Shloka 24
Cāturāśramya-dharma—Marks of the Four Āśramas (चातुराश्रम्यधर्मः)
मान्धाता बोले--भगवन्! मनुष्यलोकमें सभी वर्णों तथा चारों आश्रमोंमें भी डाकू और लुटेरे देखे जाते हैं, जो विभिन्न वेश-भूषाओंमें अपनेको छिपाये रखते हैं ।।
indra uvāca | vinaṣṭāyāṁ daṇḍanītyāṁ rājadharme nirākṛte | sampramuhyanti bhūtāni rājadaurātmyato 'nagha ||
Sinabi ni Indra: “O haring walang kasalanan, kapag ang daṇḍanīti—ang kaalaman ng pagpaparusa at pamamahala—ay nawasak at ang rājadharma—tungkulin ng hari—ay itinakwil dahil sa sariling kasamaan ng namumuno, ang mga nilalang ay nalulugmok sa pagkalito. Sa pagkahibang, nawawala sa kanila ang pag-unawa kung alin ang dapat gawin at alin ang hindi dapat gawin.”
इन्द्र उवाच
Educational Q&A
Social and moral order depends on daṇḍanīti and rājadharma; when a ruler’s depravity destroys these, people become morally confused and lose the ability to distinguish duty from wrongdoing.
Indra addresses a blameless king and explains the societal fallout that occurs when royal governance and the rightful exercise of punishment are abandoned—confusion spreads among all beings.