• मण्डलस्था: situated in/concerned with the मंडल (circle of states)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मण्डल-स्था
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

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

• या: which
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• चिन्ता: thought/concern/deliberation
• चिन्ता: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: चिन्ता
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

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

• द्वादशराजिका: having twelve kings (twelvefold royal)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वादश-राजिका
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Rājan (the king, i.e., Yudhiṣṭhira)
• paurāḥ (citizens)
• rāṣṭra (the realm/kingdom)
• maṇḍala (circle of states)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A king’s dharma includes safeguarding citizens, strengthening the state, and engaging in prudent strategic deliberation about the wider political circle (maṇḍala). Governance is presented as both ethical responsibility (protection and welfare) and intelligent policy (mandala-based counsel).

What is happening in the narrative?

In Śānti Parva, Bhīṣma instructs Yudhiṣṭhira on rājadharma. Here he notes that the discussed compendium includes guidance on protecting urban subjects, promoting the realm’s prosperity, and the strategic doctrine connected with the ‘twelvefold’ royal/political considerations.