Shloka 29
राजवृत्त-रक्षा-प्रणिधि-षाड्गुण्योपदेशः
Royal Conduct, Protection, Intelligence, and Policy Measures
अनया: सम्प्रवर्तेरन् भवेद् वै वर्णसंकर: । दुर्भिक्षमाविशेद् राष्ट्र यदि राजा न पालयेत्
anayāḥ sampravarteran bhaved vai varṇa-saṅkaraḥ | durbhikṣam āviśed rāṣṭraṃ yadi rājā na pālayet ||
Dijo Vasumanā: «Si se permite que tal desorden avance sin freno, surgirá en verdad la confusión de los órdenes sociales (varṇa-saṅkara). Y si el rey no protege ni gobierna, el hambre entrará en el reino».
वसुमना उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches that a king’s failure to protect and govern (pālana) leads to societal breakdown—manifesting as injustice and disorder (varṇa-saṅkara) and even material calamity like famine—thereby stressing the ethical necessity of righteous rule (rājadharma).
In the Śānti Parva’s discussion on rājadharma, Vasumanā warns that if the ruler neglects his protective duty, disorder spreads through society and the kingdom suffers severe consequences, including social confusion and famine.