Shloka 28
राजवृत्त-रक्षा-प्रणिधि-षाड्गुण्योपदेशः
Royal Conduct, Protection, Intelligence, and Policy Measures
हस्ताद्धस्तं परिमुषेद् भिद्येरन् सर्वसेतव: । भयार्त॑ विद्रवेत् सर्व यदि राजा न पालयेत्
hastād hastaṁ parimuṣed bhidyeran sarva-setavaḥ | bhayārtā vidravet sarve yadi rājā na pālayet ||
瓦苏摩那说：若国王不加护佑（百姓与社会秩序），盗贼将夺走人手中所持之物；一切界限与规范尽皆崩裂；众人被恐惧所迫，四散奔逃。此偈强调：王者的护持并非徒具强力，而是道德之责，用以保全公共安宁与达摩之经纬。
वसुमना उवाच
Educational Q&A
The king’s primary dharma is protection (pālana). Without just governance and enforcement of order, society collapses into theft, fear, and the breakdown of moral and legal boundaries (setu).
Vasumanā is explaining the consequences of a ruler failing to protect: criminals become bold enough to snatch possessions openly, social restraints dissolve, and the populace—overwhelmed by fear—scatters and lives in insecurity.