Shloka 16
उतथ्योपदेशः—राजधर्मः, दर्पनिग्रहः, प्रजारक्षणम्
Utathya’s Instruction: Royal Dharma, Restraint of Pride, Protection of Subjects
वृषो ही भगवान् धर्मो यस्तस्य कुरुते हूलम् । वृषलं त॑ विदुर्देवास्तस्माद्धर्म विवर्धयेत्,वृष नाम है भगवान् धर्मका। जो धर्मके विषयमें 'अलम” (बस) कह देता है, उसे देवता “वृषल” समझते हैं; अतः धर्मकी सदा ही वृद्धि करनी चाहिये
vṛṣo hi bhagavān dharmo yas tasya kurute hūlam | vṛṣalaṃ taṃ vidur devās tasmād dharmaṃ vivardhayet ||
ധർമ്മം തന്നെയാണ് ഭഗവാൻ വൃഷഭസ്വരൂപം. അതിനെ അവമാനിക്കുന്നവനെ ദേവന്മാർ ‘വൃഷലൻ’ (ധർമ്മച്യുതൻ) എന്നു അറിയുന്നു; അതുകൊണ്ട് ധർമ്മത്തെ എപ്പോഴും വർധിപ്പിക്കണം.
उतथ्य उवाच
Educational Q&A
Dharma must never be treated as something to be dismissed or capped; contempt for dharma marks a person as fallen in the eyes of the gods. The proper response is to continually cultivate and expand dharma in one’s conduct.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on righteous living, Utathya delivers a pointed maxim: dharma is exalted and sustaining, and those who belittle it are condemned; hence the listener is urged to strengthen dharma through ongoing practice.