Shloka 4
उतथ्योपदेशः—राजधर्मः, दर्पनिग्रहः, प्रजारक्षणम्
Utathya’s Instruction: Royal Dharma, Restraint of Pride, Protection of Subjects
राजा चरति चेद् धर्म देवत्वायैव कल्पते । स चेदधर्म चरति नरकायैव गच्छति,यदि राजा धर्माचरण करता है तो देवता बन जाता है, और यदि वह अधर्माचरण करता है तो नरकमें ही गिरता है
rājā carati ced dharmaṁ devatvāyaiva kalpate | sa ced adharmaṁ carati narakāyaiva gacchati |
「王がダルマに則って生き行うなら、神々の位にふさわしくなる。だがアダルマを行うなら、必ずや地獄へと堕ちる。」
उतथ्य उवाच
Educational Q&A
A king’s fate is determined by his conduct: dharmic rule elevates him toward divine status, while adharmic rule leads to hell. The verse emphasizes that political power carries moral accountability and spiritual consequences.
In Śānti Parva’s instruction on governance and ethics, the sage Utathya addresses principles of righteous kingship, stating a clear moral causality: the ruler’s adherence to dharma or adharma directly shapes his posthumous destiny.