Shloka 4
Dāna–Tapaḥ Praśaṃsā and Gṛhastha-Upadeśa
Maitreya
पाहि सर्वा: प्रजा: सम्पक् शुभाशुभविदात्मवान् | शुभे: संविभजन् कामैरशुभानां च पावनै:
vyāsa uvāca | pāhi sarvāḥ prajāḥ samyak śubhāśubha-vid ātmavān | śubhaiḥ saṃvibhajan kāmān aśubhānāṃ ca pāvanaiḥ ||
సర్వ ప్రజలను సమ్యకంగా పరిపాలించుము. శుభాశుభ వివేకం తెలిసి, ఆత్మసంయమంతో ఉండుము. ధర్మసమ్మతమైన మార్గాలతో యోగ్యమైన భోగసాధనాలను పంచి, పవిత్ర ఉపాయాలతో అశుభాన్ని తొలగించుము.
व्यास उवाच
Educational Q&A
A ruler must govern with discernment of good and evil, self-mastery, fair distribution of legitimate enjoyments, and active purification of social harms; steadfast performance of one’s duty leads to inner refinement and higher spiritual attainment.
Vyāsa is instructing a Kṣatriya ruler on rājadharma: protect and nurture the people properly, restrain mind and senses, promote auspicious welfare, remove inauspicious faults through purifying measures, and through sustained dharmic conduct become fit for the higher, Brāhmaṇa-like spiritual state.