Shloka 35
राजधर्मः—प्रमादवर्जनं, दण्डनीतिः, दुर्बलरक्षणम्
Royal Dharma: Vigilance, Just Punishment, Protection of the Vulnerable
पापमाचरतो यत्र कर्मणा व्याहृतेन वा | प्रियस्यापि न मृष्येत स राज्ञो धर्म उच्यते
pāpam ācarato yatra karmaṇā vyāhṛtena vā | priyasyāpi na mṛṣyeta sa rājño dharma ucyate ||
जहाँ कोई व्यक्ति कर्म से या वाणी से पाप करता है, वहाँ राजा को—वह चाहे कितना ही प्रिय क्यों न हो—उसे क्षमा नहीं करना चाहिए; ऐसा निष्पक्ष दण्ड-व्यवहार ही राजा का धर्म कहा जाता है।
उतथ्य उवाच
Educational Q&A
A king’s dharma is impartial justice: wrongdoing must not be excused due to personal affection. Whether the offense is by deed or by speech, the ruler should not tolerate it and should apply appropriate correction/punishment.
Utathya is instructing on rāja-dharma (the duties of kingship), emphasizing that governance must rise above favoritism. The verse frames even a beloved person as accountable under the same standard of law and ethics.