Canto 2: Ayodhyā-kāṇḍa ()Chapter 67: The Sages Request Vasiṣṭha to Coronate a son of DaśarathaText 2.67.34
Canto 2 -
Ayodhyā-kāṇḍa
Chapter 67: The Sages Request Vasiṣṭha to Coronate a son of Daśaratha
Text 2.67.34
राजा सत्यं च धर्मश्च राजा कुलवतां कुलम्।
राजा माता पिता चैव राजा हितकरो नृणाम्॥
rājā satyaṁ ca dharmaś ca rājā kulavatāṁ kulam
rājā mātā pitā caiva rājā hitakaro nṛṇām
rājā = the bona fide king is; satyam ca = truth; dharmaḥ = dharma; ca = and; rājā = the bona fide king is; kulavatām = of noble families; kulam = the nobility; rājā = the bona fide king is; mātā = a mother; pitā = a father; ca eva = and; rājā = the bona fide king; hitakaraḥ = does all good; nṛṇām = to all people.
The bona fide king is truth and dharma. The bona fide king is the nobility of noble families. The bona fide king is a mother and a father. The bona fide king does all good to all people.
NOTE. The spiritual essence of Vedic knowledge is first of all meant to be given to the saintly kings because only then can they ensure that it is practically disseminated to the general mass in their kingdoms, under the guidance of genuine brāhmaṇas.
Lord Kṛṣṇa explains it thus in Bhagavad-gītā (4.2):
evaṁ paramparā-prāptam
imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ
“This supreme science was thus received through the chain of disciplic succession, and the saintly kings understood it in that way.”
And Prabhupāda has remarked:
It is clearly stated that the Gītā was especially meant for the saintly kings because they were to execute its purpose in ruling over the citizens.
Therefore the sages wanted a suitable person to be coronated as the king to rule over the citizens.