Shloka 12
Cāturāśramya-dharma—Marks of the Four Āśramas (चातुराश्रम्यधर्मः)
एते धर्मा: सर्ववर्णेषु लीना उत्क्रष्व्या: क्षत्रियैरेष धर्म: । तस्माज्ज्येष्ठा राजधर्मा न चान्ये वीर्यज्येष्ठा वीरधर्मा मता मे
ete dharmāḥ sarvavarṇeṣu līnā utkarṣavyāḥ kṣatriyair eṣa dharmaḥ | tasmāj jyeṣṭhā rājadharmā na cānye vīryajyeṣṭhā vīradharmā matā me ||
Indra disse: “Esses deveres estão presentes em todas as varṇa; contudo, cabe aos kṣatriyas elevá-los à sua mais alta excelência—este é o dharma próprio do kṣatriya. Por isso, o dharma da realeza é o primeiro; outros dharmas não o são do mesmo modo. A meu ver, os dharmas dos kṣatriyas heroicos são aqueles em que a força e o valor têm precedência.”
इन्द्र उवाच
Educational Q&A
Indra asserts that while dharma exists across all varṇas, the kṣatriya’s distinctive responsibility is to elevate and enforce dharma at its highest level through governance. Hence rājadharma is called foremost, characterized by the primacy of strength and valor used in service of order and protection.
In the Shānti Parva’s instruction on governance and ethics, Indra speaks as an authoritative voice explaining why the king’s duties are paramount: the ruler must uphold and advance dharma for society as a whole, and this task demands heroic energy and martial capability.