Shloka 10
राजवृत्त-रक्षा-प्रणिधि-षाड्गुण्योपदेशः
Royal Conduct, Protection, Intelligence, and Policy Measures
यथा हानुदये राजन् भूतानि शशिसूर्ययो: । अन्धे तमसि मज्जेयुरपश्यन्त: परस्परम्
yathā hānudaye rājan bhūtāni śaśisūryayoḥ | andhe tamasi majjeyur apaśyantaḥ parasparam ||
婆苏摩那说道：“大王，正如月与日不升起时，众生沉没于刺目的黑暗之中，彼此不能相见；同样，没有统治者，人民便陷入纷乱。失却引导与约束，他们相互冲撞、彼此伤害，不久便被推向败亡。因此，王权被宣示为维系社会秩序所必需的支柱：它阻止强者吞噬弱者，使共同体不致在痛苦与无序中瓦解。”
वसुमना उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches that governance is a moral necessity for society: without the regulating presence of a king, people lose clarity and restraint, leading to mutual harm and rapid social collapse—like creatures lost in darkness without the sun and moon.
Vasumanā addresses a king and uses a cosmic simile—no sunrise or moonrise causing total darkness—to illustrate the condition of a realm without a ruler, preparing the ground for a broader discussion of rājadharma (the duties and necessity of kingship).