Shloka 47
Gārhasthya-Śreṣṭhatā and Kṣatriya-Daṇḍadhāraṇa
Householder Primacy and the Royal Duty of Punishment
महाराज! प्रजाजनोंका पूर्णरूपसे पालन करना ही क्षत्रियोंका मुख्य धर्म है। दूसरा काम उसके लिये कुमार्गके तुल्य है; अत: तुम मनको शोकमें न डुबाओ ।।
mahārāja! prajājanānāṃ pūrṇarūpeṇa pālanaṃ kartum eva kṣatriyāṇāṃ mukhyo dharmaḥ. dvitīyaṃ karma tasya kumārgatulyam; ataḥ tvaṃ manaḥ śoke na dubhaya. bhrātur asya hitaṃ vākyaṃ śṛṇu dharmajña sattama. daṇḍa eva hi rājendra kṣatradharmo na muṇḍanam.
व्यास उवाच—महाराज! प्रजानां सम्यक् परिपालनमेव क्षत्रियस्य परमः धर्मः। अन्यः पन्थाः तस्य कुमार्गसदृशः; तस्मात् शोकं मनसि मा निमज्जय। धर्मज्ञसत्तम! भ्रातुर् हितं वाक्यं शृणु। राजेन्द्र! दण्डधारणमेव क्षत्रधर्मः, न तु मुण्डनं संन्यासाश्रमगमनं वा।
व्यास उवाच
Educational Q&A
A kṣatriya’s primary dharma is to protect and govern the people through rightful authority (daṇḍa). Renunciation-symbols like head-shaving are presented here as a deviation from the ruler’s proper responsibility, especially when the realm needs protection.
Vyāsa addresses a grieving king and urges him not to sink into sorrow. He reinforces that the king should heed beneficial counsel and remain committed to rajadharma—upholding order and protecting subjects—rather than abandoning his role for ascetic renunciation.