Shloka 21
अज्ञान–लोभयोः परस्परहेतुत्वम्
Mutual Causality of Ignorance and Greed
हिमाग्निघोरसद्शो राजा भवति कश्चन | लांगलाशनिकल्पो वा भवेदन्य: परंतप
himāgni-ghora-sadṛśo rājā bhavati kaścana | lāṅgalāśani-kalpo vā bhaved anyaḥ parantapa ||
Śaunaka berkata: “Dalam kalangan raja, ada yang sejuk dan menenteramkan seperti salji; ada yang membakar seperti api; ada pula yang tampak menggerunkan seperti Dewa Maut. Dan ada juga yang, seperti bajak atau halilintar, mencabut kejahatan hingga ke akar dan menimpa para pelaku adharma secara tiba-tiba. Demikianlah para pemerintah berbeza pada tabiat dan cara mereka menegakkan tertib serta menghukum adharma.”
शौनक उवाच
Educational Q&A
Rulership expresses itself in different temperaments—gentle restraint, fiery severity, fear-inducing authority, or sudden decisive punishment—but the ethical point is that a king’s power is meant to protect order by restraining and uprooting adharma.
Śaunaka characterizes various kinds of kings through vivid similes (snow, fire, Death, plough, thunderbolt), setting up a discussion on how rulers administer discipline and maintain social order.