Shloka 16

Vāmadeva’s Rājadharma: Norm-Setting, Counsel, and the Prevention of Rāṣṭra-Vināśa (वामदेव-प्रोक्तं राजधर्मम्)

Devanagari script

मूढमैन्द्रियकं लुब्धमनार्यचरितं शठम्‌ । अनतीतोपध॑ हिंस दुर्बुद्धिमबहुशुतम्‌

Transliteration

mūḍham aindriyakaṁ lubdham anārya-caritaṁ śaṭham | anātītopadhaṁ hiṁsraṁ durbuddhim abahuśrutam ||

Translation

瓦摩提婆说：若君王将要务托付于愚昧而为欲根所役者——贪婪、行止卑劣、狡诈欺诳、操守未曾经受考验、性情暴虐、判断乖谬且学识浅薄——则此君王必为福德与繁荣（吉祥天女拉克什米）所弃。

Word by Word

• मूढम्: deluded, foolish
• मूढम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मूढ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• ऐन्द्रियकम्: sensual, sense-driven
• ऐन्द्रियकम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ऐन्द्रियक
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• लुब्धम्: greedy, covetous
• लुब्धम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लुब्ध
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अनार्यचरितम्: of ignoble conduct
• अनार्यचरितम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनार्यचरित
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• शठम्: deceitful, rogue
• शठम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शठ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अनतीत-उपधम्: not past deceit; still deceitful/treacherous
• अनतीत-उपधम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनतीतउपध
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• हिंसम्: violent, harmful
• हिंसम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हिंस
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• दुर्बुद्धिम्: of bad intellect
• दुर्बुद्धिम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर्बुद्धि
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अबहुशुतम्: not much learned; poorly educated
• अबहुशुतम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अबहुशुत
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

वामदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vāmadeva
• Lakṣmī

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A ruler’s prosperity depends on ethical appointments: entrusting key responsibilities to greedy, deceitful, violent, and unlearned men destroys royal fortune and stability.

What is happening in the narrative?

In a rājadharma instruction context, Vāmadeva warns about the consequences of selecting unfit officials—listing disqualifying traits and stating that such choices cause Lakṣmī (prosperity) to depart from the king.