Shloka 4

धर्म्यविजय-नियमाः

Rules for Dharmic Victory in Kṣatriya Engagement

Devanagari script

ते चेदक्षत्रिया: सन्‍्तो विरुध्येरन्‌ू कथंचन । सर्वोपायैर्नियन्तव्या विकर्मस्था नराधिप,नरेश्वर! यदि वे क्षत्रिय न होकर भी किसी प्रकार विरोध करें तो वर्ण-विपरीत कर्ममें लगे हुए उन सब मनुष्योंका सभी उपायोंसे दमन करना चाहिये

Transliteration

te ced akṣatriyāḥ santo virudhyeran tu kathaṃcana | sarvopāyair niyantavyā vikarmasthā narādhipa ||

Translation

毗湿摩说道：“若非刹帝利之人以任何方式起而反抗，那么，王啊，一切从事违背其本分之行者，都应以一切可用之策加以约束。”

Word by Word

तेthey (those)

चेत्if

अक्षत्रियाःnon-Kshatriyas

सन्तःbeing

विरुध्येरन्should oppose / might oppose

कथंचनin any way, somehow

सर्वोपायैःby all means/methods

नियन्तव्याःto be restrained/controlled

विकर्मस्थाःstanding in improper acts; engaged in forbidden conduct

नराधिपO king (lord of men)

नरेश्वरO ruler of men

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhīṣma

narādhipa (the king addressed, i.e., Yudhiṣṭhira)

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

What is the core teaching?

A king must protect social and moral order: when people act outside their rightful duty (vikarma) and become disruptive, the ruler is enjoined to restrain them using appropriate and comprehensive measures.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on rājadharma, Bhīṣma advises the king (Yudhiṣṭhira) on governance—specifically, how to respond when those not entitled to the kṣatriya role nevertheless create opposition and engage in improper conduct.