Shloka 4
Dāna–Tapaḥ Praśaṃsā and Gṛhastha-Upadeśa
Maitreya
पाहि सर्वा: प्रजा: सम्पक् शुभाशुभविदात्मवान् | शुभे: संविभजन् कामैरशुभानां च पावनै:
vyāsa uvāca | pāhi sarvāḥ prajāḥ samyak śubhāśubha-vid ātmavān | śubhaiḥ saṃvibhajan kāmān aśubhānāṃ ca pāvanaiḥ ||
Vyāsa dit : «Protège justement tous tes sujets. Sois maître de toi et clairvoyant dans le discernement du favorable et du néfaste. Répartis les jouissances et les ressources dignes par des moyens droits, et, par des mesures de purification, ôte ce qui est inauspicieux parmi le peuple. Ainsi, l’esprit et les sens tenus en bride, accomplis ton devoir avec une diligence constante ; puis, ayant déposé la condition de kṣatriya, tu atteindras l’état de brāhmane.»
व्यास उवाच
Educational Q&A
A ruler must govern with discernment of good and evil, self-mastery, fair distribution of legitimate enjoyments, and active purification of social harms; steadfast performance of one’s duty leads to inner refinement and higher spiritual attainment.
Vyāsa is instructing a Kṣatriya ruler on rājadharma: protect and nurture the people properly, restrain mind and senses, promote auspicious welfare, remove inauspicious faults through purifying measures, and through sustained dharmic conduct become fit for the higher, Brāhmaṇa-like spiritual state.