Shloka 5
Devanagari script
केषु विश्वसितव्यं स्याद् राज्ञा कस्याज्चिदापदि । कुतो वा5>त्मा दृढं रक्ष्यस्तन्मे ब्रूहि पितामह
Transliteration
keṣu viśvasitavyaṃ syād rājñā kasyāś cid āpadi | kuto vātmā dṛḍhaṃ rakṣyas tan me brūhi pitāmaha ||
Translation
毗湿摩波耶那说道：“祖父啊，当灾厄临到君王之时，他应当信任何人？又应当最坚决地防备何人，以护其身？请告知我此事。”
Word by Word
केषुin/among whom
केषु:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootकिम्
FormAll, Locative, Plural
विश्वसितव्यम्should be trusted
विश्वसितव्यम्:
Karma
TypeVerb
Rootविश्वस् (धातु)
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular, Gerundive (तव्यत्), impersonal obligation
स्यात्would/should be
स्यात्:
TypeVerb
Rootअस् (धातु)
FormOptative (विधिलिङ्), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada
राज्ञाby the king
राज्ञा:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootराजन्
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Singular
कस्यof whom/whose
कस्य:
TypeNoun
Rootकिम्
FormAll, Genitive, Singular
चित्ever/at all (enclitic particle)
चित्:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootचित् (निपात)
आपदिin calamity/distress
आपदि:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootआपद्
FormFeminine, Locative, Singular
कुतःfrom where; how/whence
कुतः:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootकुतः (अव्यय)
वाor
वा:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootवा (अव्यय)
आत्माself; body/person
आत्मा:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootआत्मन्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
दृढम्firmly; securely
दृढम्:
TypeAdjective
Rootदृढ
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
रक्ष्यःis to be protected/should be guarded
रक्ष्यः:
TypeVerb
Rootरक्ष् (धातु)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular, Gerundive (यत्), obligation
तत्that (matter)
तत्:
Karma
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
मेto me
मे:
Sampradana
TypePronoun
Rootअस्मद्
FormAll, Dative, Singular
ब्रूहिtell (you)
ब्रूहि:
TypeVerb
Rootब्रू (धातु)
FormImperative (लोट्), 2nd, Singular, Parasmaipada
पितामहO grandsire
पितामह:
TypeNoun
Rootपितामह
FormMasculine, Vocative, Singular
Speaker
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Characters & Entities
V
VaiśampāyanaP
Pitāmaha (Bhīṣma)R
rājā (the king)Character Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
War Context
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
The verse frames a key rājadharma problem: in times of danger, a ruler must discern reliable allies and identify potential threats, balancing trust with prudent self-protection.
Vaiśampāyana introduces a question addressed to Pitāmaha (Bhīṣma), asking for guidance on whom a king should trust during calamity and from whom he should guard his own person.