Shloka 27
राजधर्मः—प्रमादवर्जनं, दण्डनीतिः, दुर्बलरक्षणम्
Royal Dharma: Vigilance, Just Punishment, Protection of the Vulnerable
यदा राष्ट्रे धर्ममग्र्यं चरन्ति संस्कारं वा राजगुणं ब्रुवाणा: । तैरेवाधर्मश्वरितो धर्ममोहात् तूर्ण जह्वात् सुकृतं दुष्कृतं च
yadā rāṣṭre dharmam agryaṃ caranti saṃskāraṃ vā rājaguṇaṃ bruvāṇāḥ | tair evādharmāśrito dharmamohāt tūṛṇaṃ jahyāt sukṛtaṃ duṣkṛtaṃ ca ||
Ketika rakyat dalam kerajaan menjalankan dharma tertinggi—menegakkan upacara Weda sambil memuji kebajikan raja—maka oleh perilaku itu pula sang raja terbebas dari dosa. Namun bila rakyat yang sama, karena tersesat dalam pemahaman dharma, beralih pada adharma, maka raja segera kehilangan timbunan kebajikannya dan turut ternoda oleh keburukan.
उतथ्य उवाच
Educational Q&A
A ruler’s moral and karmic standing is closely tied to the conduct of the subjects: when society upholds dharma and proper rites, the king is purified; when society falls into adharma through confusion about dharma, the king rapidly loses merit and incurs demerit.
In Śānti Parva’s discourse on governance and dharma, the sage Utathya explains to the listener that the ethical health of a kingdom is reciprocal: public adherence to dharma supports the king’s righteousness, while widespread adharma undermines the king’s merit and stability.