Shloka 29
Nakula’s Counsel on Yajña, Dāna, and Tyāga (नकुलोपदेशः—यज्ञदानत्यागविचारः)
राज्ञ: प्रमाददोषेण दस्युभि: परिमुष्यताम् | अशरण्य: प्रजानां यः स राजा कलिरुच्यते
rājñaḥ pramādadoṣeṇa dasyubhiḥ parimuṣyatām | aśaraṇyaḥ prajānāṃ yaḥ sa rājā kalir ucyate ||
ৰাজাৰ প্ৰমাদ-দোষৰ ফলত যেতিয়া দস্যুসকলে সাহসী হৈ প্ৰজাক লুণ্ঠন কৰে আৰু সেই অৱস্থাত ৰাজাই প্ৰজাক আশ্ৰয় আৰু ৰক্ষা নেদিয়ে—তেতিয়া সেই ৰজাক ‘কলি’ৰ মূর্তিমান ৰূপ বুলি কোৱা হয়।
नकुल उवाच
Educational Q&A
A king’s primary dharma is protection: if, due to his negligence, bandits plunder the people and he does not act as their refuge, he becomes the very embodiment of Kali—moral collapse expressed through failed governance.
Nakula is describing a condition of misrule: the ruler’s carelessness enables criminals to prey on the populace. When the king does not provide shelter and security to his subjects in such a crisis, he is condemned as ‘Kali’ personified.