Shloka 7
राजधर्मः—प्रमादवर्जनं, दण्डनीतिः, दुर्बलरक्षणम्
Royal Dharma: Vigilance, Just Punishment, Protection of the Vulnerable
चातुर्वर्ण्य तथा वेदाश्षातुराश्रम्यमेव च । सर्व प्रमुहते होतद् यदा राजा प्रमाद्यति,जब राजा प्रमाद करता है, तब चारों वर्ण, चारों वेद और चारों आश्रम सभी मोहमें पड़ जाते हैं
cāturvarṇyaṃ tathā vedāś caturāśramyam eva ca | sarvaṃ pramuhyate hy etad yadā rājā pramādyati ||
Utathya said: When a king becomes negligent and loses vigilance in governance, the entire social and sacred order falls into confusion—the fourfold system of classes, the Vedas, and the four stages of life all become deluded. The verse underscores that royal responsibility is not merely political: the ruler’s moral alertness safeguards dharma itself, and his carelessness destabilizes both society and spiritual discipline.
उतथ्य उवाच
Educational Q&A
The king’s vigilance is a pillar of dharma: when the ruler becomes negligent, the social order (varṇa), spiritual disciplines (āśrama), and scriptural authority (Vedas) lose clarity and effectiveness, leading to widespread moral and institutional confusion.
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on governance and dharma, the sage Utathya warns about the consequences of royal negligence, emphasizing that a king’s failure in duty destabilizes both society and religious life.