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 ||
因陀罗说道：“无罪之王啊，当惩治与治国之学（daṇḍanīti）败坏，王者之法（rājadharma）被弃置——皆因统治者自身的邪恶——众生便陷入迷乱。为痴妄所蔽，他们失去对当为与不当为的辨别。”
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.