Shloka 11

Daṇḍanīti and the King as the Cause of Yuga-Order (दण्डनीतिः राजधर्मश्च युगकारणत्वम्)

Devanagari script

नगर, जनपद तथा मल्ललोग जहाँ व्यायाम करते हों, उन स्थानोंमें ऐसी युक्तिसे गुप्तचर नियुक्त करने चाहिये, जिससे वे आपसमें भी एक-दूसरेको पहचान न सकें ।।

Transliteration

bhīṣma uvāca | cārāṃś ca vidyāt prahitān pareṇa bharatarṣabha | āpaṇeṣu vihāreṣu samājeṣu ca bhikṣuṣu ||

Translation

毗湿摩说道：“婆罗多族之雄牛啊，国王亦当以巧策在城邑、乡野，以及摩罗人习武之处安置密探，使其彼此亦不能相识。并且，国王应借己方之人识别敌所遣之谍：在市集、游乐与人群往来之所，在社交聚会与节庆之中，乃至在乞士群体之间，都要留意搜察；又于园林、苑囿、学者之会、诸方郡县、十字路口、议会之堂与施舍旅舍之处，持续探明。以此谨慎而隐密的情报之道，王得以护持国土，而不扰乱民间生活。”

Word by Word

• चारान्: spies
• चारान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: चार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• विद्यात्: should know/ascertain
• विद्यात्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (धातु)
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• प्रहितान्: sent, dispatched
• प्रहितान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र-हि (धातु) / प्रहित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural, Past passive participle (क्त)

• परेण: by the enemy/other (person)
• परेण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• भरतर्षभ: O bull among the Bharatas
• Type: Noun
• Root: भरत + ऋषभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• आपणेषु: in markets/shops
• आपणेषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: आपण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Plural

• विहारेषु: in promenades/places of recreation
• विहारेषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: विहार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Plural

• समाजेषु: in assemblies/gatherings
• समाजेषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: समाज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Plural

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

• भिक्षुषु: among mendicants/beggars
• भिक्षुषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भिक्षु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Plural

• भरतश्रेष्ठ: O best of the Bharatas
• Type: Noun
• Root: भरत + श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• Bharatarshabha (addressed king, i.e., Yudhishthira)
• spies (cāra)
• enemy (para)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A ruler must maintain discreet intelligence networks to detect enemy agents in ordinary public spaces (markets, promenades, assemblies, even among mendicants), thereby protecting the kingdom while minimizing disruption to civic life.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on kingship (rājadharma), Bhishma advises the king (addressed as Bharatarṣabha) on practical governance: how to monitor society for hostile espionage and ensure internal security through counter-intelligence.