Shloka 43

Dasyu-maryādā and Buddhi-guided Rāja-nīti (दस्युमर्यादा तथा बुद्धिप्रधान-राजनीति)

Devanagari script

तत्र दाता न हन्तव्य: क्षत्रियेण विशेषतः । प्रकाशं वाप्रकाशं वा बुद्ध्वा दोषबलाबलम्‌

Transliteration

tatra dātā na hantavyaḥ kṣatriyeṇa viśeṣataḥ | prakāśaṃ vāprakāśaṃ vā buddhvā doṣa-balābalam ||

Translation

Kaya nga, ang isang mapagkaloob—yaong nagbibigay at sumasaklolo sa kapwa—ay hindi dapat patayin; at lalo itong mahigpit na tungkulin para sa isang kṣatriya. Hayagan man o lihim, hindi dapat magtaas ng kamay ang pinuno laban sa gayong tao nang hindi muna inuunawa ang uri ng kasalanan at tinitimbang ang bigat nito; saka lamang kumilos matapos hatulan kung magaan ba o mabigat ang pagkakamali.

Word by Word

• तत्र: there/in that context
• तत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र

• दाता: a giver/benefactor
• दाता: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: दातृ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• हन्तव्यः: to be killed / should not be killed
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• क्षत्रियेण: by a kshatriya
• क्षत्रियेण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षत्रिय
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• विशेषतः: especially
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विशेषतः

• प्रकाशम्: openly/in public
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रकाश
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• वा: or
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा

• अप्रकाशम्: secretly/not in public
• Type: Noun
• Root: अप्रकाश
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• वा: or
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा

• बुद्ध्वा: having understood/considered
• Type: Verb
• Root: बुध्
• Form: Absolutive (Gerund)

• दोष: fault/offence
• Type: Noun
• Root: दोष
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• बल: strength/weight
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अबलम्: weakness/lightness
• Type: Noun
• Root: अबल
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

ब्रह्मदत्त उवाच

Characters & Entities

• ब्रह्मदत्त (Brahmadatta)
• क्षत्रिय (kṣatriya)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A ruler must exercise restraint: a known benefactor should not be killed, and any response to wrongdoing must be preceded by careful assessment of the offense’s seriousness and weight, avoiding rash or covert violence.

What is happening in the narrative?

Brahmadatta is instructing on righteous governance and kṣatriya conduct, emphasizing that even when dealing with faults, a king should first judge the gravity of the offense and should not strike down a person recognized for generosity and public benefit.