Shloka 21

दुर्ग-निवेश-राजधर्मः | Fortified Capital and the King’s Residential Polity

Rājadharma

Devanagari script

उदासीनारिमित्राणां सर्वमेव चिकीर्षितम्‌ । पुरे जनपदे चैव ज्ञातव्यं चारचक्षुषधा

Transliteration

udāsīnāri-mitrāṇāṁ sarvam eva cikīrṣitam | pure janapade caiva jñātavyaṁ cāracakṣuṣā ||

Translation

毗湿摩说道：“君王应以密探为眼，常常察知中立者、敌人、友人一切意图与谋划——他们欲行何事、何时而动——无论在城中，还是遍及乡野。”

Word by Word

• उदासीन: of neutrals
• उदासीन: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: उदासीन
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• अरि: of enemies
• अरि: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: अरि
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• मित्राणाम्: of friends
• मित्राणाम्: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: मित्र
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• सर्वम्: everything
• सर्वम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

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

• चिकीर्षितम्: intended action; what is wished to be done
• चिकीर्षितम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: चिकीर्षित
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• पुरे: in the city
• पुरे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुर
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• जनपदे: in the countryside/territory
• जनपदे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: जनपद
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

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

• एव: also/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• ज्ञातव्यम्: is to be known; should be ascertained
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा
• Form: Gerundive (Anadi/भाव्य), Singular

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

• अरचक्षुषा: by the spy-eye; by spies as eyes
• अरचक्षुषा: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: चर-चक्षुस्
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• king (rājā)
• spies/secret agents (cāra)
• city (pura)
• countryside/territory (janapada)
• enemies (ari)
• friends (mitra)
• neutrals (udāsīna)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A ruler must maintain informed vigilance: by discreet intelligence-gathering, he should know the intentions of allies, enemies, and neutrals across both urban and rural areas, so that governance remains protective, timely, and aligned with rajadharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on kingship, Bhishma advises Yudhishthira on practical governance. Here he emphasizes the use of trusted secret agents to monitor political intentions within the kingdom and beyond, ensuring stability and preventing threats.