Shloka 59
राजवृत्त-रक्षा-प्रणिधि-षाड्गुण्योपदेशः
Royal Conduct, Protection, Intelligence, and Policy Measures
(राजा प्रजानां प्रथमं शरीरं प्रजाश्न राज्ञोडप्रतिमं शरीरम् । राज्ञा विहीना न भवन्ति देशा देशैविहीना न नूपा भवन्ति ।।
rājā prajānāṃ prathamaṃ śarīraṃ prajāś ca rājño 'pratimaṃ śarīram | rājñā vihīnā na bhavanti deśā deśair vihīnā na nṛpā bhavanti || rājā prajānāṃ hṛdayaṃ garīyo gatiḥ pratiṣṭhā sukham uttamaṃ ca | samāśritā lokam imaṃ paraṃ ca jayanti samyak puruṣā narendra ||
瓦苏摩那说：“国王是人民最先、亦即最主要的‘身体’，而人民亦是国王无与伦比的‘身体’。无王则国土与其居民不能久存；无国土与居民，王亦不能自立。国王是人民最沉重的心——是其所趋之道、所凭之基、与至上的安乐。噫，人中之主！归依正法之王者，于此世与彼世皆得圆满胜利。”
वसुमना उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches the interdependence of ruler and ruled: the king and the people form a single organic whole. A stable realm requires righteous kingship, and kingship has meaning only through the protection and welfare of the people; taking refuge in such kingship leads to well-being in both this life and the next.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on राजधर्म (the duties of kings), Vasumanā addresses a king (narendra) and articulates a political-ethical principle: the king is the vital center of the polity, yet he is sustained by the realm and its people, emphasizing reciprocal responsibility and the king’s role as the people’s support and refuge.