Bhashya
उग्रादप्युग्रम्- यद्धर्मः यो धर्मः; तस्मात् क्षत्रस्यापि निय-न्तृत्वात् धर्मात्परं नास्ति, तेन हि नियम्यन्ते सर्वे ।तत्कथ-मिति उच्यते- अथो अपि अबलीयान् दुर्बलतरः बली-यांसमात्मनो बलवत्तरमपि आशंसते कामयते जेतुं धर्मेणबलेन- यथा लोके राज्ञा सर्वबलवत्तमेनापि कुटुम्बिकः,एवम्; तस्मात्सिद्धं धर्मस्य सर्वबलवत्तरत्वात्सर्वनियन्तृत्वम् ।यो वै स धर्मो व्यवहारलक्षणो लौकिकैर्व्यवह्रियमाणः सत्यं वैतत्; सत्यमिति यथाशास्त्रार्थता; स एवानुष्ठीयमानो धर्मना-मा भवति; शास्त्रार्थत्वेन ज्ञायमानस्तु सत्यं भवति ।यस्मादेवंतस्मात्, सत्यं यथाशास्त्रं वदन्तं व्यवहारकाल आहुः समी-पस्था उभयविवेकज्ञाः-धर्म वदतीति, प्रसिद्धं लौकिकं न्या-यं वदतीति; तथा विपर्ययेण धर्मं वा लौकिकं व्यवहारंवदन्तमाहुः-सत्यं वदति, शास्त्रादनपेतं वदतीति ।एतत्यदुक्तम् उभयं ज्ञायमानमनुष्ठीयमानं च एतत् धर्म एवभवति ।तस्मात्स धर्मो ज्ञानानुष्ठानलक्षणः शास्त्रज्ञानितरां-श्च सर्वानैव नियमयति; तस्मात् स क्षत्रस्यापि क्षत्रम्;अतस्तदभिमानोऽविद्वान् तद्विशेषानुष्ठानाय ब्रह्मक्षत्रविट्शूद्र-निमित्तविशेषमभिमन्यते; तानि च निसर्गत एव कर्माधि-कारनिमित्तानि ॥
In plain words
Dharma stands supreme over the fiercest forces, for it governs even the ruling class itself; nothing surpasses it, and by it all are held in check. How so? Consider how a weaker person seeks to overcome a mighty adversary through righteous means—just as an ordinary householder might stand before the mightiest king. Thus it is established that because dharma exceeds all power, it governs all. That very behavioral norm practiced in the world is truth itself, which is nothing other than alignment with scripture. When acted upon, it is called duty; when comprehended, it is called truth. Discerning witnesses nearby observe a person speaking and declare: 'He speaks of duty, he speaks of the established worldly order.' Or conversely, observing another, they say: 'He speaks the truth, adhering strictly to scripture.' Thus, both when understood and when lived out, it is dharma alone. Because it encompasses both knowledge and action, it governs everyone, even the most learned. It is the ruling power above all powers. Yet the unenlightened person, caught in false identification, imagines caste distinctions as inherent causes for ritual duties, whereas these arise merely from natural dispositions.
Close to the Sanskrit
From the fierce even the fierce, which is dharma; therefore since dharma is the controller even of the warrior class, there is nothing higher than dharma, for by it indeed all are controlled. How is that? It is said: Moreover, a weaker or much weaker person desires to conquer a stronger one, even one much more powerful than himself, by dharma and by strength—just as in the world a householder by a king even who is the most powerful of all, thus; therefore it is established that because dharma is more powerful than all, it is the controller of all. Which indeed is that dharma characterized by transaction, practiced by worldly people, that verily is truth; truth is conformity to scriptural meaning; that very same when performed becomes named dharma, but when known as scriptural meaning it becomes truth. Since it is thus, therefore those standing nearby who know the distinction of both say during the time of transaction—he speaks dharma, he speaks the known worldly rule; and conversely they say of one speaking dharma or worldly transaction—he speaks truth, he speaks that which has not departed from scripture. This which has been said, both being known and being performed, this is dharma alone. Therefore that dharma characterized by knowledge and performance controls all indeed including those who know scripture better; therefore it is the power even of the warrior class; hence the ignorant one identifying with that, imagines a special cause for brahmin, kshatriya, vaishya, and shudra for the performance of its specific duties; and those by nature alone are causes for eligibility in action.