Canto 2: Ayodhyā-kāṇḍa ()Chapter 100: Rāma Instructs Bharata About the Duties of a KingText 2.100.24
Canto 2 -
Ayodhyā-kāṇḍa
Chapter 100: Rāma Instructs Bharata About the Duties of a King
Text 2.100.24
सहस्राण्यपि मूर्खाणां यद्युपास्ते महीपतिः।
अथवाप्ययुतान्येव नास्ति तेषु सहायता॥
sahasrāṇy api mūrkhāṇāṁ yady upāste mahī-patiḥ
atha vāpy ayutāny eva nāsti teṣu sahāyatā
sahasrāṇi = of thousands; api = even; mūrkhāṇām = of fools; yadi = if; upāste = takes shelter; mahī-patiḥ = a king; atha vā api = or; ayutāni eva = tens of thousands; na asti teṣu sahāyatā = they cannot give him [competent] assistance through [useful] advice.
Even if a king takes shelter of thousands or tens of thousands of fools, they cannot give him [competent] assistance through [useful] advice.