Shloka 25

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

Chapter 86

Devanagari script

न परस्य प्रवादेन परेषां दण्डमर्पयेत्‌ । आगमानुगमं कृत्वा बध्नीयान्मोक्षयीत वा

Transliteration

na parasya pravādena pareṣāṁ daṇḍam arpayet | āgamānugamaṁ kṛtvā badhnīyān mokṣayīta vā |

Translation

毗湿摩说道：国王不可仅凭他人之控告便对百姓施以刑罚。应依《沙斯特拉》（śāstra）之权威教诲与既定法度详加审察；若罪行确证，当拘禁罪人；若不能证实，则当释放之。

Word by Word

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• परस्य: of another (person)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर
• Form: masculine/neuter, genitive, singular

• प्रवादेन: by hearsay/accusation/report
• प्रवादेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रवाद
• Form: masculine, instrumental, singular

• परेषाम्: of others
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर
• Form: masculine, genitive, plural

• दण्डम्: punishment
• दण्डम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: दण्ड
• Form: masculine, accusative, singular

• अर्पयेत्: should impose/assign
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्प् (अर्पयति)
• Form: optative (vidhi-lin), 3rd, singular, parasmaipada

• आगम-अनुगमम्: conformity to scripture/tradition
• आगम-अनुगमम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: आगमानुगम
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• कृत्वा: having done/made
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), active

• बध्नीयात्: should bind/imprison
• Type: Verb
• Root: बन्ध् (बध्नाति)
• Form: optative (vidhi-lin), 3rd, singular, parasmaipada

• मोक्षयीत: should release
• Type: Verb
• Root: मुच् (मोक्षयति)
• Form: optative (vidhi-lin), 3rd, singular, parasmaipada

• वा: or
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा

• राजा: the king
• राजा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• rājā (the king)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Punishment must be based on verified guilt and śāstra-guided procedure, not on mere accusation or rumor; if guilt is established, restrain the offender, and if not, release him.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on rājadharma, Bhīṣma advises Yudhiṣṭhira on just governance, emphasizing careful inquiry and lawful procedure before imprisoning or freeing an accused person.