Mahabharata · 1.195.7–8
॥
Devanāgarī
अथ धर्मेण राज्यं त्वं प्राप्तवान् भरतर्षभ ॥
ते ऽपि राज्यम् अनुप्राप्ताः पूर्वम् एवेति मे मतिः ॥
मधुरेणैव राज्यस्य तेषाम् अर्धं प्रदीयताम् ॥
एतद् धि पुरुषव्याघ्र हितं सर्वजनस्य च ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
atha dharmeṇa rājyaṃ tvaṃ prāptavān bharatarṣabha ||
te 'pi rājyam anuprāptāḥ pūrvam eveti me matiḥ ||
madhureṇaiva rājyasya teṣām ardhaṃ pradīyatām ||
etad dhi puruṣavyāghra hitaṃ sarvajanasya ca ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
अथ धर्मेण राज्यं त्वं प्राप्तवान् भरतर्षभatha dharmeṇa rājyaṃ tvaṃ prāptavān bharatarṣabhaIf then you obtained the kingdom by dharma, O bull of the Bharatas,
ते अपि राज्यम् अनुप्राप्ताः पूर्वम् एव इति मे मतिःte api rājyam anuprāptāḥ pūrvam eva iti me matiḥthen they too obtained the kingdom—even earlier, such is my opinion;
मधुरेण एव राज्यस्य तेषाम् अर्धं प्रदीयताम्madhureṇa eva rājyasya teṣām ardhaṃ pradīyatāmlet half the kingdom be given to them amicably;
एतत् हि पुरुषव्याघ्र हितं सर्वजनस्य चetat hi puruṣavyāghra hitaṃ sarvajanasya cafor this, O tiger among men, is for the good of all the people;
ऽपि'pioriginal form "'pi", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
एवेतिevetioriginal form "eveti", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
मधुरेणैवmadhureṇaivaoriginal form "madhureṇaiva", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
एतद्etadoriginal form "etad", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
धिdhioriginal form "dhi", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
Translation
'If then you obtained the kingdom by dharma, O bull of the Bharatas, then they too obtained the kingdom—even earlier, such is my opinion. Let half the kingdom be given to them amicably, for this, O tiger among men, is for the good of all the people.'
Version
05367ffc1d37 · published Jul 12, 2026, 5:54:01 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Here truth is crowned by concern for the common good. It is significant that Bhishma calls for giving up half 'amicably,' for the good of all the people: justice and peace benefit everyone, while strife is ruinous. Here it is revealed that true statecraft is dharma: what is righteous is also beneficial for all. Thus the scripture shows Bhishma's wisdom; and the division of the kingdom is offered as a path to the common good.