Shloka 9
Indra-vijaya Upākhyāna and Śalya’s Assurance to Yudhiṣṭhira (इन्द्रविजयोपाख्यानम् — शल्ययुधिष्ठिरसंवादः)
सम्पूज्य सर्वास्त्रिदशानृषीं श्वापि तपोधनान् | इन्द्र: प्रमुदितो राजन् धर्मेणापालयत् प्रजा:
sampūjya sarvāstridaśān ṛṣīṁś cāpi tapodhanān | indraḥ pramudito rājan dharmeṇāpālayat prajāḥ ||
Having duly honored all the gods and the ascetic seers rich in austerity, Indra—delighted, O King—then protected and governed the people in accordance with dharma.
शल्य उवाच
Educational Q&A
Legitimate rule is sustained by dharma: a ruler should honor the divine order and the counsel of austere sages, and then protect the people through righteous governance.
Śalya describes Indra’s conduct: after worshipping the gods and venerable ascetics, Indra becomes pleased and proceeds to govern and protect his subjects in a dharmic manner.