Shloka 38

धर्मनिन्दा–धर्मोपासनाफलम् तथा साध्वाचारलक्षणम्

Fruits of Disparaging vs. Observing Dharma; Marks of Good Conduct

Devanagari script

धर्मदण्डो न निर्दण्डो धर्मकार्यानुशासक: । यन्त्रित: कार्यकरणै: षड़भागकृतलक्षण:,धर्मानुसार अपराधीको दण्ड दे। दण्डका त्याग न करे। प्रजाको धर्मकार्यका उपदेश दे। राजकार्य करनेके लिये नियम और विधानसे बँधा रहे। प्रजासे उसकी आयका छठा भाग करके रूपमें ग्रहण करे

Transliteration

dharmadaṇḍo na nirdaṇḍo dharmakāryānuśāsakaḥ | yantritaḥ kāryakaraṇaiḥ ṣaḍbhāgakṛtalakṣaṇaḥ ||

Translation

Mahadeva said: “Let the king’s punishment be a rod of dharma, not the absence of punishment. Let him instruct and regulate the people in the performance of righteous duties. Bound by rules and procedures in carrying out royal business, let him bear the recognized mark of taking a sixth share (of produce/revenue) from the subjects.”

Word by Word

धर्मदण्डःpunishment in accordance with dharma

नnot

निर्दण्डःwithout punishment; not punishing

धर्मकार्यin matters of dharma-duty

अनुशासकःinstructor; one who governs/commands

यन्त्रितःrestrained; bound by rules

कार्यकरणैःby means of prescribed procedures for action

षड्भागकृतलक्षणःhaving the rule/mark of taking a sixth share

Speaker

श्रीमहेश्वर उवाच

Characters & Entities

Śrī Maheśvara (Mahādeva/Śiva)

rājā (the king)

daṇḍa (punishment/rod of governance)

Ṣ

ṣaḍbhāga (one-sixth tax share)

prajā (subjects/people)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Sandhi Notes