Shloka 38

धर्मनिन्दा–धर्मोपासनाफलम् तथा साध्वाचारलक्षणम्

Fruits of Disparaging vs. Observing Dharma; Marks of Good Conduct

Devanagari script

धर्मदण्डो न निर्दण्डो धर्मकार्यानुशासक: । यन्त्रित: कार्यकरणै: षड़भागकृतलक्षण:

Transliteration

dharmadaṇḍo na nirdaṇḍo dharmakāryānuśāsakaḥ | yantritaḥ kāryakaraṇaiḥ ṣaḍbhāgakṛtalakṣaṇaḥ ||

Translation

マハーデーヴァは言った。「王の刑罰はダルマの杖であれ、刑罰の放棄であってはならぬ。民に正しき務めを行わせるため、教え、規制せよ。王務を執り行うにあたり、規則と手続きに拘束され、また公認の徴として、民の産出／収入の六分の一を受け取るべし。」

Word by Word

• धर्मदण्डः: punishment in accordance with dharma
• धर्मदण्डः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्मदण्ड
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• निर्दण्डः: without punishment; not punishing
• निर्दण्डः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्दण्ड
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• धर्मकार्य: in matters of dharma-duty
• धर्मकार्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्मकार्य
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• अनुशासकः: instructor; one who governs/commands
• अनुशासकः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनुशासक
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• यन्त्रितः: restrained; bound by rules
• यन्त्रितः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यन्त्रित
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• कार्यकरणैः: by means of prescribed procedures for action
• कार्यकरणैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्यकरण
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• षड्भागकृतलक्षणः: having the rule/mark of taking a sixth share
• षड्भागकृतलक्षणः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षड्भागकृतलक्षण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

श्रीमहेश्वर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Śrī Maheśvara (Mahādeva/Śiva)
• rājā (the king)
• daṇḍa (punishment/rod of governance)
• ṣaḍbhāga (one-sixth tax share)
• prajā (subjects/people)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A ruler must uphold dharma through just punishment and moral instruction, remain constrained by lawful procedures in administration, and legitimately sustain the state by collecting the traditional one-sixth share from the people.

What is happening in the narrative?

Śrī Maheśvara is describing the standards of righteous kingship: the king should not abandon punishment, should guide subjects in dharmic conduct, should govern through regulated methods, and should take only the sanctioned revenue share (ṣaḍbhāga).