Shloka 36

Gārhasthya-Śreṣṭhatā and Kṣatriya-Daṇḍadhāraṇa

Householder Primacy and the Royal Duty of Punishment

Devanagari script

ततः स पृथिवीपालो लिखितस्य महात्मन: । करी प्रच्छेदयामास धृतदण्डो जगाम स:,तब उन भूपालने महामना लिखितके दोनों हाथ कटवा दिये। दण्ड पाकर लिखित वहाँसे चले गये

Transliteration

tataḥ sa pṛthivīpālo likhitasya mahātmanaḥ | karī pracchedayāmāsa dhṛtadaṇḍo jagāma saḥ ||

Translation

Then that ruler of the earth ordered the hands of the noble Likhita to be cut off. Having received the punishment, Likhita departed from that place.

Word by Word

• ततः: then, thereafter
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• पृथिवीपालः: the king (protector of the earth)
• पृथिवीपालः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृथिवीपाल
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• लिखितस्य: of Likhita
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिखित
• Form: masculine, genitive, singular

• महात्मनः: of the great-souled (man)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महात्मन्
• Form: masculine, genitive, singular

• करी: the two hands
• करी: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर
• Form: masculine, accusative, dual

• प्रच्छेदयामास: caused to be cut off / cut off
• Type: Verb
• Root: छिद्
• Form: perfect (periphrastic perfect), third, singular, parasmaipada, active

• धृतदण्डः: holding the staff (of punishment); having taken up punishment
• धृतदण्डः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धृतदण्ड
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• जगाम: went
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम्
• Form: perfect, third, singular, parasmaipada, active

• सः: he (Likhita)
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

Speaker

व्यास उवाच

Characters & Entities

• व्यास (Vyāsa)
• पृथिवीपाल (the king/ruler)
• लिखित (Likhita)
• दण्ड (punishment)
• करी/हस्त (hands)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights rājadharma: a king must enforce lawful punishment without partiality, and the offender’s acceptance of the sentence reflects accountability and the ethical seriousness of transgression.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vyāsa narrates that the king orders Likhita’s hands to be cut off as punishment; after receiving the penalty, Likhita leaves, marking the completion of the judicial act.