Shloka 20
Vāmadeva’s Rājadharma: Norm-Setting, Counsel, and the Prevention of Rāṣṭra-Vināśa (वामदेव-प्रोक्तं राजधर्मम्)
Devanagari script
अपकृत्य बलस्थस्य दूरस्थोस्मीति नाश्वसेत् श्येनाभिपतनैरेते निपतन्ति प्रमाद्यतः
Transliteration
apakṛtya balasthasya dūrastho'smīti nāśvaset | śyenābhipatanair ete nipatanti pramādyataḥ ||
Translation
瓦摩提婆说道：“既已加害于强者，切莫自恃安稳而想：‘我在远处。’因为如鹰隼俯冲一般，祸果会骤然降临于疏忽之人。”
Word by Word
अपकृत्यhaving done harm
अपकृत्य:
TypeVerb
Rootअपकृ (धातु)
Formक्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund)
बलस्थस्यof one who is in a position of strength
बलस्थस्य:
TypeAdjective
Rootबलस्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Genitive, Singular
दूरस्थःbeing far away
दूरस्थः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootदूरस्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
अस्मिI am
अस्मि:
TypeVerb
Rootअस् (धातु)
FormPresent, First, Singular
इतिthus (thinking/quoting)
इति:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइति
नnot
न:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन
आश्वसेत्should feel secure / should be confident
आश्वसेत्:
TypeVerb
Rootश्वस् (धातु)
FormOptative (Vidhi-lin), Third, Singular
श्येन-अभिपतनैःby swoops/descents like those of a hawk
श्येन-अभिपतनैः:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootश्येनाभिपतन (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Instrumental, Plural
एतेthese (ones)
एते:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootएतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
निपतन्तिfall upon / swoop down
निपतन्ति:
TypeVerb
Rootपत् (धातु) + नि
FormPresent, Third, Plural
प्रमाद्यतःfrom (one who is) careless / due to carelessness
प्रमाद्यतः:
Apadana
TypeAdjective
Rootप्रमाद्यत् (प्रातिपदिक from धातु मद् with प्र + क्त/शतृ-प्रत्यय sense)
FormMasculine/Neuter, Ablative, Singular
Speaker
वामदेव उवाच
Characters & Entities
V
VāmadevaŚ
śyena (hawk/falcon)Character Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
War Context
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
Do not become complacent after harming a powerful person; distance does not guarantee safety, and the results of wrongdoing can strike suddenly—especially when one is negligent.
In Shanti Parva’s instruction on conduct and prudence, Vāmadeva warns through a vivid simile: like hawks that suddenly swoop down, danger or retribution can swiftly reach a wrongdoer who relaxes merely because he is far away.