Shloka 5
Āśrama-dharma: Duties of the Four Life-Stages (आश्रमधर्मः)
केषु विश्वसितव्यं स्याद् राज्ञा कस्याज्चिदापदि । कुतो वा5>त्मा दृढं रक्ष्यस्तन्मे ब्रूहि पितामह,“पितामह! किसी आपत्तिके आनेपर राजाको किन लोगोंपर विश्वास करना चाहिये और किन लोगोंसे अपने शरीरकी दृढ़तापूर्वक रक्षा करनी चाहिये? यह मुझे बताइये'
keṣu viśvasitavyaṃ syād rājñā kasyāś cid āpadi | kuto vātmā dṛḍhaṃ rakṣyas tan me brūhi pitāmaha ||
Wahai Kakek Agung, ketika suatu malapetaka menimpa raja, kepada siapa ia harus menaruh kepercayaan? Dan dari siapa ia harus paling teguh melindungi dirinya sendiri? Katakanlah kepadaku.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames a key rājadharma problem: in times of danger, a ruler must discern reliable allies and identify potential threats, balancing trust with prudent self-protection.
Vaiśampāyana introduces a question addressed to Pitāmaha (Bhīṣma), asking for guidance on whom a king should trust during calamity and from whom he should guard his own person.