Shloka 58
Dasyu-maryādā and Buddhi-guided Rāja-nīti (दस्युमर्यादा तथा बुद्धिप्रधान-राजनीति)
तव पुत्रो ममापत्यं हतवान् स हतो मया । अनन्तरं त्वयाहं च हन्तव्या हि नराधिप,नरेश्वर! आपके बेटेने मेरे बच्चेकों मार डाला और मैंने भी उसकी आँखोंको नष्ट कर दिया। इसके बाद अब आप मेरा वध कर डालेंगे
tava putro mamāpatyaṃ hatavān sa hato mayā | anantaraṃ tvayāhaṃ ca hantavyā hi narādhipa ||
Wahai raja! Putramu membunuh anakku; maka aku pun membunuhnya. Sesudah ini, wahai penguasa manusia, membunuhku juga sungguh menjadi bagianmu.
ब्रह्मदत्त उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames a stark ethic of consequence: a wrong (the killing of a child) triggers retaliatory violence, and then calls for the king’s impartial enforcement of justice even against the avenger. It highlights how cycles of retribution demand a higher adjudicating dharma—especially the ruler’s duty to restrain and judge, not merely to perpetuate vengeance.
Brahmadatta addresses a king, stating that the king’s son killed Brahmadatta’s child, so Brahmadatta killed the son in return. He then declares that the next step, according to the logic of royal justice and retaliation, is for the king to kill Brahmadatta.