Shloka 27
राजधर्मः—प्रमादवर्जनं, दण्डनीतिः, दुर्बलरक्षणम्
Royal Dharma: Vigilance, Just Punishment, Protection of the Vulnerable
यदा राष्ट्रे धर्ममग्र्यं चरन्ति संस्कारं वा राजगुणं ब्रुवाणा: । तैरेवाधर्मश्वरितो धर्ममोहात् तूर्ण जह्वात् सुकृतं दुष्कृतं च
yadā rāṣṭre dharmam agryaṃ caranti saṃskāraṃ vā rājaguṇaṃ bruvāṇāḥ | tair evādharmāśrito dharmamohāt tūṛṇaṃ jahyāt sukṛtaṃ duṣkṛtaṃ ca ||
乌塔提耶说道：“当在一国之中，人民奉行至上的达摩——守持吠陀仪轨，称颂王者之德——国王便因这同一行为而脱离罪垢。可当这些人民因对达摩迷惑而转向不义之行时，国王便迅速失去所积功德，并同样为恶业所染。”
उतथ्य उवाच
Educational Q&A
A ruler’s moral and karmic standing is closely tied to the conduct of the subjects: when society upholds dharma and proper rites, the king is purified; when society falls into adharma through confusion about dharma, the king rapidly loses merit and incurs demerit.
In Śānti Parva’s discourse on governance and dharma, the sage Utathya explains to the listener that the ethical health of a kingdom is reciprocal: public adherence to dharma supports the king’s righteousness, while widespread adharma undermines the king’s merit and stability.