Dasyu-maryādā and Buddhi-guided Rāja-nīti (दस्युमर्यादा तथा बुद्धिप्रधान-राजनीति)
दत्त्वाभयं यः स्वयमेव राजा न तत् प्रमाणं कुरुते<र्थलो भात् । स सर्वलोकादुपलभ्य पाप॑ सो<धर्मबुद्धिर्निरयं प्रयाति
dattvābhayaṁ yaḥ svayam eva rājā na tat pramāṇaṁ kurute 'rthalobhāt | sa sarvalokād upalabhya pāpaṁ so 'dharmabuddhir nirayaṁ prayāti ||
Wika ni Brahmadatta: Ang haring siya mismo ang nagkaloob ng “kawalang-takot” (proteksiyon) sa kanyang mga nasasakupan, ngunit dahil sa kasakiman sa yaman ay hindi tinutupad ang pangakong iyon—ang haring may isip na salungat sa dharma ay nagtitipon ng kasalanan ng buong daigdig at napapasa-impiyerno.
ब्रह्मदत्त उवाच
A ruler’s promise of protection is a binding moral standard; breaking it out of greed is a grave adharma that makes the king bear widespread sin and leads to severe karmic consequence.
In a discourse on righteous governance (rājadharma) within Śānti Parva, Brahmadatta states a moral judgment: a king who grants ‘fearlessness’ to his people but fails to honor it for the sake of wealth becomes culpable for extensive wrongdoing and is destined for hell.