Adhyaya 20 — Ritadhvaja’s Companionship with the Naga Princes and the Origin of the Horse Kuvalaya
उपकारं सुहृद्वर्गे योऽपकारञ्च शत्रुषु ।
नृमेघो वर्षति प्राज्ञास्तस्येच्छन्ति सदोन्नतिम् ॥
upakāraṃ suhṛdvarge yo 'pakārañ ca śatruṣu | nṛmegho varṣati prājñās tasyecchanti sadonnatim ||
यः सुहृदां मण्डले हितं करोति, शत्रुषु च प्रत्यपकारं कर्तुं शक्नोति, स ‘मानुषमेघ’ इव लाभवृष्टिं वर्षति; तस्योन्नतिं समृद्धिं च पण्डिताः सदैव कामयन्ते।
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Social flourishing comes from beneficence paired with protective firmness. The metaphor ‘human cloud’ frames wealth/power as something meant to circulate as welfare, while strength deters exploitation.
Dharma-nīti teaching (conduct/policy), not a pañcalakṣaṇa passage.
The ‘cloud’ symbolizes a mind that holds resources without clinging and releases them appropriately. ‘Enemies’ can also be inner vices; ‘returning harm’ then indicates disciplined counteraction against harmful impulses.