Shloka 16

उतथ्योपदेशः—राजधर्मः, दर्पनिग्रहः, प्रजारक्षणम्

Utathya’s Instruction: Royal Dharma, Restraint of Pride, Protection of Subjects

Devanagari script

वृषो ही भगवान्‌ धर्मो यस्तस्य कुरुते हूलम्‌ । वृषलं त॑ विदुर्देवास्तस्माद्धर्म विवर्धयेत्‌

Transliteration

vṛṣo hi bhagavān dharmo yas tasya kurute hūlam | vṛṣalaṃ taṃ vidur devās tasmād dharmaṃ vivardhayet ||

Translation

Dharma is indeed the venerable Bull. Whoever treats it with contempt is known to the gods as a “vṛṣala” (one fallen from dharma). Therefore one should always foster and increase dharma.

Word by Word

• वृषः: bull (metaphorically: strong/supporting one)
• वृषः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• हि: indeed/for
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि

• भगवान्: blessed, venerable
• भगवान्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• धर्मः: dharma, righteousness
• धर्मः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• यः: who/which
• यः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तस्य: of that (of him/it)
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• कुरुते: does, makes
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: Present (Lat), Third, Singular, Ātmanepada

• हूलम्: harm/injury (wrong-doing)
• हूलम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: हूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• वृषलम्: a ‘vṛṣala’ (base/impious person)
• वृषलम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृषल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• विदुः: know, consider
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• देवाः: the gods
• देवाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• तस्मात्: therefore
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

• धर्मम्: dharma
• धर्मम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• विवर्धयेत्: should increase/augment
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृध् (धातु) + वि (उपसर्ग)
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-liṅ), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

उतथ्य उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Dharma
• Devas

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Dharma must never be treated as something to be dismissed or capped; contempt for dharma marks a person as fallen in the eyes of the gods. The proper response is to continually cultivate and expand dharma in one’s conduct.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on righteous living, Utathya delivers a pointed maxim: dharma is exalted and sustaining, and those who belittle it are condemned; hence the listener is urged to strengthen dharma through ongoing practice.