Shloka 54

राजधर्मः—प्रमादवर्जनं, दण्डनीतिः, दुर्बलरक्षणम्

Royal Dharma: Vigilance, Just Punishment, Protection of the Vulnerable

Devanagari script

अप्रमादश्न शौचं च राज्ञों भूतिकरं महत्‌ | एतेभ्यश्वैव मान्धात: सततं मा प्रमादिथा:

Transliteration

apramādaś ca śaucaṁ ca rājño bhūtikaraṁ mahat | etebhyaś caiva māndhātaḥ satataṁ mā pramādithāḥ ||

Translation

ଉତଥ୍ୟ କହିଲେ—ରାଜାଙ୍କ ପାଇଁ ଅପ୍ରମାଦ (ସତର୍କତା) ଓ ଶୌଚ (ପବିତ୍ରତା) ମହା ଭୂତିକର; ଏହା ସମୃଦ୍ଧି ଓ କୁଶଳ ବଢ଼ାଏ। ତେଣୁ, ହେ ମାନ୍ଧାତା, ଏଥିରେ କେବେ ମଧ୍ୟ ପ୍ରମାଦ କରନି।

Word by Word

• अप्रमादः: vigilance, non-negligence
• अप्रमादः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अप्रमाद
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• शौचम्: purity, cleanliness
• शौचम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शौच
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• राज्ञः: of the king
• राज्ञः: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• भूतिकरम्: bringing prosperity
• भूतिकरम्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भूतिकर
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• महत्: great
• महत्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• एतेभ्यः: from these
• एतेभ्यः: Apadana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Ablative, Plural

• एव: indeed, only
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• मान्धातः: O Mandhātṛ (descendant of Mandhātṛ)
• मान्धातः: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: मान्धातृ
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• सततम्: always, constantly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सततम्

• मा: do not (prohibitive particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मा

• प्रमादिथाः: be negligent
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रमद्
• Form: Aorist (injunctive/prohibitive usage with मा), Second, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

उतथ्य उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Utathya
• Māndhātṛ

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A king’s prosperity and stability depend on two foundational disciplines: apramāda (constant vigilance and responsibility) and śauca (purity/cleanliness in conduct and administration). Negligence in either undermines governance and welfare.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on rājadharma, the sage Utathya addresses King Māndhātṛ, giving concise counsel that a ruler must continually maintain vigilance and purity, and must never lapse into heedlessness.