Valmiki Ramayana 2.100.29: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 100, Shloka 29
शततमः सर्गः · Rāma Questions Bharata on Rājadharma
Governance, Counsel, and Public Welfare
उपायकुशलं वैद्यं भृत्यसंदूषणे रतम् ।
शूरमैश्वर्यकामं च यो न हन्ति स हन्यते ॥२९॥
upāya-kuśalaṁ vaidyaṁ bhṛtya-saṁdūṣaṇe ratam |
śūram aiśvarya-kāmaṁ ca yo na hanti sa hanyate ||29||
जो आदमी पंडित हो लेकिन चालाकी में भी माहिर हो, जो नौकरों को बिगाड़े और मज़े ले, जो बहादुर हो लेकिन पावर के भूका हो, ऐसे आदमी को अगर राजा नहीं मारेगा, तो वो खुद ही खत्म हो जाएगा।
A learned person but skilled in contrivances, a warrior with passion for wealth and a man ever engaged in corrupting the minds of servants must be slain. A king who does not kill them is himself killed in due course.
FAQs
Protective justice is part of rāja-dharma: subversive agents who poison loyalty and seek power through deceit must be restrained decisively, or the realm and ruler collapse.
Rāma gives Bharata stern counsel on state security—warning against internal conspirators who manipulate servants and destabilize kingship.
Vigilance and firmness in governance: compassion must be balanced with the duty to protect the polity from corrosive betrayal.
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