Shloka 3
राजधर्मः—प्रमादवर्जनं, दण्डनीतिः, दुर्बलरक्षणम्
Royal Dharma: Vigilance, Just Punishment, Protection of the Vulnerable
एवमेतद् द्विजेन्द्राणां क्षत्रियाणां विशां तथा । शूद्रश्नतुर्थो वर्णानां नानाकर्मस्ववस्थित:
evam etad dvijendrāṇāṁ kṣatriyāṇāṁ viśāṁ tathā | śūdraś ca caturtho varṇānāṁ nānā-karmasv avasthitaḥ ||
Utathya berkata: “Demikian pula halnya bagi para dvija yang utama, bagi para kṣatriya, dan juga vaiśya; sedangkan śūdra adalah varṇa keempat. Bila orang-orang dari varṇa-varṇa ini tidak memahami kewajiban khas masing-masing dan tidak tetap tekun dalam beragam pekerjaan yang ditetapkan, maka keberadaan mereka menjadi seakan tiada—tanpa buah dalam tatanan dharma.”
उतथ्य उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse stresses varṇa-dharma: each social order has distinct responsibilities, and a life that neglects one’s proper duties is ethically barren—counted as purposeless within the dharmic framework.
Utathya is instructing on dharma in the Śānti Parva’s didactic setting, emphasizing the maintenance of social and moral order through steadfast engagement in one’s prescribed work.