Shloka 47
महाराज! प्रजाजनोंका पूर्णरूपसे पालन करना ही क्षत्रियोंका मुख्य धर्म है। दूसरा काम उसके लिये कुमार्गके तुल्य है; अत: तुम मनको शोकमें न डुबाओ ।। भ्रातुरस्य हित॑ वाक््यं शृणु धर्मज्ञ सत्तम । दण्ड एव हि राजेन्द्र क्षत्रधर्मो न मुण्डनम्,धर्मके ज्ञाता सत्पुरुष! तुम अपने भाईकी हितकर बात सुनो। राजेन्द्र! दण्ड-धारण ही क्षत्रिय-धर्मके अन्तर्गत है, मूँड़ मुड़ाकर संन्यासी बनना नहीं
mahārāja! prajājanānāṃ pūrṇarūpeṇa pālanaṃ kartum eva kṣatriyāṇāṃ mukhyo dharmaḥ. dvitīyaṃ karma tasya kumārgatulyam; ataḥ tvaṃ manaḥ śoke na dubhaya. bhrātur asya hitaṃ vākyaṃ śṛṇu dharmajña sattama. daṇḍa eva hi rājendra kṣatradharmo na muṇḍanam.
Vyāsa said: “O great king, the foremost duty of a kṣatriya is the complete protection and governance of the people. Any other course is like a wrong path for him; therefore do not let your mind sink into grief. O best of the dharma-knowing, listen to this beneficial counsel from your brother: O lord of kings, for a kṣatriya the true dharma is the bearing of the daṇḍa, the rod of authority—discipline and rule—not shaving the head to become a renunciant.”
व्यास उवाच
Educational Q&A
A kṣatriya’s primary dharma is to protect and govern the people through rightful authority (daṇḍa). Renunciation-symbols like head-shaving are presented here as a deviation from the ruler’s proper responsibility, especially when the realm needs protection.
Vyāsa addresses a grieving king and urges him not to sink into sorrow. He reinforces that the king should heed beneficial counsel and remain committed to rajadharma—upholding order and protecting subjects—rather than abandoning his role for ascetic renunciation.