Shloka 31

Udyoga-parva Adhyāya 28: Dharmādharmalakṣaṇa in Āpad

Crisis-Discernment of Right and Wrong

Devanagari script

तत्र पुण्यं दस्युवधेन लभ्यते सो<यं दोष: कुरुभिस्तीव्ररूप: । अधर्मजिर्धर्ममबुध्यमानै: प्रादुर्भूत: संजय साधु तन्न,(राजाओंको) लुटेरोंका वध करनेसे पुण्यकी प्राप्ति होती है। संजय! कौरवोंमें यह लुटेरेपनका दोष तीव्ररूपसे प्रकट हो गया है, जो अच्छा नहीं है। वे अधर्मके तो पूरे पण्डित हैं; परंतु धर्मकी बात बिलकुल नहीं जानते

Transliteration

tatra puṇyaṃ dasyuvadhena labhyate so 'yaṃ doṣaḥ kurubhis tīvrarūpaḥ | adharmajñair dharmam abudhyamānaiḥ prādurbhūtaḥ saṃjaya sādhu tan na ||

Translation

“In such a case, merit is gained by slaying robbers. Yet among the Kurus this very fault—this robber-like disposition—has arisen in a fierce form. O Saṃjaya, it is not good that it has manifested among those who are skilled in unrighteousness while failing to understand what dharma truly is.”

Word by Word

• {'tatra': 'there

• in that situation/context', 'puṇyam': 'merit

• religious/ethical credit', 'dasyu': 'robber

• plunderer', 'vadha': 'killing

• slaying', 'dasyuvadhena': 'by the slaying of robbers', 'labhyate': 'is obtained

• is gained', 'saḥ ayam': 'this very (one/thing)', 'doṣaḥ': 'fault

• moral blemish', 'kurubhiḥ': 'by/among the Kurus', 'tīvrarūpaḥ': 'of intense/violent form

• severe in nature', 'adharmajñaiḥ': 'by those who know/are versed in adharma (unrighteousness)', 'dharmam': 'dharma

• rightful conduct', 'abudhyamānaiḥ': 'by those not understanding

• not comprehending', 'prādurbhūtaḥ': 'has arisen

• has become manifest', 'saṃjaya': 'Saṃjaya (addressed)', 'sādhu': 'good

• commendable', 'tat na': 'that is not (good/proper)'}

Speaker

वायुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vāyudeva
• Saṃjaya
• Kuru(s)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse distinguishes between rightful force and wrongful violence: killing bandits who prey on society can be considered meritorious when done as protection of order, but when rulers themselves adopt a bandit-like nature—plunder, coercion, predation—it becomes a grave moral fault. Knowing adharma while failing to grasp dharma is condemned.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vāyudeva addresses Saṃjaya, commenting on the moral degeneration among the Kurus. He frames the Kurus’ conduct as akin to that of robbers and warns that such a manifestation is improper, implying that their actions have departed from dharma and threaten social and royal legitimacy.