Shloka 27

Cāturāśramya-dharma—Marks of the Four Āśramas (चातुराश्रम्यधर्मः)

Devanagari script

यदा निवर्त्यते पापो दण्डनीत्या महात्मभि: । तदा धर्मो न चलते सद्भूतः शाश्वत: पर:

Transliteration

yadā nivartyate pāpo daṇḍanītyā mahātmabhiḥ | tadā dharmo na calate sadbhūtaḥ śāśvataḥ paraḥ ||

Translation

Indra said: When the wicked are restrained from wrongdoing through the righteous policy of punishment upheld by great-souled rulers, then Dharma—true in its very nature, eternal, and supreme—does not waver or decline.

Word by Word

• यदा: when
• यदा: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदा

• निवर्त्यते: is restrained/checked; is made to desist
• Type: Verb
• Root: निवृत् (वृत्) + नि
• Form: Lat, Atmanepada, Prathama, Eka

• पापः: the sinner / the wicked person
• पापः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप
• Form: Pum, Prathama, Eka

• दण्डनीत्या: by the policy of punishment (penal discipline)
• दण्डनीत्या: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: दण्डनीति
• Form: Stri, Tritiya, Eka

• महात्मभिः: by great-souled (men/kings)
• महात्मभिः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: महात्मन्
• Form: Pum, Tritiya, Bahu

• तदा: then
• तदा: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा

• धर्मः: dharma; righteousness
• धर्मः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म
• Form: Pum, Prathama, Eka

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• चलते: moves; wavers; declines
• Type: Verb
• Root: चल्
• Form: Lat, Atmanepada, Prathama, Eka

• सद्भूतः: truly existent; of good nature
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सद्भूत (सत् + भूत)
• Form: Pum, Prathama, Eka

• शाश्वतः: eternal
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शाश्वत
• Form: Pum, Prathama, Eka

• परः: supreme; highest
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर
• Form: Pum, Prathama, Eka

Speaker

इन्द्र उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Indra

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Dharma remains stable in society when rulers (or noble authorities) actively restrain wrongdoing through daṇḍanīti—just, principled punishment and enforcement. Ethical order is protected not only by personal virtue but also by fair governance.

What is happening in the narrative?

Indra is speaking within the Śānti Parva’s instruction on rājanīti (royal duty and statecraft), explaining that when great-souled rulers prevent sinners from committing sin through disciplined punishment-policy, the supreme and eternal Dharma does not decline.