Shloka 37

Devanagari script

दान्तः क्षान्तो मृदुः सौम्य: प्रजा: पालय पार्थिव । मा सम भूय: क्षिपे: कंचिदविदित्वा बलाबलम्‌,'भूपाल! तुम विनीतबुद्धि, लोभशूनन्‍्य, अहंकाररहित, मनस्वी, जितेन्द्रिय, क्षमाशील, कोमलस्वभाव और सौम्य होकर प्रजाका पालन करो। फिर कभी दूसरोंके बलाबलको जाने बिना किसीपर आक्षेप न करना

Transliteration

dāntaḥ kṣānto mṛduḥ saumyaḥ prajāḥ pālaya pārthiva | mā sama bhūyaḥ kṣipeḥ kaṃcid aviditvā balābalam ||

Translation

Rama said: “O king, rule and protect your subjects with self-control, forbearance, gentleness, and a calm, benevolent disposition. Never again should you censure or assail anyone without first understanding their true strength and weakness.”

Word by Word

दान्तःself-controlled

क्षान्तःpatient/forbearing

मृदुःgentle

सौम्यःkind/benign

प्रजाःsubjects/people

पालयprotect/govern

पार्थिवO king

माdo not

समःequal/partial (i.e., biased as equal?)

भूयःagain/further

क्षिपेःyou should cast/accuse/throw (at)

कंचित्anyone (someone)

अविदित्वाwithout knowing / not having ascertained

बलstrength

अबलम्weakness/lack of strength

Speaker

राम उवाच

Characters & Entities

Rama

Pārthiva (a king/ruler)

Prajāḥ (subjects/people)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A ruler’s dharma is to govern with inner discipline and compassion, and to act with informed judgment—never condemning or attacking others without first understanding their real capacities (strengths and weaknesses).

What is happening in the narrative?

Rama addresses a king and gives counsel on rajadharma: cultivate virtues like self-restraint, patience, gentleness, and calmness while protecting the people, and avoid rash accusations or aggression made without proper assessment.