Today's Subhashita. (Discourse between Bheeshma and Yudhishthara - continued)

न च क्षान्तेन ते नित्यं भाव्यं पुत्र समन्ततः | Na cha kshaantena te nityam Bhaavyam putrasamantatah.
अधर्मो  हि  मृदू  राजा क्षमावानिव कुञ्जरः || Adharm  hi mrudoo raajaa kshamaavaaniva kunjarah.
 
क्षममाणं नृपं नित्यं नीचः परिभवेज्जनः   |  Kshamamaanam nrupam nityam neechh paribhavejjanah.
हस्तियन्ता गजस्यैव  शिर एवारुरुक्षति.   ||  Hastiyantaa gajesyeva shira evaarurukshati.

अर्थ - (1)- बेटा !तुम्हें सदा और सब ओर क्षमाशील ही नहीं बने रहना चाहिये , क्योंकि क्षमाशील हाथी के समान कोमल स्वभाव वाला राजादूसरों को भयभीत न कर सकने   के कारण  अधर्म के प्रचार में ही सहायक होता है.|

         (2) नीच मनुष्य क्षमा-शील राजा का उसी प्रकार तिरस्कार करते रहते हैं ,जैसे हाथी का महावत उसके सिर पर ही चढे रहना चाहता है |

Na = not.  cha= and,again     Kshantena = tolerance, patience.    Te = they.   Nityam = daily, ever.
Bhaavyam = ought to become.    Samantatah = always and every where.   Adharma=unrighteousness, immorality.     Hi = for, surely.   Mrudoo=weak, pliant, submissive.   Raajaa = king.   Kshamaamaniva= kshamaavaan+iva.   Kshmaavaan =tolerant and forgiving
Iva = like a.    Kunjarah = an elephant.

Kshamamaanam = tolerant and forgiving in nature.    Nrupasm = King.    Neech = wicked people.
Paribhavejjanah = Paribhaved +janah.    Paribhaved = disgrace, despise.    Janahh = people.
Hastiyantaa = the attendant of an Elephant, who controls and drives it, also called a 'Mahaot'.
Gajasyeva = elephants' .    Shira = head.   Evaarurukshati =aiva +aarukshati.     Aiva = already.
Aarukshati= remain mounted over.

(1)     Outlining the "Rajdharma" to Yudhishthara,  Bhedeshma, the patriarch of Kauravas, says -
O son ! you should not always remain tolerant and forgiving to each and every person, because a king ,who is submissive and forgiving in nature, is like a powerful but submissive elephant,who  can not instill fear in his adversaries and is indirectly instrumental in propagating immorality.

 (2)    Wicked and cunning people despise and disgrace a tolerant and forgiving King,  just like a keeper of an elephant,who always wants to remain mounted over the head of the elephant to control it.

(Through the simile of an elephant, the predicament of a weak and submissive king has been explained in the above two shlokas by Maharshi Veda Vyaas, the author of 'Mahabharata'.
How apt this simile is even in modern times, can be seen in the relationship between India and Pakistan. Our leaders are behaving like a powerful elephant unaware of its inherent strength, being made submissive and meek by Pakistan as a 'mahaoat'.  If we view the Kashmir dispute and the never ending skirmishes by Pakistan in our border, then can we conclude that our Rulers are not observing the 'Rajdharma' ?? ).