Shloka 36

उतथ्योपदेशः—राजधर्मः, दर्पनिग्रहः, प्रजारक्षणम्

Utathya’s Instruction: Royal Dharma, Restraint of Pride, Protection of Subjects

Devanagari script

क्षत्रियस्य प्रमत्तस्य दोष: संजायते महान्‌ । अधर्मा: सम्प्रवर्धन्ते प्रजासंकरकारका:

Transliteration

kṣatriyasya pramattasya doṣaḥ saṃjāyate mahān | adharmāḥ sampravardhante prajāsaṅkarakārakāḥ ||

Translation

Quand un souverain kṣatriya devient négligent et insouciant, une faute grave surgit. Alors les conduites iniques se multiplient—celles qui corrompent la société et entraînent le mélange et le désordre du peuple.

Word by Word

क्षत्रियस्यof a Kshatriya

प्रमत्तस्यof the negligent/heedless (one)

दोषःfault, defect

संजायतेarises, is produced

महान्great

अधर्माःunrighteous acts/adharmas

सम्प्रवर्धन्तेincrease, grow

प्रजासंकरकारकाःcausing intermixture/confusion of the people

Speaker

उतथ्य उवाच

Characters & Entities

Utathya

kṣatriya (as a social role/king)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A ruler’s heedlessness is not a private flaw; it becomes a major moral fault with public consequences. When the kṣatriya-king fails in vigilance and discipline, adharma spreads and society’s order and integrity deteriorate.

What is happening in the narrative?

Utathya is instructing on rajadharma in the Śānti Parva, warning that the king’s negligence triggers the growth of unrighteous conduct and leads to prajā-saṅkara—social confusion and corruption among the people.