Shloka 17

Kṣātra-dharma as the Public Foundation of Dharma (क्षात्रधर्म-प्रशंसा)

Devanagari script

पालयित्वा प्रजा: सर्वा धर्मेण वदतां वर । राजसूयाश्बदमेधादीन्‌ मखानन्यांस्तथैव च

Transliteration

bhīṣma uvāca | pālayitvā prajāḥ sarvā dharmeṇa vadatāṃ vara | rājasūyāśvamedhādīn makhān anyāṃs tathaiva ca ||

Translation

毗湿摩说道：“善言之最者啊，君王既依达摩护持一切臣民，亦当举行诸大祭——如王者灌顶祭（Rājasūya）、马祭（Aśvamedha）以及其他祭祀。其伦理要旨在于：王权之正当性不在征服本身，而在自律的治政——先以正法保民，然后以吠陀仪礼印证其责任、施与与公共秩序。”

Word by Word

• पालयित्वा: having protected
• पालयित्वा: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: पालय् (पाल्) + त्वा
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), कर्तरि, non-finite

• प्रजाः: subjects, people
• प्रजाः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजा
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Plural

• सर्वाः: all
• सर्वाः: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Plural

• धर्मेण: by/according to dharma
• धर्मेण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• वदताम्: of speakers (those who speak)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वद्
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), Masculine/Neuter (genitive plural form), Genitive, Plural, कर्तरि

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

• राजसूय: Rājasūya (royal consecration sacrifice)
• राजसूय: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजसूय
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (in compound with following), Singular

• अश्वमेध: Aśvamedha (horse-sacrifice)
• अश्वमेध: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्वमेध
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (in compound with following), Singular

• आदीन्: and the like, beginning with
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आदि
• Form: true

• मखान्: sacrifices, rites
• मखान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मख
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• अन्यान्: other
• अन्यान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• तथा: thus, likewise
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा
• Form: true

• एव: indeed, just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव
• Form: true

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च
• Form: true

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Rājasūya
• Aśvamedha
• prajāḥ (subjects/people)
• dharma

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A king’s foremost duty is to protect the people according to dharma; only after establishing righteous governance should he undertake grand rites like the Rājasūya and Aśvamedha, which symbolically affirm and discipline royal authority.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on rajadharma, Bhishma is advising the royal listener (addressed as ‘best of speakers’) about the proper sequence of kingly conduct: first just protection of the populace, then performance of major Vedic sacrifices.