Shloka 52

राजधर्मः—प्रमादवर्जनं, दण्डनीतिः, दुर्बलरक्षणम्

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

Devanagari script

तस्मादर्थाच्च कामाच्च धर्म एवोत्तरो भवेत्‌ । अस्मिल्लोके परे चैव धर्मात्मा सुखमेधते

Transliteration

tasmād arthāc ca kāmāc ca dharma evottaro bhavet | asmillo ke pare caiva dharmātmā sukham edhate ||

Translation

因此，若能如理思惟，唯有法（Dharma）显得超越财富（artha）与欲望（kāma）。奉法而行之人，将在安乐中兴盛——此世亦然，彼世亦然。

Word by Word

• तस्मात्: therefore/from that
• तस्मात्: Apadana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Ablative, Singular

• अर्थात्: from wealth/artha
• अर्थात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थ
• Form: Masculine, Ablative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• कामात्: from desire/kāma
• कामात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम
• Form: Masculine, Ablative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• धर्मः: dharma/righteousness
• धर्मः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• एव: indeed/alone
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• उत्तरः: higher/superior
• उत्तरः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• भवेत्: would be/should be
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• अस्मिन्: in this
• अस्मिन्: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Locative, Singular

• लोके: world
• लोके: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• परे: in the other (world)
• परे: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• एव: also/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• धर्मात्मा: a righteous-souled person
• धर्मात्मा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्मात्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सुखम्: happiness
• सुखम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुख
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• एधते: prospers/thrives
• Type: Verb
• Root: एध्
• Form: Present (Lat), 3rd, Singular, Atmanepada

Speaker

उतथ्य उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Dharma
• Artha
• Kāma

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Dharma is to be regarded as higher than both artha (material gain) and kāma (pleasure), because it yields lasting welfare and happiness not only in this life but also beyond.

What is happening in the narrative?

Utathya is instructing his listener in the Shanti Parva’s ethical discourse, ranking the human aims and concluding that Dharma should guide choices over the pursuit of wealth or pleasure.