Shloka 16
Yogakṣema, Purohita, and the Mucukunda–Vaiśravaṇa Dialogue (योगक्षेम–पुरोहित–मुचुकुन्दवैश्रवणसंवादः)
ततोअब्रवीद् वैश्रवणो राजानं सपुरोहितम् । नाहं राज्यमनिर्दिष्टं कस्मैचिद् विदधाम्युत
tato 'bravīd vaiśravaṇo rājānaṃ sa-purohitam | nāhaṃ rājyam anirdiṣṭaṃ kasmaicid vidadhāmy uta ||
Lalu Vaiśravaṇa (Kubera) berkata kepada sang raja yang didampingi pendetanya: “Wahai penguasa bumi, aku tidak menganugerahkan kerajaan kepada siapa pun bila tidak ditetapkan menurut ketentuan; dan aku tidak bertindak sewenang-wenang—tidak memberi, tidak pula merampas kekuasaan orang lain.”
धनद उवाच
Educational Q&A
Political power (rājya) should not be granted arbitrarily; it must be conferred according to proper authorization and dharmic procedure, emphasizing legitimacy and restraint in governance.
Kubera (Vaiśravaṇa) addresses a king accompanied by his priest, stating that he does not bestow kingship without due appointment—setting a moral frame for the ensuing grant of rule described in the surrounding passage.