Shloka 5
मोक्षोपाय-निर्णयः
Determination of the Means to Liberation
इुमत्सेन उवाच अथ चेदवधो धर्मो5धर्म: को जातु चिद् भवेत् | दस्यवश्नेन्न हन्येरन् सत्यवन् संकरो भवेत्,द्युमत्सेनने कहा--बेटा सत्यवान्! यदि अपराधीका वध न करना भी कभी धर्म हो तो अधर्म क्या हो सकता है? यदि चोर-डाकू मारे न जाय॑ँ तो प्रजामें वर्णसंकरता और धर्मसंकरता फैल जाय
dyumatsena uvāca | atha ced avadho dharmo 'dharmaḥ ko jātu cid bhavet | dasyavaś cen na hanyeran satyavan saṅkaro bhavet ||
द्युमत्सेन उवाच— अथ चेदवधो धर्मोऽधर्मः को जातुचिद्भवेत्। दस्यवश्चेन्न हन्येरन् सत्यवन् संकरो भवेत्॥
इुमत्सेन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse argues that protecting dharma may require firm punishment of wrongdoers; if even the guilty are never restrained, adharma spreads and society falls into moral and social disorder (saṅkara).
Dyumatsena addresses Satyavān, reasoning about governance and justice: he challenges the idea that sparing criminals is always righteous, warning that unchecked thieves and bandits lead to widespread disorder among the people.