Shloka 21
Ālasyadoṣa-nirdeśa (On the Fault of Negligence) — The Camel’s Long-Neck Exemplum
इदं हि सद्धिः कथित विधिज्ञै: पुरा महेन्द्रप्रतिमप्र भाव । मयापि चोक्तं तव शास्त्रदृष्ट्या यथैव बुद्ध्वा प्रचरस्व राजन्
idaṃ hi sadbhiḥ kathitaṃ vidhijñaiḥ purā mahendrapratimaprabhāva | mayāpi coktaṃ tava śāstradṛṣṭyā yathaiva buddhvā pracarasva rājan ||
Ô roi dont la puissance égale celle d’Indra, ce principe fut enseigné jadis par des hommes vertueux, connaisseurs des règles justes du gouvernement. Moi aussi, je te l’ai exposé selon la vision des śāstras. Ainsi, ô roi, comprends-le parfaitement et conduis-toi en tout selon cela.
उड्ड उवाच
Educational Q&A
A king should govern by well-established principles of rajadharma: teachings preserved by virtuous, rule-knowing elders and confirmed by śāstric reasoning. The emphasis is on understanding the doctrine thoroughly and then acting accordingly.
Uḍḍa addresses a king, praising him as Indra-like in power, and concludes a piece of counsel: the guidance is not novel but an ancient, authoritative tradition taught by the righteous and aligned with śāstra; the king is urged to comprehend it and implement it in conduct and rule.