Shloka 38
Udyoga-parva Adhyāya 71 — Kṣatra-dharma Counsel, Public Legitimacy, and Mobilization
अद्वीको वा विमूढो वा नैव स्त्री न पुन: पुमान् । नास्याधिकारो धर्मेडस्ति यथा शूद्रस्तथैव सः:
advīko vā vimūḍho vā naiva strī na punaḥ pumān | nāsyādhikāro dharme 'sti yathā śūdras tathaiva saḥ ||
Orang yang tak punya rasa malu atau yang tersesat dalam kebodohan, bukanlah sungguh-sungguh perempuan dan bukan pula sungguh-sungguh laki-laki. Ia tidak memiliki kelayakan dalam urusan dharma; ia dipandang setara dengan seorang śūdra.
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
Moral and spiritual eligibility (adhikāra) depends on character: shamelessness and delusion undermine a person’s claim to act or speak with authority in dharma. The verse uses a socially coded comparison (“like a śūdra”) to stress lack of entitlement, not biological sex.
In Udyoga Parva’s pre-war negotiations and counsel, Yudhiṣṭhira articulates a stern ethical judgment: a person who is shameless or foolish forfeits standing in dharma, emphasizing that inner conduct—not mere identity—grounds moral authority.