Shloka 24
राजवृत्त-रक्षा-प्रणिधि-षाड्गुण्योपदेशः
Royal Conduct, Protection, Intelligence, and Policy Measures
त्रस्तमुद्विग्नहददयं हाहाभूतमचेतनम् । क्षणेन विनशेत् सर्व यदि राजा न पालयेत्,यदि राजा रक्षा न करे तो सारा जगत् भयभीत, उद्विग्नचित्त, हाहाकारपरायण तथा अचेत हो क्षणभरमें नष्ट हो जाय
trastam udvignahṛdayaṁ hāhābhūtam acetanam | kṣaṇena vinaśet sarvaṁ yadi rājā na pālayet ||
Wenn der König nicht schützt und regiert, würde alles in einem Augenblick zugrunde gehen—die Menschen würden erschrecken, die Herzen von Angst erschüttert, dem Wehgeschrei hingegeben, gleichsam wie ohne Besinnung.
वसुमना उवाच
Educational Q&A
The king’s primary dharma is protection (पालन/रक्षा). Without active royal guardianship, fear, disorder, and collapse spread rapidly; thus political authority is ethically justified by its duty to secure safety and stability for all.
Vasumanā is explaining the consequences of a ruler’s failure in rajadharma: if the king does not govern and protect, the realm becomes panic-stricken and disoriented, and society quickly deteriorates toward destruction.