Shloka 12
Devanagari script
यं॑ हि धर्म चरन्तीह प्रजा राज्ञा सुरक्षिता: । चतुर्थ तस्य धर्मस्य राजा विन्देत भारत,भारत! राजाके द्वारा सुरक्षित हुई प्रजा यहाँ जिस धर्मका अनुष्ठान करती है, उसका चौथाई भाग उस राजाको मिल जाता है
Transliteration
yaṁ hi dharmaṁ carantīha prajā rājñā surakṣitāḥ | caturthaṁ tasya dharmasya rājā vindeta bhārata bhārata ||
Translation
噢，婆罗多啊！当世间百姓在国王的善护之下，依正法而行时，国王理当获得那正法功德的四分之一。
Word by Word
यम्which (dharma)
यम्:
Karma
TypePronoun
Rootयद्
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
हिindeed/for
हि:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootहि
धर्मम्dharma, righteous duty
धर्मम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootधर्म
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
चरन्तिpractice/observe
चरन्ति:
TypeVerb
Rootचर्
FormPresent, Third, Plural, Parasmaipada
इहhere/in this world
इह:
Adhikarana
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइह
प्रजाःsubjects/people
प्रजाः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootप्रजा
FormFeminine, Nominative, Plural
राज्ञाby the king
राज्ञा:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootराजन्
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Singular
सुरक्षिताःwell-protected
सुरक्षिताः:
TypeAdjective
Rootसु-रक्षित
FormFeminine, Nominative, Plural
चतुर्थम्a fourth part
चतुर्थम्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootचतुर्थ
FormMasculine/Neuter, Accusative, Singular
तस्यof that
तस्य:
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular
धर्मस्यof the dharma
धर्मस्य:
TypeNoun
Rootधर्म
FormMasculine, Genitive, Singular
राजाthe king
राजा:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootराजन्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
विन्देतwould obtain/should get
विन्देत:
TypeVerb
Rootविद्
FormOptative (Vidhi-lin), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada
भारतO Bharata
भारत:
TypeNoun
Rootभारत
FormMasculine, Vocative, Singular
भारतO Bharata
भारत:
TypeNoun
Rootभारत
FormMasculine, Vocative, Singular
Speaker
वायुदेव उवाच
Characters & Entities
व
वायुदेव (Vāyudeva)भ
भारत (Bhārata)र
राजा (the king)प
प्रजा (the subjects/people)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 king who genuinely protects his subjects shares in their dharmic merit; governance is ethically consequential, and royal authority is justified by safeguarding people so they can live righteously.
Vāyudeva is instructing a Bhārata-descendant on principles of rājadharma, stating that when subjects practice dharma under a king’s protection, the king receives a quarter share of that merit.