Shloka 38
धर्मनिन्दा–धर्मोपासनाफलम् तथा साध्वाचारलक्षणम्
Fruits of Disparaging vs. Observing Dharma; Marks of Good Conduct
धर्मदण्डो न निर्दण्डो धर्मकार्यानुशासक: । यन्त्रित: कार्यकरणै: षड़भागकृतलक्षण:
dharmadaṇḍo na nirdaṇḍo dharmakāryānuśāsakaḥ | yantritaḥ kāryakaraṇaiḥ ṣaḍbhāgakṛtalakṣaṇaḥ ||
Mahādeva disse: “Que a punição do rei seja uma vara de dharma, não a ausência de punição. Que ele instrua e regule o povo na execução dos deveres justos. Vinculado a regras e procedimentos ao tratar dos assuntos reais, que traga o sinal reconhecido de tomar a sexta parte (da produção/da receita) dos súditos.”
श्रीमहेश्वर उवाच
Educational Q&A
A ruler must uphold dharma through just punishment and moral instruction, remain constrained by lawful procedures in administration, and legitimately sustain the state by collecting the traditional one-sixth share from the people.
Śrī Maheśvara is describing the standards of righteous kingship: the king should not abandon punishment, should guide subjects in dharmic conduct, should govern through regulated methods, and should take only the sanctioned revenue share (ṣaḍbhāga).