Shloka 2.109.34
सत्यधर्मप्रतिपादनम् (Rama’s Defense of Truth and Dharma in Reply to Jabali)
यथा हि चोर: स तथा हि बुद्धस्तथागतं नास्तिकमत्र विद्धि।
तस्माद्धि य: शङ्क्यतमः प्रजानाम् न नास्तिकेनाभिमुखो बुध: स्यात्।।2.109.34।।
yathā hi coraḥ sa tathā hi buddhas tathāgataṃ nāstikam atra viddhi |
tasmād dhi yaḥ śaṅkyatamaḥ prajānāṃ na nāstikena abhimukho budhaḥ syāt || 2.109.34 ||
Just as a thief is regarded with suspicion, so too is the one called ‘Buddha’; know here the Tathāgata as an unbeliever. Therefore, since such a person is most to be distrusted by the people, a learned man should not turn toward an unbeliever.
Just as a thief, so is the Buddha (a wise men). Know that the Tathagatas are atheists. They are men most distrusted among the people. A learned man should avoid atheists.(Note: Verses 31 to 39 appear to be interpolations, It is anachronistic to talk about Buddha in Tretayuga.)
It frames dharma as requiring avoidance of nāstika association, arguing that public trust and moral order are endangered by irreligious teachings.
In the course of rebuking Jābāli’s irreligious reasoning, the text introduces a polemical comparison involving ‘Buddha/Tathāgata’—noted by editors as likely an interpolation/anachronism.
Protectiveness toward dharma in public life: the verse stresses guarding society from counsel deemed subversive of righteous norms.