Shloka 12
Daṇḍanīti and the King as the Cause of Yuga-Order (दण्डनीतिः राजधर्मश्च युगकारणत्वम्)
Devanagari script
आरामेषु तथोद्याने पण्डितानां समागमे । देशेषु चत्वरे चैव सभास्वावसथेषु च
Transliteration
ārāmeṣu tathodyāne paṇḍitānāṃ samāgame | deśeṣu catvare caiva sabhāsv āvasatheṣu ca ||
Translation
毗湿摩说道：国王应当借助亲信密探，时刻警觉地巡察诸般公共聚集之处——如游乐林苑与园圃、学者集会、各地乡里与诸省、十字路口、公会厅堂与旅舍——以便及早察觉并制止敌对势力所安插的间谍。
Word by Word
आरामेषुin pleasure-groves/parks
आरामेषु:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootआराम
FormMasculine, Locative, Plural
तथाand likewise
तथा:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतथा
उद्यानेin a garden
उद्याने:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootउद्यान
FormNeuter, Locative, Singular
पण्डितानाम्of learned men
पण्डितानाम्:
TypeNoun
Rootपण्डित
FormMasculine, Genitive, Plural
समागमेin an assembly/gathering
समागमे:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootसमागम
FormMasculine, Locative, Singular
देशेषुin regions/countries
देशेषु:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootदेश
FormMasculine, Locative, Plural
चand
च:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच
चत्वरेin a public square/crossroads
चत्वरे:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootचत্বর
FormNeuter, Locative, Singular
चand
च:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच
एवindeed/also
एव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएव
सभासुin assemblies/halls
सभासु:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootसभा
FormFeminine, Locative, Plural
आवसथेषुin lodging-places/rest-houses
आवसथेषु:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootआवसथ
FormNeuter, Locative, Plural
चand
च:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच
Speaker
भीष्म उवाच
Characters & Entities
B
BhishmaK
king (rājā)S
spies (gūḍhacara)Character Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
War Context
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Geographic Context
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
A ruler must protect the kingdom by discreetly monitoring common public spaces through trusted intelligence, identifying enemy agents before they can harm social order.
In Bhishma’s instruction on rajadharma, he lists the kinds of public places—parks, gardens, scholarly gatherings, regions, crossroads, halls, and lodging houses—where a king should watch for enemy spies.