Shloka 5

Devanagari script

अकामद्वेषयुक्तस्य दण्डनीत्या युधिष्ठिर । समदर्शिनिश्च भूतेषु भैक्ष्याश्रमप्दं भवेत्‌

Transliteration

akāmadveṣayuktasya daṇḍanītyā yudhiṣṭhira | samadarśinaś ca bhūteṣu bhaikṣyāśramapadaṃ bhavet, kuntīnandana! naraśreṣṭha! |

Translation

毗湿摩说道：“尤提士提罗啊，若国王离欲离憎，依惩戒与公正之治道（daṇḍanīti）而施政，并以平等之眼观一切众生，便能获得属于行乞出离之道（比丘/遁世者，sannyāsin）的境界与归趣。因此，善行之人如法奉行四住期之责所获之果，亦为那舍离贪著与憎恶、以正法纪律治国的君王所同得；若又对一切生类无偏无私，便趋入与遁世者相同的至上之途。”

Word by Word

• अकामद्वेषयुक्तस्य: of one who is free from desire and hatred (i.e., without attachment and aversion)
• अकामद्वेषयुक्तस्य: Sampradana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अकामद्वेषयुक्त
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• दण्डनीत्या: by/according to the policy of punishment (statecraft, governance)
• दण्डनीत्या: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: दण्डनीति
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• युधिष्ठिर: O Yudhiṣṭhira
• Type: Noun
• Root: युधिष्ठिर
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• समदर्शी: one who sees equally; impartial
• समदर्शी: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: समदर्शिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

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

• भूतेषु: among beings; towards creatures
• भूतेषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Plural

• भैक्ष्याश्रमपदम्: the state/goal of the mendicant-āśrama (renunciant’s station)
• भैक्ष्याश्रमपदम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: भैक्ष्याश्रमपद
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• भवेत्: would be / would become / would attain
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Kuntī

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A ruler who governs by just discipline (daṇḍanīti) while remaining free from desire and hatred, and who is impartial toward all beings, can attain the same spiritual fruit associated with the renunciant’s path—showing that inner detachment and fairness can sanctify even worldly kingship.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti Parva dialogue on kingship and dharma, Bhīṣma instructs Yudhiṣṭhira that true royal duty is not mere power but ethical governance: impartiality, self-control, and justice elevate a king to the highest moral and spiritual standing.