यं वा मन्येत यथाहमाश्रयेप्सुरेवमसौ विनयेप्सुराभिगामिकगुणयुक्तः इति द्रव्यप्रकृतिहीनमप्येनमाश्रयेत न त्वेवानात्मसंपन्नम् ॥ कZ_०५.४.०२ ॥
yaṃ vā manyeta yathāham āśrayepsur evam asau vinayepsur ābhigāmikaguṇayuktaḥ iti dravyaprakṛtihīnam apy enam āśrayeta na tvevānātmasaṃpannam
Or, if one judges: ‘Just as I seek patronage, so too he seeks disciplined guidance and possesses winning, approachable qualities’—one may attach oneself even to a ruler lacking resources and state-elements; but never to one who lacks personal excellence.
Character and receptivity to discipline (vinaya) are prioritized; resource deficits can be remedied, but a deficient ‘ātma’ is disqualifying.