Shloka 45

Devanagari script

यदा त्वधार्मिकान्‌ सर्वास्ती&#णैर्दण्डैर्नियच्छति । धार्मिकांश्चानुगृह्लाति भवत्यथ यमस्तदा,जब वह कठोर दण्डके द्वारा समस्त अधार्मिक पुरुषोंको काबूमें करके सन्मार्गपर लाता है और धर्मात्माओंपर अनुग्रह करता है, उस समय वह यमराज माना जाता है

Transliteration

yadā tv adhārmikān sarvās tīvrāir daṇḍair niyacchati | dhārmikāṁś cānugṛhṇāti bhavaty atha yamas tadā ||

Translation

Khi nhà vua dùng những hình phạt nghiêm khắc để chế ngự hết thảy kẻ phi nghĩa—khiến họ quy phục và đưa trở lại con đường chính đạo—và khi ban ân cho người có đức hạnh, thì vào lúc ấy, ngài được xem là Diêm Vương (Yama), chúa tể của công lý.

Word by Word

यदाwhen

तुbut/indeed

अधार्मिकान्unrighteous (persons)

सर्वान्all

तीक्ष्णैःwith sharp/harsh

दण्डैःpunishments/rods

नियच्छतिrestrains/controls

धार्मिकान्righteous (persons)

चand

अनुगृह्णातिshows favor to/benefits

भवतिbecomes/is

अथthen

यमःYama (the restrainer/lord of justice)

तदाat that time

Speaker

वसुमना उवाच

Characters & Entities

Yama (यम)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse defines the ethical function of authority: firm punishment (daṇḍa) must restrain wrongdoing and guide the unrighteous back toward dharma, while the righteous deserve protection and favor. When governance performs this balancing act of correction and support, it embodies Yama—impartial moral regulation.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vasumanā is explaining a criterion by which a ruler or governing power is identified with Yama: when it forcefully checks adharmic conduct through strict penalties and simultaneously grants protection and grace to dharmic people, it is functioning as the cosmic judge.