Shloka 2
राजधर्मः—प्रमादवर्जनं, दण्डनीतिः, दुर्बलरक्षणम्
Royal Dharma: Vigilance, Just Punishment, Protection of the Vulnerable
यो न जानाति हर्तु वा वस्त्राणां रजको मलम् | रक्तानां वा शोधयितुं यथा नास्ति तथैव सः
yo na jānāti hartu vā vastrāṇāṃ rajako malam | raktānāṃ vā śodhayituṃ yathā nāsti tathaiva saḥ |
Utathya berkata: “Jika seorang tukang cuci tidak tahu cara menghilangkan kotoran dari pakaian, atau tidak tahu cara membersihkan kain yang telah diwarnai hingga kembali suci dan cemerlang, maka keberadaannya sama saja dengan ketiadaannya.”
उतथ्य उवाच
Educational Q&A
A person is judged by the effective fulfillment of their proper duty (svadharma/role). If one lacks the knowledge and skill required for their work, their life yields no meaningful ethical or social value—like a washerman who cannot cleanse clothes.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction-oriented discourse, Utathya illustrates a moral point through an everyday example: the washerman’s craft. The analogy supports a broader teaching on responsibility, right conduct, and the necessity of capability in performing one’s appointed function.