Shloka 22

Kṣātra-Dharma, Daṇḍanīti, and Social Order

Indra–Māndhātṛ Dialogue

Devanagari script

शेषा: सृष्टा हान्तवन्तो हानन्ता: सप्रस्थानाः क्षात्रधर्मा विशिष्टा: । अस्मिन्‌ धर्मे सर्वधर्मा: प्रविष्टा- स्तस्माद्‌ धर्म श्रेष्ठमिमं वदन्ति

Transliteration

śeṣāḥ sṛṣṭā hāntavanto hānantāḥ saprasthānāḥ kṣātradharmā viśiṣṭāḥ | asmin dharme sarvadharmāḥ praviṣṭās tasmād dharma śreṣṭham imaṁ vadanti |

Translation

Indra said: “All other duties are manifold and their results are perishable. The kṣātra-dharma—the warrior’s royal duty—is distinguished, for it is bound up with the taking and risking of life and with setting forth to action. Within this single dharma, all other dharmas find their place; therefore people call this dharma the highest.”

Word by Word

• {'śeṣāḥ': 'the remaining, the rest (i.e., other dharmas)', 'sṛṣṭāḥ': 'created, set forth, established', 'hāntavantaḥ': 'having to be slain

• perishable', 'hānantāḥ': 'destroying

• causing destruction (i.e., involving killing/violence)', 'saprasthānāḥ': 'with departure/setting forth

• involving going forth on campaigns/undertakings', 'kṣātradharmaḥ': 'the dharma of the kṣatriya

• royal/warrior duty (protection, governance, punishment, war when necessary)', 'viśiṣṭāḥ': 'distinguished, exceptional, pre-eminent', 'asmin dharme': 'in this dharma', 'sarvadharmāḥ': 'all dharmas, all duties/virtues', 'praviṣṭāḥ': 'entered into

• encompassed', 'tasmāt': 'therefore', 'dharmaḥ śreṣṭhaḥ': 'the best/supreme dharma', 'imaṁ': 'this', 'vadanti': 'they say, they call'}

Speaker

इन्द्र उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Indra

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Indra argues that kṣātra-dharma (the ruler/warrior’s duty) is ‘supreme’ because it is the framework that protects society and enables other dharmas to be practiced; it includes governance, protection, and the difficult responsibility of force when required.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Śānti Parva’s instruction on dharma after the war, Indra speaks as an authoritative voice, praising the kṣatriya’s role and explaining why royal duty is considered pre-eminent among social duties.