Shloka 46
Gārhasthya-Śreṣṭhatā and Kṣatriya-Daṇḍadhāraṇa
Householder Primacy and the Royal Duty of Punishment
एष धर्म: क्षत्रियाणां प्रजानां परिपालनम् । उत्पथो<न्यो महाराज मा सम शोके मन: कृथा:
eṣa dharmaḥ kṣatriyāṇāṃ prajānāṃ paripālanam | utpatho 'nyo mahārāja mā sma śoke manaḥ kṛthāḥ ||
毗耶娑说道：“此乃刹帝利之法：护持并治理人民。除此之外，皆为偏离正道，大王啊。因此，莫让你的心被悲伤塑成。”
व्यास उवाच
Educational Q&A
A kṣatriya’s primary dharma is to protect and properly govern the people; abandoning this responsibility is ‘utpatha’ (a deviation). Therefore the ruler should not succumb to paralyzing grief but remain steady in duty.
In Śānti Parva’s instruction on dharma and kingship, Vyāsa addresses a king, reminding him that his rightful role is the safeguarding of subjects and urging him to set aside sorrow that would obstruct righteous rule.