Shloka 1

Vyavahāra-Śuddhi and Rājadharma: Clean Administration, Counsel, and Proportional Punishment

Chapter 86

Devanagari script

भीकम (2 अमान पञ्चाशीतितमोब<् ध्याय: राजाकी व्यावहारिक नीति

Transliteration

Yudhiṣṭhira uvāca: kathaṃ svid iha rājendra pālayan pārthivaḥ prajāḥ | prītiṃ dharmaviśeṣeṇa kīrtim āpnoti śāśvatīm ||

Translation

尤狄希提罗说道：“噢，诸王之王！在此世间，君主当如何护持并治理臣民，方能以对达摩的卓然奉行，赢得众人爱戴，并获得长久不朽的声名？”

Word by Word

• युधिष्ठिरः: Yudhiṣṭhira
• युधिष्ठिरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: युधिष्ठिर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect, Third, Singular

• कथम्: how
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम्

• स्वित्: indeed (interrogative particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वित्

• इह: here, in this world
• इह: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह

• राजेन्द्र: O king of kings
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजेन्द्र
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• पालयन्: while protecting / protecting
• Type: Verb
• Root: पालयत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular, शतृ (present active participle)

• पार्थिवः: a king, ruler
• पार्थिवः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थिव
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• प्रजाः: subjects, people
• प्रजाः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजा
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Plural

• प्रीतिम्: affection, goodwill
• प्रीतिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रीति
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• धर्मविशेषेण: by a particular (special) dharma
• धर्मविशेषेण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्मविशेष
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• कीर्तिम्: fame, renown
• कीर्तिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कीर्ति
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• आप्नोति: attains, obtains
• Type: Verb
• Root: आप्
• Form: Present, Third, Singular

• शाश्वतीम्: eternal, everlasting
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शाश्वत
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

युधिछिर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Yudhiṣṭhira
• rājendra (addressed king)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames ideal kingship as protection and welfare of the people grounded in dharma; a ruler’s legitimacy is measured not merely by power but by righteous governance that earns public goodwill and lasting reputation.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti Parva dialogue on statecraft and royal duty, Yudhiṣṭhira asks the senior authority he is addressing (rājendra) how a king should govern and protect the subjects so as to gain their affection and imperishable fame through exemplary dharma.