Shloka 35
राजधर्मः—प्रमादवर्जनं, दण्डनीतिः, दुर्बलरक्षणम्
Royal Dharma: Vigilance, Just Punishment, Protection of the Vulnerable
पापमाचरतो यत्र कर्मणा व्याहृतेन वा | प्रियस्यापि न मृष्येत स राज्ञो धर्म उच्यते,प्रिय-से-प्रिय व्यक्ति भी यदि क्रिया अथवा वाणीद्वारा पाप करे तो राजाको चाहिये कि उसे भी क्षमा न करे अर्थात् उसे भी यथायोग्य दण्ड दे। जो ऐसा बर्ताव है, वह राजाका धर्म कहलाता है
pāpam ācarato yatra karmaṇā vyāhṛtena vā | priyasyāpi na mṛṣyeta sa rājño dharma ucyate ||
Wherever a person commits wrongdoing—whether through an act or through spoken words—the king should not overlook it even when the offender is dear to him. Such impartial refusal to excuse sin is declared to be the king’s dharma.
उतथ्य उवाच
Educational Q&A
A king’s dharma is impartial justice: wrongdoing must not be excused due to personal affection. Whether the offense is by deed or by speech, the ruler should not tolerate it and should apply appropriate correction/punishment.
Utathya is instructing on rāja-dharma (the duties of kingship), emphasizing that governance must rise above favoritism. The verse frames even a beloved person as accountable under the same standard of law and ethics.