Shloka 42
राजवृत्त-रक्षा-प्रणिधि-षाड्गुण्योपदेशः
Royal Conduct, Protection, Intelligence, and Policy Measures
यदा हासीदत: पापान् दहत्युग्रेण तेजसा । मिथ्योपचरितो राजा तदा भवति पावक:,जब पापात्मा मनुष्य राजाके साथ मभिथ्या बर्ताव करके उसे ठगते हैं, तब वह अग्निस्वरूप हो जाता है और अपने उग्र तेजसे समीप आये हुए उन पापियोंको जलाकर भस्म कर देता है
yadā hāsīdataḥ pāpān dahaty ugreṇa tejasā | mithyopacarito rājā tadā bhavati pāvakaḥ ||
Sinabi ni Vasumanā: Kapag ang hari ay tinatrato sa panlilinlang at huwad na paglilingkod, siya’y nagiging tulad ng Apoy. At sa mabagsik na ningning, sinusunog niya hanggang maging abo ang mga makasalanang lumalapit—yaong nagnanais manloko at manakit sa pamamagitan ng pagkukunwari at pandaraya. Nagbababala ang taludtod na ang pagtataksil sa makatarungang kapangyarihan ay bumabalik sa gumagawa ng masama, at ang kapangyarihang magparusa ng hari, kapag pinukaw ng adharma, ay nahahayag bilang puwersang tumutupok.
वसुमना उवाच
Educational Q&A
Deceitful conduct toward a rightful ruler is self-destructive: when a king is approached with hypocrisy and fraud, his daṇḍa (punitive authority) manifests like fire, consuming the wrongdoers. The ethical point is that adharma directed at governance invites swift and severe consequences.
Vasumanā describes a moral-political principle within rājadharma: if sinful people try to cheat or manipulate the king through false behavior, the king—provoked into rightful punishment—becomes metaphorically ‘fire’ and destroys those offenders who come within his reach.