Shloka 36
राष्ट्रगुप्ति-संग्रहः
Protection of the Realm and Principles of Revenue & Local Administration
Devanagari script
उपेक्षिता हि नश्येयुगोंमिनो5रण्यवासिन: । तस्मात् तेषु विशेषेण मृदुपूर्व समाचरेत्
Transliteration
upekṣitā hi naśyeyur grāmiṇo ’raṇyavāsinaḥ | tasmāt teṣu viśeṣeṇa mṛdupūrvaṃ samācaret |
Translation
毗湿摩说道：“若被忽视，乡野之民——被迫如林居之人般度日——便会凋敝，或弃离定居之业。因此，国王当以格外的关怀对待他们，先以温柔之道亲近。”
Word by Word
उपेक्षिताneglected
उपेक्षिता:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootउपेक्षित (उप + ईक्ष्)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
हिindeed/for
हि:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootहि
नश्येयुःwould perish/be ruined
नश्येयुः:
TypeVerb
Rootनश्
FormOptative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Plural, Parasmaipada
ग्रामिणःvillagers
ग्रामिणः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootग्रामिन्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
अरण्यवासिनःforest-dwellers
अरण्यवासिनः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootअरण्यवासिन्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
तस्मात्therefore/from that reason
तस्मात्:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतस्मात् (तद्)
तेषुtowards/among them
तेषु:
Adhikarana
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine/Neuter, Locative, Plural
विशेषेणespecially
विशेषेण:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootविशेष
मृदुपूर्वम्with gentleness first; gently
मृदुपूर्वम्:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootमृदु + पूर्व
समाचरेत्should व्यवहार करे/act/conduct oneself
समाचरेत्:
TypeVerb
Rootसम् + आ + चर्
FormOptative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada
Speaker
भीष्म उवाच
Characters & Entities
B
BhishmaK
king (rājā)V
villagers/rural subjects (grāmiṇaḥ)F
forest (araṇya)Character Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
War Context
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Geographic Context
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
A ruler must not neglect or harshly burden rural subjects; stability and prosperity depend on treating them with special gentleness and care.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on kingship (rājadharma), Bhishma warns that if villagers are ignored or oppressed, they will be ruined or flee to the forests; hence the king should adopt a mild, considerate approach toward them.