Shloka 68

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

Devanagari script

इस प्रकार श्रीमह्या भारत शान्तिपर्वके अन्तर्गत राजधर्मानुशासनपर्वमें ब॒हस्पतिजीका उपदेशविषयक अड़सठवाँ अध्याय पूरा हुआ

Transliteration

vigṛhya āsanam ity eva yātrāṁ samparigṛhya ca | daidhībhāvas tathānyesāṁ saṁśrayo ’tha parasya ca ||

yudhiṣṭhira! imeṣāṁ ṣaḍ-guṇānāṁ paricayaṁ śṛṇu—śatrunā saha sandhiṁ kṛtvā śāntena upaviśanam, śatror upari yātrā (abhyāgamanam), vigrahaṁ kṛtvā sthānam, ākramaṇa-pradarśana-mātreṇa bhīṣaṇaṁ kṛtvā sthānam, śatrūṇāṁ madhye bheda-praveśanam, tathā durge vā durjaye rājani āśraya-grahaṇam.

Translation

瓦苏摩那说道：“尤提施提罗啊，当明了王者政略之六法：与敌讲和而安处于宁；兴师进军以伐敌；公开维持敌对而固守其位；按兵不动却仅以示攻来震慑；在敌之盟友间播下离间；最后则是求庇护——或入据坚城，或依附于强大而难以征服的君王。凭此六种战略姿态，统治者得以保全国土，并依达摩与时势选择进取或克制。”

Word by Word

• विगृह्य: having opposed / having broken (relations)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-ग्रह्
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund)

• आसनम्: sitting still; remaining quiet
• आसनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: आसन
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• इति: thus; as (called)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति

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

• यात्राम्: march; expedition
• यात्राम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: यात्रा
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• सम्परिगृह्य: having undertaken / having adopted
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-परि-ग्रह्
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund)

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

• दैधीभावः: duplicity; creating dissension (policy of sowing division)
• दैधीभावः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैधीभाव
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तथा: likewise; also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• अन्येषाम्: of others
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• संश्रयः: seeking shelter; alliance/protection
• संश्रयः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: संश्रय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अथ: then; and now
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ

• परस्य: of another; of the enemy/other party
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

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

Speaker

वसुमना उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vasumanā
• Yudhiṣṭhira
• enemy (śatru)
• fortress (durga)
• formidable king (durjaya rājā)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A king should know and deliberately choose among six strategic policies—peace, march, hostility, intimidation by show of force, creating dissension, and seeking shelter—so that action is guided by circumstance and restrained by rajadharma rather than impulse.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on royal duty, Vasumanā addresses Yudhiṣṭhira and enumerates key options of political-military conduct, framing them as recognized ‘measures’ a ruler may adopt toward enemies and rival powers.