In making treaties of peace, the son of the king should be demanded as a hostage, O chief of the Bharatas. A contrary course of conduct would not be wholesome, O son. If a calamity come over the king, he should, with knowledge of means and counsels, try to liberate himself from it. The king, O foremost of kings, should maintain the cheerless and the destitute among his people.
संध्यर्थं राजपुत्रं वा लिप्सेथा भरतर्षभ। विपरीतं न तच्छ्रेयः पुत्र कस्यांचिदापदि॥ तस्याः प्रमोक्षे यत्नं च कुर्याः सोपायमन्त्रवित्। प्रकृतीनां च राजेन्द्र राजा दीनान् विभावयेत्॥