Shloka 37

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

Devanagari script

शस्याभिहारं कुर्याच्च स्वयमेव नराधिप: । असम्भवे प्रवेशस्य दहेद्‌ दावाग्निना भृूशम्‌

Transliteration

śasyābhihāraṃ kuryācca svayam eva narādhipaḥ | asambhave praveśasya dahed dāvāgninā bhṛśam ||

Translation

毗湿摩说道：“国王应亲自督促收割并转移已成熟的谷物。命人割取后，将收成运入堡垒之内储藏。若无法运入，则当以蔓延之火将庄稼尽数焚毁，使敌军不得夺取粮秣。”

Word by Word

• शस्य: crop, grain (standing/harvested produce)
• शस्य: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शस्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अभिहारम्: bringing in, carrying (into a fort/store)
• अभिहारम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अभिहार
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• कुर्यात्: should do / should arrange
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

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

• स्वयम्: personally, himself
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम्

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

• नराधिपः: king (lord of men)
• नराधिपः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नराधिप
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• असम्भवे: in the case of impossibility
• असम्भवे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: असम्भव
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• प्रवेशस्य: of entry / of bringing in
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रवेश
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• दहेत्: should burn
• Type: Verb
• Root: दह्
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• दावाग्निना: with a forest-fire / wildfire
• दावाग्निना: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: दावाग्नि
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• भृशम्: excessively, thoroughly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भृशम्

• राजा: the king
• राजा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• स्वयम्: personally, himself
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम्

• हि: indeed, for
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• narādhipa (the king)
• śasya (grain-crops)
• durga (fort) (implied by ‘bringing inside’)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A ruler must act decisively to secure provisions during conflict: either safeguard resources within the fort or, if that is impossible, deny them to the enemy—even through harsh measures—so the larger duty of protecting the realm is upheld.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma is instructing the king on practical measures for fort-defense in wartime: harvest the ready crops and store them inside the fortress; if transport into the fort cannot be done, burn the crops to prevent the opposing force from using them.