Shloka 9
आशगया हाभिपन्नानामकृत्वाश्रुप्रमार्जनम् । राजा वा राजपुत्रो वा भ्रूणहत्यैव युज्यते,जो आशा लगाकर अपनी शरणमें आये हों, उनके आँसू जो नहीं पोंछता है, वह राजा हो या राजकुमार, उसे भ्रूणहत्याका पाप लगता है
āśayā hi abhipannānām akṛtvā aśru-pramārjanam | rājā vā rāja-putro vā bhrūṇa-hatyāy eva yujyate ||
He who fails to wipe away the tears of those who, placing their hope in him, have come seeking refuge—whether he be a king or a prince—incurs guilt as grave as the sin of slaying an unborn child.
नाग उवाच
Educational Q&A
A ruler’s dharma is to protect and console those who come seeking refuge with hope; neglecting their suffering is treated as an extremely grave sin, likened to bhrūṇa-hatyā.
In a didactic exchange within Śānti Parva, the Nāga speaker states a moral principle of rājadharma: kings and princes are accountable for the welfare of supplicants, and failure to relieve their distress brings severe culpability.