Devanagari
नादण्ड्यं दण्डयत्येष सुतमात्मद्विषामपि ।
दण्डयत्यात्मजमपि दण्ड्यं धर्मपथे स्थित: ॥ १३ ॥
Verse text
nādaṇḍyaṁ daṇḍayaty eṣa
sutam ātma-dviṣām api
daṇḍayaty ātmajam api
daṇḍyaṁ dharma-pathe sthitaḥ
Synonyms
na
—
not
;
adaṇḍyam
—
not punishable
;
daṇḍayati
—
punishes
;
eṣaḥ
—
this King
;
sutam
—
the son
;
ātma
—
dviṣām — of his enemies
;
api
—
even
;
daṇḍayati
—
he punishes
;
ātma
—
jam — his own son
;
api
—
even
;
daṇḍyam
—
punishable
;
dharma
—
pathe — on the path of piety
;
sthitaḥ
—
being situated .
Translation
Since this King will always remain on the path of piety, he will be neutral to both his son and the son of his enemy. If the son of his enemy is not punishable, he will not punish him, but if his own son is punishable, he will immediately punish him.
Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
Situated in dharma, he will not punish his enemy’s son if he does not deserve to be punished and he will punish even his own son if he deserves punishment.
Purport
These are the characteristics of an impartial ruler. It is the duty of a ruler to punish the criminal and give protection to the innocent. King Pṛthu was so neutral that if his own son were punishable, he would not hesitate to punish him. On the other hand, if the son of his enemy were innocent, he would not engage in some intrigue in order to punish him.