Shloka 13
उतथ्योपदेशः—राजधर्मः, दर्पनिग्रहः, प्रजारक्षणम्
Utathya’s Instruction: Royal Dharma, Restraint of Pride, Protection of Subjects
वृद्धानामिव सत्त्वानां मनो भवति विद्धलम् | मनुष्याणां महाराज यदा पापो न वार्यते,महाराज! जब पापका निवारण नहीं किया जाता है, तब बूढ़े जन्तुओंकी भाँति मनुष्योंका मन घबराहटमें पड़ा रहता है
vṛddhānām iva sattvānāṁ mano bhavati viddhalam | manuṣyāṇāṁ mahārāja yadā pāpo na vāryate ||
Utathya said: “O great king, when wrongdoing is not checked and restrained, the minds of men become shaken and distressed—like the minds of aged creatures—unable to remain steady in the face of unchecked sin.”
उतथ्य उवाच
Educational Q&A
If wrongdoing is not actively restrained—especially by those responsible for order—human minds lose stability and fall into anxiety and agitation; preventing sin is presented as a practical necessity for inner and social peace.
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on dharma and governance, the sage Utathya addresses a king, warning that failure to curb pāpa (wrongdoing) leads to widespread mental unrest among people.