Shloka 41
राजवृत्त-रक्षा-प्रणिधि-षाड्गुण्योपदेशः
Royal Conduct, Protection, Intelligence, and Policy Measures
कुरुते पजचरूपाणि कालयुक्तानि य: सदा । भवत्यग्निस्तथा55दित्यो मृत्युर्वैश्रवणो यम:,राजा ही सदा समयानुसार पाँच रूप धारण करता है। वह कभी अग्नि, कभी सूर्य, कभी मृत्यु, कभी कुबेर और कभी यमराज बन जाता है
kurute pañcarūpāṇi kālayuktāni yaḥ sadā | bhavaty agnis tathādityo mṛtyur vaiśravaṇo yamaḥ ||
Aquele que está sempre em consonância com o Tempo assume cinco formas conforme a ocasião. Num momento torna-se Fogo, noutro o Sol; noutro, a Morte; noutro, Vaiśravaṇa (Kubera); e noutro, Yama. O ensinamento é que o rei, para sustentar a ordem, deve adaptar sua função às necessidades do tempo—nutrir, iluminar, conter, punir e salvaguardar a prosperidade—sem se afastar do dharma.
वसुमना उवाच
Educational Q&A
A ruler must act in a time-appropriate way (kālayukta), taking on different functional roles—like fire (discipline), sun (guidance), death (decisive enforcement), Kubera (prosperity), and Yama (justice)—so that dharma and social order are maintained.
In the Śānti Parva’s discussion of rājadharma, Vasuman describes the king’s adaptive responsibilities by comparing him to major cosmic powers, emphasizing that effective and righteous rule requires shifting modes according to circumstance.