Sutra 42

Devanagari script

धर्मो ह्यधर्मोपहतः शास्तारं हन्त्युपेक्षितः ॥ कZ_०३.१६.४२च्द् ॥

Transliteration

dharmo hy adharmopahataḥ śāstāraṃ hanti upekṣitaḥ

Translation

ਕਿਉਂਕਿ ਧਰਮ, ਜਦੋਂ ਅਧਰਮ ਨਾਲ ਘਾਇਲ ਹੋ ਕੇ ਅਣਡਿੱਠਾ ਰਹਿ ਜਾਂਦਾ ਹੈ, ਤਾਂ ਉਹ ਸ਼ਾਸਤਾ (ਦੰਡ ਦੇਣ ਵਾਲੇ/ਸ਼ਾਸਕ) ਦਾ ਨਾਸ ਕਰ ਦਿੰਦਾ ਹੈ।

Word by Word

• धर्मः: dharma; law/righteous order
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-एकवचन

• हि: indeed; for
• Type: Particle
• Root: हि
• Form: निपात (हेतौ/निश्चये)

• अधर्मोपहतः: struck down/overpowered by adharma (unrighteousness)
• Type: Participle
• Root: उप-हन्
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-एकवचन; विशेषणम् (धर्मस्य)

• शास्तारम्: the ruler/disciplinarian; the one who governs
• Type: Noun
• Root: शास्तृ
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-एकवचन

• हन्ति: kills; destroys
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन्
• Form: लट्; परस्मैपदम्; प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन

• उपेक्षितः: when neglected/ignored
• Type: Participle
• Root: उप-ईक्ष्
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-एकवचन; (धर्मस्य) विशेषणम्; अर्थः—‘उपेक्षां कृतः/अवज्ञातः’

Entities Mentioned

• dharma
• adharma
• śāstā (ruler/law-enforcer)

More Details

FAQs

How should ‘hanti’ be read in a political science sense?

As institutional ruin: loss of legitimacy, increased crime, factionalism, revenue collapse, and eventual overthrow—i.e., the ruler is politically ‘destroyed’ by tolerated lawlessness.