Shloka 61

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

Devanagari script

यत: शड़्का भवेच्चापि भृत्यतो5थापि मन्त्रित: । पौरेभ्यो नृपतेर्वापि स्वाधीनान्‌ कारयीत तान्‌

Transliteration

yataḥ śaṅkā bhavec cāpi bhṛtyato 'thāpi mantritaḥ | paurebhyo nṛpater vāpi svādhīnān kārayīta tān ||

Translation

毗湿摩说道：若国王心生疑惧——无论是对仆从、对大臣、对城中百姓，乃至对邻国之君——都应以合时而得当之策，使诸方尽归其掌控之下。

Word by Word

• यतः: from whom/whence; because of which
• यतः: Apadana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (अपादानार्थे/हेतौ)

• शङ्का: suspicion/doubt
• शङ्का: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शङ्का (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• भवेत्: may arise/occur
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (सम्भावना), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• च: and/also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च
• Form: अव्यय

• अपि: even/also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि
• Form: अव्यय

• भृत्यतः: from a servant
• भृत्यतः: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भृत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी, एकवचन

• अथ: or/then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ
• Form: अव्यय

• अपि: even/also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि
• Form: अव्यय

• मन्त्रितः: from a minister/counsellor
• मन्त्रितः: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्रिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी, एकवचन (मन्त्रिणः इत्यर्थे)

• पौरेभ्यः: from the townsmen/citizens
• पौरेभ्यः: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पौर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी, बहुवचन

• नृपतेः: of the king
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृपति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• वा: or
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा
• Form: अव्यय

• अपि: even/also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि
• Form: अव्यय

• स्वाधीनान्: under (his) control; obedient
• स्वाधीनान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वाधीन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• कारयीत: should cause (them) to be made; should bring (them) under control
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) [णिच्]
• Form: विधिलिङ् (आज्ञा/विधान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद, णिच् (causative)

• तान्: those (persons)
• तान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• nṛpati (the king)
• bhṛtya (servant/retainer)
• mantrin (minister/counselor)
• paura (townspeople/citizens)
• neighboring ruler (implied)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A ruler must not ignore suspicion within the state; through timely, proportionate measures he should secure loyalty and compliance from servants, ministers, citizens, and even neighboring powers, so that the realm remains stable and protected.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on rājadharma, Bhīṣma advises Yudhiṣṭhira on practical governance: when doubts arise about key groups around the king, the king should act promptly to bring them under effective control.