Shloka 12

राजधर्मः—प्रमादवर्जनं, दण्डनीतिः, दुर्बलरक्षणम्

Royal Dharma: Vigilance, Just Punishment, Protection of the Vulnerable

Devanagari script

दुर्बलार्थ बल॑ सृष्टं धात्रा मान्धातरुच्यते । अबलं तु महद्धूतं यस्मिन्‌ सर्व प्रतिष्ठितम्‌

Transliteration

durbalārthaṃ balaṃ sṛṣṭaṃ dhātrā māndhātar ucyate | abalaṃ tu mahad bhūtaṃ yasmin sarvaṃ pratiṣṭhitam ||

Translation

噢，曼陀多罗啊，据说造物主设立王权之力，正是为了弱者——使无力者得以护持。因为那广大无助之众，皆以国王之力为依止与支撑。

Word by Word

• दुर्बलार्थम्: for the sake of the weak
• दुर्बलार्थम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर्बल + अर्थ
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• बलम्: strength/power
• बलम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• सृष्टम्: created
• सृष्टम्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: सृज्
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), Neuter, Nominative, Singular, Passive (PPP)

• धात्रा: by the Creator/Ordainer
• धात्रा: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: धातृ
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• मान्धातुः: of Māndhātṛ
• मान्धातुः: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: मान्धातृ
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• उच्यते: is said/is called
• उच्यते: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Present, Ātmanepada, Third, Singular, Passive (impersonal usage)

• अबलम्: the weak (collectively)
• अबलम्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अबल
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• तु: but/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• महत्: great
• महत्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• भूतम्: a multitude of beings/creatures
• भूतम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• यस्मिन्: in whom/in which
• यस्मिन्: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Locative, Singular

• सर्वम्: everything/all
• सर्वम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun/Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• प्रतिष्ठितम्: is established/rests
• प्रतिष्ठितम्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रति-स्था
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), Neuter, Nominative, Singular, Passive (PPP)

• मान्धातः: O Māndhātṛ
• Type: Noun
• Root: मान्धातृ
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

उतथ्य उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Utathya
• Māndhātṛ
• Dhātṛ (the Creator/Ordainer)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Royal power is justified ethically as a protective institution: the king’s strength exists primarily to safeguard the weak, and society’s vulnerable depend upon that strength for stability.

What is happening in the narrative?

Utathya addresses King Māndhātṛ, explaining a principle of rājadharma: the Creator established kingship and force so that the powerless multitude may be protected and supported.