Shloka 14
राजवृत्त-रक्षा-प्रणिधि-षाड्गुण्योपदेशः
Royal Conduct, Protection, Intelligence, and Policy Measures
हरेयुर्बलवन्तो5पि दुर्बलानां परिग्रहान् । हन्युव््यायच्छमानां श्व यदि राजा न पालयेत्,यदि राजा प्रजाकी रक्षा न करे तो बलवान मनुष्य दुर्बलोंकी बहू-बेटियोंको हर ले जायाँ और अपने घरबारकी रक्षाके लिये प्रयत्न करनेवालोंको मार डालें
hareyur balavanto 'pi durbalānāṁ parigrahān | hanyur vyāyacchamānāṁś ca yadi rājā na pālayet ||
قالت فَسومانَا: «إذا لم يحمِ الملكُ الرعيّة، فإنّ الأقوياء—even هم—سيغتصبون من الضعفاء من يعولونهم وأموالهم، وسيقتلون من يجتهد في الذود عن بيته وأهله.»
वसुमना उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse asserts a central principle of rājadharma: the king’s foremost duty is protection. When protection fails, power becomes exploitation—strong people seize the weak’s dependents and property, and violence escalates against those who resist.
In the Śānti Parva’s discussion of governance and social stability, Vasumanā argues that without royal protection and enforcement of order, society collapses into predation: the strong prey upon the weak, and defenders are killed.