Shloka 28
Kṣātra-Dharma, Daṇḍanīti, and Social Order
Indra–Māndhātṛ Dialogue
निर्मर्यादा: काममन्युप्रवृत्ता भीता राज्ञो नाधिगच्छन्ति पापम् | शिष्टाक्षान्ये सर्वधर्मोपपन्ना: साध्वाचारा: साधु धर्म वदन्ति
nirmaryādāḥ kāma-manyu-pravṛttā bhītā rājño nādhigacchanti pāpam | śiṣṭākṣānye sarva-dharmopapannāḥ sādhvācārāḥ sādhu dharma vadanti ||
Indra sprach: „Selbst jene, die zügellos geworden sind, von Begierde und Zorn getrieben, fallen nicht in Sünde, wenn sie durch die Furcht vor dem König zurückgehalten werden. Und die disziplinierten und edlen Menschen, die mit jeder Form von Dharma ausgestattet sind, üben unter dem Schutz des Königs gutes Verhalten und lehren den Dharma auf rechte Weise.“
इन्द्र उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches that effective kingship supports dharma in two ways: it restrains the unruly through fear of punishment, and it enables the virtuous to live safely, practice good conduct, and teach dharma openly.
Indra is explaining a principle of rājadharma (the king’s duty): the presence of royal authority and protection reduces wrongdoing among the impulsive and provides security for disciplined, dharma-abiding people to uphold and propagate righteous conduct.