Shloka 30
Characteristics of the King and His Servants
Rāja-dharma, Nīti, and Ethical Revenue
हुङ्कारे भृकुटीं नैव सदा कुर्वीत पार्थिवः / विना दोषेण यो भृत्यान्राजाधमण शास्ति च / लीलासुखानि भोग्यानि त्यजेदिह महीपतिः
huṅkāre bhṛkuṭīṃ naiva sadā kurvīta pārthivaḥ / vinā doṣeṇa yo bhṛtyānrājādhamaṇa śāsti ca / līlāsukhāni bhogyāni tyajediha mahīpatiḥ
กษัตริย์ไม่พึงข่มขู่และขมวดคิ้วอยู่เสมอ ผู้ใดลงโทษข้ารับใช้ทั้งที่ไร้ความผิด ผู้นั้นเป็นกษัตริย์ชั้นเลว; ผู้ครองแผ่นดินเช่นนั้นพึงละทิ้งความเพลิดเพลินและกามสุขในโลกนี้เอง
Lord Vishnu (in dialogue instruction to Garuda/Vinata-putra, within the Garuda Purana discourse)
Concept: अदोषे दण्डनिषेधः; राज्ञः क्रोध-भ्रूकुटि-हुङ्कारादि त्यक्त्वा न्यायेन शासनम्, अन्यथा भोगत्याग-प्रायश्चित्तभावः।
Vedantic Theme: कर्तृत्व-अहंकार-त्यागः; धर्माधर्मफल-नियमः (कर्मफल-न्याय)
Application: Leaders should avoid intimidation as a default, investigate fault before punishment, and adopt visible restraint (reduced indulgence, accountability) when governance becomes unjust.
Primary Rasa: raudra
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: court/palace
Related Themes: Garuda Purana (Dharma/ācāra sections): राजधर्म, दण्डनीति, क्रोधनिग्रह themes (general parallel)
FAQs
This verse stresses that authority must be exercised with restraint: punishing without proven fault is adharma and marks a ruler as a “lowest king,” bringing moral and karmic decline.
Indirectly, it points to karma: unjust cruelty by those in power becomes a serious ethical transgression that shapes future suffering, even if the verse focuses on consequences in this life.
Leaders and managers should avoid intimidation and punitive action without clear evidence; fair process and proportional response are essential for dharmic governance.