Shloka 57
राजवृत्त-रक्षा-प्रणिधि-षाड्गुण्योपदेशः
Royal Conduct, Protection, Intelligence, and Policy Measures
दृढ्भक्तिं कृतप्रज्ञं धर्मज्ञं संयतेन्द्रियम । शूरमक्षुद्रकर्माणं निषिद्धजनमाश्रयेत्
dṛḍhabhaktiṁ kṛtaprajñaṁ dharmajñaṁ saṁyatendriyam | śūram akṣudrakarmāṇaṁ niṣiddhajanam āśrayet ||
दृढभक्तिं कृतप्रज्ञं धर्मज्ञं संयतेन्द्रियम् । शूरमक्षुद्रकर्माणं निषिद्धजनमाश्रयेत् ॥
वसुमना उवाच
Educational Q&A
A king should entrust military leadership only to a person of proven loyalty, disciplined senses, sound judgment, and dharmic integrity—especially one who will not depend on unethical or forbidden associates for support.
In a didactic passage on governance in the Śānti Parva, Vasumanā advises the king about selecting a suitable leader (implicitly a सेनापति), listing the moral and practical qualifications required for command.