Shloka 4
Āśrama-dharma: Duties of the Four Life-Stages (आश्रमधर्मः)
कोशं दण्डं च दुर्ग च सहायान् मन्त्रिणस्तथा । ऋत्विक्पुरोहिताचार्यान् कीदृशान् वर्जयेन्नप:,“राजाको किस प्रकारके कोश, दण्ड, दुर्ग, सहायक, मन्त्री, ऋत्विकू, पुरोहित और आचार्योंका त्याग कर देना चाहिये?
Vaiśampāyana uvāca: kośaṃ daṇḍaṃ ca durgaṃ ca sahāyān mantriṇas tathā | ṛtvik-purohita-ācāryān kīdṛśān varjayen nṛpaḥ ||
राजा को किस प्रकार के कोश, दण्ड, दुर्ग, सहायक, मन्त्री तथा किस प्रकार के ऋत्विज, पुरोहित और आचार्यों का त्याग कर देना चाहिए (अर्थात् किनसे दूर रहना चाहिए)?
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames a rājadharma inquiry: a king must be discerning about the instruments and agents of rule—wealth (kośa), enforcement (daṇḍa), defenses (durga), allies, ministers, and religious-educational authorities—and should reject those that are unfit, corrupt, or harmful to dharma and the realm.
Vaiśampāyana, narrating the discourse on kingship in Śānti Parva, introduces a question about standards of selection and rejection: which kinds of state resources and key personnel (political, military, and ritual/educational) a king should avoid or dismiss.