Canto 2 -
Ayodhyā-kāṇḍa
Chapter 67: The Sages Request Vasiṣṭha to Coronate a son of Daśaratha
Text 2.67.33

यथा दृष्टिः शरीरस्य नित्यमेव प्रवर्तते।
तथा नरेन्द्रो राष्ट्रस्य प्रभवः सत्यधर्मयोः॥

yathā dṛṣṭiḥ śarīrasya nityam eva pravartate
tathā narendro rāṣṭrasya prabhavaḥ satya-dharmayoḥ

yathā = just as; dṛṣṭiḥ = the eyes; śarīrasya = for the welfare of the body; nityam = constantly; eva = constantly; pravartate = function; tathā nara-indraḥ = a king; rāṣṭrasya = in the country; prabhavaḥ = bona fide; satya-dharmayoḥ = functions as the cause for [the acceptance of] truth and dharma.

Just as the eyes constantly function for the welfare of the body, a bona fide king functions as the cause for [the acceptance of] truth and dharma in the country.

The eyes functions for the welfare of the body and prevent any harm to the body. Similarly a genuine king is the cause of his country’s [acceptance of] truth and dharma.1

1 That the king is the cause of the countries’ acceptance of truth and dharma means he propagates adherence to truth and Vedic dharma.