Shloka 27

Gārhasthya-Śreṣṭhatā and Kṣatriya-Daṇḍadhāraṇa

Householder Primacy and the Royal Duty of Punishment

Devanagari script

स्तेन॑ मां त्वं विदित्वा च स्वधर्ममनुपालय । शीघ्रं धारय चौरस्थ मम दण्डं नराधिप

Transliteration

stenaṁ māṁ tvaṁ viditvā ca svadharmam anupālaya | śīghraṁ dhāraya caurastha mama daṇḍaṁ narādhipa ||

Translation

Вьяса сказал: «Хотя ты знаешь, что я — вор, всё же соблюдай свой собственный дхармический долг. О царь, стоя в роли того, кто карает воров, немедля исполни назначенное мне наказание».

Word by Word

• स्तेनम्: a thief
• स्तेनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्तेन
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: Accusative, Singular

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: Nominative, Singular

• विदित्वा: having known/recognized
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद्
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral)

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

• स्वधर्मम्: one's own duty
• स्वधर्मम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वधर्म
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अनुपालय: protect/observe (it)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनु-पाल्
• Form: Loṭ (imperative), Second, Singular, Parasmaipada

• शीघ्रम्: quickly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: शीघ्र

• धारय: inflict/execute; apply
• Type: Verb
• Root: धृ
• Form: Loṭ (imperative), Second, Singular, Parasmaipada

• चौरस्थ: O one stationed against thieves / O thief-catcher
• Type: Noun
• Root: चौरस्थ
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• मम: my
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: Genitive, Singular

• दण्डम्: punishment; penalty
• दण्डम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: दण्ड
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• नराधिप: O king (lord of men)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नराधिप
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

व्यास उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vyāsa
• narādhipa (the king/ruler addressed)
• daṇḍa (royal punishment)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even when personal feelings, status, or recognition of the offender could sway judgment, the ruler must uphold svadharma—administering justice impartially and without delay. Dharma is protected when punishment (daṇḍa) is applied according to duty rather than favoritism.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vyāsa addresses a king and, presenting himself as a thief, urges the king to act in his proper role: to deal with wrongdoing decisively. The statement tests and instructs the king’s commitment to rājadharma—punishing crime even when the culprit is someone significant.