प्रजानां पितरो ये च शास्तार: साधव: समा: । यदि स्यात्तेषु वैषम्यं कं यान्ति शरणं प्रजा: ॥ ३ ॥
prajanam pitaro ye ca sastarah sadhavah samah yadi syat tesu vaisamyam kam yanti saranam prajah
- prajanam
- of the citizens
- pitarah
- protectors, guardians (kings or government servants)
- ye
- they who
- ca
- and
- sastarah
- give instructions concerning law and order
- sadhavah
- endowed with all good qualities
- samah
- equal to everyone
- yadi
- if
- syat
- there is
- tesu
- among them
- vaisamyam
- partiality
- kam
- what
- yanti
- will go to
- saranam
- shelter
- prajah
- the citizens.
A king or governmental official should be so well qualified that he acts as a father, maintainer and protector of the citizens because of affection and love. He should give the citizens good advice and instructions according to the standard scriptures and should be equal to everyone. Yamaraja does this, for he is the supreme master of justice, and so do those who follow in his footsteps. However, if such persons become polluted and exhibit partiality by punishing an innocent, blameless person, where will the citizens go to take shelter for their maintenance and security?