Shloka 46
Gārhasthya-Śreṣṭhatā and Kṣatriya-Daṇḍadhāraṇa
Householder Primacy and the Royal Duty of Punishment
एष धर्म: क्षत्रियाणां प्रजानां परिपालनम् । उत्पथो<न्यो महाराज मा सम शोके मन: कृथा:
eṣa dharmaḥ kṣatriyāṇāṃ prajānāṃ paripālanam | utpatho 'nyo mahārāja mā sma śoke manaḥ kṛthāḥ ||
ব্যাসে ক’লে—“হে মহাৰাজ! ক্ষত্ৰিয়সকলৰ ধৰ্ম এইটোৱেই—প্ৰজাৰ পৰিপালন আৰু ৰক্ষা। ইয়াৰ বাহিৰে অন্য পথ অপথ। সেয়ে শোকত মনক নলগাবা।”
व्यास उवाच
Educational Q&A
A kṣatriya’s primary dharma is to protect and properly govern the people; abandoning this responsibility is ‘utpatha’ (a deviation). Therefore the ruler should not succumb to paralyzing grief but remain steady in duty.
In Śānti Parva’s instruction on dharma and kingship, Vyāsa addresses a king, reminding him that his rightful role is the safeguarding of subjects and urging him to set aside sorrow that would obstruct righteous rule.