Shloka 19
राजधर्मः—प्रमादवर्जनं, दण्डनीतिः, दुर्बलरक्षणम्
Royal Dharma: Vigilance, Just Punishment, Protection of the Vulnerable
मा सम तात रणे स्थित्वा भुज्जीथा दुर्बलं जनम् । मा त्वां दुर्बलचक्षूंषि दहन्त्वग्निरिवाश्रयम्
mā sama tāta raṇe sthitvā bhuñjīthā durbalaṃ janam | mā tvāṃ durbalacakṣūṃṣi dahantv agnir ivāśrayam, tāta ||
উতথ্য বললেন— বৎস, যুদ্ধে দাঁড়িয়ে দুর্বল জনকে ভোগের শিকার কোরো না। সাবধান— অসহায়ের দৃষ্টি তোমাকে তেমনি দগ্ধ করবে, যেমন অগ্নি নিজের আশ্রয়-স্বরূপ ইন্ধনকেই দহন করে।
उतथ्य उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even in warfare, dharma forbids exploiting the powerless; harming the weak invites moral and karmic backlash, symbolized by the ‘burning’ gaze of the helpless.
Utathya admonishes a younger person (addressed as ‘tāta’) not to prey upon weak people during battle, warning through a vivid simile that the suffering and resentment of the oppressed can destroy the aggressor like fire consuming its own support.