Mahabharata 4.4.21 — Virata Parva, Adhyaya 4, Shloka 21
Dhaumya’s Counsel on Incognito Conduct in a Royal Household (राजवसतौ आचरण-निति)
नहि पुत्र न नप्तारं न भ्रातरमरिंदमा: । समतिक्रान्तमर्यादं पूजयन्ति नराधिपा:,क्योंकि शत्रुविजयी राजालोग मर्यादाका उल्लंघन करनेवाले अपने पुत्र, नाती-पोते और भाईका भी आदर नहीं करते
nahi putra na naptāraṃ na bhrātaram arindamaḥ | samatikrāntamaryādaṃ pūjayanti narādhipāḥ ||
O subduer of foes, kings do not honor even their own son, grandson, or brother if he has overstepped the bounds of proper conduct. Royal regard is governed by dharma and public order, not merely by blood ties.
धौग्य उवाच
Educational Q&A
Dharma and maryādā (proper limits of conduct) outweigh mere kinship: a ruler must withhold honor from anyone—son, grandson, or brother—who violates ethical and social boundaries.
Dhaumya is giving counsel framed in royal ethics, stressing that kings prioritize order and righteousness; even close relatives lose respect and standing if they transgress accepted norms.
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