Shloka 17
Āśā-prabhava (आशाप्रभव) — On the Rise and Power of Hope/Expectation
Sumitra Itihāsa Begins
एते हि पार्थिवा: सर्वे शीलवन्तो दयान्विता: । अतत्तेषां गुणक्रीता वसुधा स्वयमागता,ये सभी राजा शीलवान् और दयालु थे। अतः उनके द्वारा गुणोंके मोल खरीदी हुई यह पृथ्वी स्वयं ही उनके पास आयी थी
ete hi pārthivāḥ sarve śīlavanto dayānvitāḥ | ataḥ teṣāṃ guṇakrītā vasudhā svayam āgatā ||
Semua raja itu benar-benar berakhlak mulia dan dikurniai belas kasihan. Maka bumi—seolah-olah dimenangi dengan harga jasa kebajikan mereka—datang sendiri kepada mereka, mengiktiraf nilai mereka, bukan semata-mata tunduk kepada kekuatan.
घतयादट्र उवाच
Educational Q&A
Rule becomes legitimate and stable when grounded in śīla (good conduct) and dayā (compassion). Power is portrayed as naturally accruing to merit: the 'earth' comes to such rulers not by coercion but by the moral weight of their qualities.
The speaker praises earlier rulers, describing them as virtuous and compassionate, and explains that their sovereignty was effectively 'earned' through their virtues—so the kingdom (the earth) is said to have come to them willingly.