Shloka 29
Nakula’s Counsel on Yajña, Dāna, and Tyāga (नकुलोपदेशः—यज्ञदानत्यागविचारः)
राज्ञ: प्रमाददोषेण दस्युभि: परिमुष्यताम् | अशरण्य: प्रजानां यः स राजा कलिरुच्यते
rājñaḥ pramādadoṣeṇa dasyubhiḥ parimuṣyatām | aśaraṇyaḥ prajānāṃ yaḥ sa rājā kalir ucyate ||
若因国王的疏忽之过，盗贼便胆大妄为，掠夺百姓，而国王又不能为民提供庇护与守护，则此等君主被称为“迦梨之化身”——道德衰败之世在君王一身上显现。
नकुल उवाच
Educational Q&A
A king’s primary dharma is protection: if, due to his negligence, bandits plunder the people and he does not act as their refuge, he becomes the very embodiment of Kali—moral collapse expressed through failed governance.
Nakula is describing a condition of misrule: the ruler’s carelessness enables criminals to prey on the populace. When the king does not provide shelter and security to his subjects in such a crisis, he is condemned as ‘Kali’ personified.