Shloka 35

राजधर्मः—प्रमादवर्जनं, दण्डनीतिः, दुर्बलरक्षणम्

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

Devanagari script

पापमाचरतो यत्र कर्मणा व्याहृतेन वा | प्रियस्यापि न मृष्येत स राज्ञो धर्म उच्यते

Transliteration

pāpam ācarato yatra karmaṇā vyāhṛtena vā | priyasyāpi na mṛṣyeta sa rājño dharma ucyate ||

Translation

凡有人作恶——或以行为，或以言语——国王都不应纵容，即便罪者为其所亲所爱。如此公正不阿、不以私情赦罪者，便被宣称为国王之法（dharma）。

Word by Word

• पापम्: sin, evil (act)
• पापम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• आचरतः: of (one) doing/practising
• आचरतः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-चर् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ (वर्तमान कृदन्त, परस्मैपदी), Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• यत्र: where/when (in the case that)
• यत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)

• कर्मणा: by an act/deed
• कर्मणा: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• व्याहृतेन: by an utterance/what is spoken
• व्याहृतेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वि-आ-हृ (धातु) / व्याहृत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त (भूतकृदन्त), Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• वा: or
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)

• प्रियस्य: of a dear (person)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• अपि: even, also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)

• मृष्येत: should not tolerate/forbear
• Type: Verb
• Root: मृष् (धातु)
• Form: Vidhi-linga, Optative (injunctive sense: should), 3rd, Singular, Atmanepada

• सः: that (this)
• सः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• राज्ञः: of the king
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• धर्मः: duty, law, righteousness
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उच्यते: is said/called
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: Lat, Present, 3rd, Singular, Atmanepada, Passive

Speaker

उतथ्य उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Utathya
• king (rājā)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A king’s dharma is impartial justice: wrongdoing must not be excused due to personal affection. Whether the offense is by deed or by speech, the ruler should not tolerate it and should apply appropriate correction/punishment.

What is happening in the narrative?

Utathya is instructing on rāja-dharma (the duties of kingship), emphasizing that governance must rise above favoritism. The verse frames even a beloved person as accountable under the same standard of law and ethics.