Shloka 23
राजधर्मः, दण्डनीतिः, कर्तृत्व-विचारः च
Royal Duty, Lawful Discipline, and the Question of Agency
स्वधर्मे वर्तमानस्य सापवादे5पि भारत । एवमात्मपरित्यागस्तव राजन् न शोभन:
svadharme vartamānasya sāpavāde 'pi bhārata | evam ātmaparityāgas tava rājan na śobhanaḥ ||
ವ್ಯಾಸನು ಹೇಳಿದರು— ಓ ಭಾರತ! ಸ್ವಧರ್ಮದಲ್ಲಿ ಸ್ಥಿರನಾಗಿರುವವನಿಗೆ, ಆ ಧರ್ಮಕ್ಕೆ ಅಪವಾದ ಬಂದರೂ, ಓ ರಾಜನೇ! ಇಂತಹ ಆತ್ಮಪರಿತ್ಯಾಗವು ನಿನಗೆ ಶೋಭಿಸುವುದಿಲ್ಲ.
व्यास उवाच
Educational Q&A
One should remain steady in one’s own dharma; even if that duty attracts criticism, abandoning oneself (giving up one’s role or life out of despair) is ethically improper, especially for a king responsible for others.
Vyāsa addresses a Kuru king (called “Bhārata” and “rājan”), restraining him from a despair-driven impulse toward self-abandonment, and urges him to continue in his rightful duty despite possible reproach.