Shloka 21
एवमेतद् भवेद् राजन् यदि राजा न बालिश: । अस्माकं दीर्घसूत्र: स्याद् भवान् धर्मपरायण:,“राजन! यदि ऐसा हो तो आप हमारे धर्मपरायण राजा अविवेकी और दीर्घसूत्री नहीं समझे जायूँगे
evam etad bhaved rājan yadi rājā na bāliśaḥ | asmākaṃ dīrghasūtraḥ syād bhavān dharmaparāyaṇaḥ ||
“So it would indeed be so, O King—if the king were not foolish. Then you, devoted to dharma, would not be judged by us to be one who is slow to act and overly procrastinating.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
A ruler’s commitment to dharma must be joined with discernment and timely action. Righteous intent alone is not enough; foolishness or delay can undermine dharma in practice.
Vaiśampāyana reports a statement addressed to a king, asserting that if the king is not foolish, then he should not be regarded as procrastinating; the line functions as counsel about wise, prompt, dharma-aligned governance.