Shloka 12

Devanagari script

क्रव्याद्धय इव भूतानामदान्ते भ्य: सदा भयम्‌ । येषां च प्रतिषेधार्थ क्षत्रं सृष्टं स्‍्वयम्भुवा,जैसे मांसभोजी हिंसक पशुओंसे सब जीव डरते रहते हैं, उसी प्रकार अदान्त (असंयमी) पुरुषोंसे सभी प्राणियोंको सदा भय बना रहता है, जिनको हिंसा आदि दुष्कर्मोंसे रोकनेके लिये ब्रह्माजीने क्षत्रिय-जातिकी सृष्टि की है

Transliteration

kravyāddhaya iva bhūtānām adāntebhyaḥ sadā bhayam | yeṣāṃ ca pratiṣedhārthaṃ kṣatraṃ sṛṣṭaṃ svayambhuvā ||

Translation

Vidura said: “Just as all creatures live in constant fear of flesh-eating predators, so too do all beings remain ever afraid of the unrestrained and undisciplined. It is precisely to check such people—by restraining violence and other wrongdoing—that Svayambhū (Brahmā) created the Kṣatra (the royal/warrior power).”

Word by Word

• {'kravyāddhayaḥ': 'flesh-eaters

• carnivorous, predatory beings', 'iva': 'like

• as', 'bhūtānām': 'of living beings

• of creatures', 'adāntebhyaḥ': 'from the unbridled/undisciplined

• from the unrestrained (persons)', 'sadā': 'always

• constantly', 'bhayam': 'fear

• danger', 'yeṣām': 'of whom

• whose (people)', 'ca': 'and

• also', 'pratiṣedhārtham': 'for the purpose of restraint/prohibition

• to prevent (wrongdoing)', 'kṣatram': 'kṣatra

• the warrior/kingly power (kṣatriya function)', 'sṛṣṭam': 'created

• brought forth', 'svayambhuvā': 'by Svayambhū

Speaker

विदुर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vidura
• Svayambhū (Brahmā)
• Kṣatra (royal/warrior power; Kṣatriya order)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Uncontrolled, violent, and undisciplined people become a source of fear to society, like predators in the wild. Therefore legitimate royal power (kṣatra) exists to restrain wrongdoing and protect beings through enforcement of dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Vidura’s counsel during the Udyoga Parva, he explains the ethical rationale for kingship and the kṣatriya function: it is instituted by the cosmic creator to curb harmful conduct and maintain social safety and order.