Shloka 37
राजवृत्त-रक्षा-प्रणिधि-षाड्गुण्योपदेशः
Royal Conduct, Protection, Intelligence, and Policy Measures
यस्याभावेन भूतानामभाव: स्यात् समन्ततः । भावे च भावो नित्यं स्यात् कस्तं न प्रतिपूजयेत्
yasyābhāvena bhūtānām abhāvaḥ syāt samantataḥ | bhāve ca bhāvo nityaṃ syāt kastaṃ na pratipūjayet ||
Si en su ausencia todos los seres, por doquier, caerían en la nada, y en su presencia su existencia se sostiene sin cesar, ¿quién no honraría y veneraría a tal rey?
वसुमना उवाच
Educational Q&A
Righteous kingship is portrayed as a sustaining condition for collective welfare: the presence of a dharmic ruler preserves the existence and stability of beings, while the absence of such rule leads to widespread ruin; therefore honoring such a king is ethically appropriate.
Vasumanā is speaking within the Shanti Parva’s discourse on rajadharma, arguing for the necessity and venerability of the king by describing him as the support of social and living order—someone whose presence maintains stability and whose absence brings collapse.