Shloka 2
राजधर्मः—प्रमादवर्जनं, दण्डनीतिः, दुर्बलरक्षणम्
Royal Dharma: Vigilance, Just Punishment, Protection of the Vulnerable
यो न जानाति हर्तु वा वस्त्राणां रजको मलम् | रक्तानां वा शोधयितुं यथा नास्ति तथैव सः,यदि धोबी कपड़ोंकी मैल उतारना नहीं जानता अथवा रौँगे हुए वस्त्रोंको धोकर शुद्ध एवं उज्ज्वल बनानेकी कला उसे नहीं ज्ञात है तो उसका होना न होना बराबर है
yo na jānāti hartu vā vastrāṇāṃ rajako malam | raktānāṃ vā śodhayituṃ yathā nāsti tathaiva saḥ |
Utathya said: “If a washerman does not know how to remove the dirt from garments, or how to cleanse dyed cloth so that it becomes pure and bright again, then his existence and non-existence are the same.”
उतथ्य उवाच
Educational Q&A
A person is judged by the effective fulfillment of their proper duty (svadharma/role). If one lacks the knowledge and skill required for their work, their life yields no meaningful ethical or social value—like a washerman who cannot cleanse clothes.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction-oriented discourse, Utathya illustrates a moral point through an everyday example: the washerman’s craft. The analogy supports a broader teaching on responsibility, right conduct, and the necessity of capability in performing one’s appointed function.