Shloka 13
राजवृत्त-रक्षा-प्रणिधि-षाड्गुण्योपदेशः
Royal Conduct, Protection, Intelligence, and Policy Measures
Devanagari script
एवमेव विना राज्ञा विनश्येयुरिमा: प्रजा: । अन्धे तमसि मज्जेयुरगोपा: पशवो यथा
Transliteration
evam eva vinā rājñā vinaśyeyur imāḥ prajāḥ | andhe tamasi majjeyur agopāḥ paśavo yathā ||
Translation
婆苏摩那说道：“同样，若无国王，这些臣民必将灭亡；如同无牧者的牛群，他们将沉入盲目的黑暗之中。”
Word by Word
एवम्thus, in this manner
एवम्:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएवम्
एवindeed, just
एव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएव
विनाwithout
विना:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootविना
राज्ञाby/with the king (i.e., in the king's absence: without the king)
राज्ञा:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootराजन्
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Singular
विनश्येयुःwould perish
विनश्येयुः:
TypeVerb
Rootनश्
FormOptative, Parasmaipada, Third, Plural
इमाःthese
इमाः:
TypeAdjective
Rootइदम्
FormFeminine, Nominative, Plural
प्रजाःsubjects, people
प्रजाः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootप्रजा
FormFeminine, Nominative, Plural
अन्धेin blind (dark)
अन्धे:
TypeAdjective
Rootअन्ध
FormNeuter, Locative, Singular
तमसिin darkness
तमसि:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootतमस्
FormNeuter, Locative, Singular
मज्जेयुःwould sink, would be immersed
मज्जेयुः:
TypeVerb
Rootमज्ज्
FormOptative, Parasmaipada, Third, Plural
अगोपाःwithout a protector/guardian
अगोपाः:
TypeAdjective
Rootअगोप
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
पशवःanimals, cattle
पशवः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootपशु
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
यथाas, like
यथा:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootयथा
राजन्O king
राजन्:
TypeNoun
Rootराजन्
FormMasculine, Vocative, Singular
Speaker
वसुमना उवाच
Characters & Entities
व
वसुमना (Vasumanā)र
राजा (the king)प
प्रजा (subjects/people)त
तमस् (darkness)प
पशु (cattle/animals)ग
गोप (herdsman/guardian, by negation agopa)Character Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
War Context
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
That the king’s dharmic role is protection and order; without governance, people fall into chaos and suffering, like cattle without a herdsman.
Vasumanā is arguing within the Shānti Parva’s discussion of rājadharma, using a vivid simile to warn that the absence of a ruler leads to the ruin of the populace.