Shloka 5
ऐकमत्यं च सर्वस्य जनस्याथ नूपं प्रति । सचक्षुर्वाप्यचक्षुर्वा स नो राजा भवत्विति,उन्होंने यह भी निवेदन किया कि “उसके सहायक और बन्धु-बान्धव भी मन्त्रीके ही हाथों मर चुके हैं। शत्रुकी सारी सेना पलायन कर गयी है। यह यथावत् वृत्तान्त सुनकर सब लोगोंका एकमतसे यह निश्चय हुआ है कि हमें पूर्व नरेशपर ही विश्वास है। उन्हें दिखायी देता हो या न दीखता हो, वे ही हमारे राजा हों”
aikamatyaṃ ca sarvasya janasya atha nūpaṃ prati | sa-cakṣur vāpy a-cakṣur vā sa no rājā bhavatv iti ||
Mārkaṇḍeya said: “Then the entire populace, with one accord, made a submission to the king: ‘Whether he can see or cannot see, let him be our ruler.’”
मार्कण्डेय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores that rightful kingship and the stability of dharma-based governance can be upheld by collective consent even when the ruler has a physical impairment; legitimacy and trust are treated as higher ethical criteria than bodily perfection.
Mārkaṇḍeya reports that the people, acting unanimously, address the king and declare their decision: regardless of whether he is sighted or blind, they accept him as their ruler.