Shloka 18
राजवृत्त-रक्षा-प्रणिधि-षाड्गुण्योपदेशः
Royal Conduct, Protection, Intelligence, and Policy Measures
मातरं पितरं वृद्धमाचार्यमतिर्थि गुरुम् । क्लिश्रीयुरपि हिंस्युर्वा यदि राजा न पालयेत्,यदि राजा पालन न करे तो दुराचारी मनुष्य माता, पिता, वृद्ध, आचार्य, अतिथि और गुरुको क्लेश पहुँचावें अथवा मार डालें
mātaraṁ pitaraṁ vṛddham ācāryam atithiṁ gurum | kliśyerur api hiṁsyur vā yadi rājā na pālayet ||
Vasumanā said: If the king does not protect his subjects by upholding order and justice, even wicked men may harass—or even kill—their own mother and father, the aged, the teacher, the guest, and the spiritual preceptor.
वसुमना उवाच
Educational Q&A
The king’s primary dharma is protection: by enforcing justice and restraining wrongdoing, he preserves the sanctity of fundamental obligations—reverence to parents, care for elders, respect for teachers and gurus, and hospitality to guests. Without such protection, even basic moral bonds can collapse under the pressure of lawlessness.
In the Shanti Parva’s discourse on rajadharma, Vasumanā argues for the necessity of effective kingship. He warns that if the ruler fails to protect and govern, society degenerates so severely that immoral people may even harm those traditionally regarded as most worthy of honor and protection.