Canto 3: Araṇya-kāṇḍa ()Chapter 6: The Sages Inform Rāma About the Rākṣasas Torturing ThemText 3.6.11
Canto 3 -
Araṇya-kāṇḍa
Chapter 6: The Sages Inform Rāma About the Rākṣasas Torturing Them
Text 3.6.11
अधर्मस्तु महांस्तात भवेत्तस्य महीपतेः।
यो हरेद्बलिषड्भागं न च रक्षति पुत्रवत्॥
adharmas tu mahāṁs tāta bhavet tasya mahī-pateḥ
yo hared bali-ṣaḍ-bhāgaṁ na ca rakṣati putravat
adharmaḥ tu = sin; mahān = a great; tāta = dear Rāma; bhavet = will attain; tasya = the; mahī-pateḥ = king; yaḥ = who; haret = seizes; bali-ṣaṭ-bhāgam = one-sixth of the taxes 1; na = not; ca = and; rakṣati = does provide for and protect [his citizens]; putravat = as if they are his children.
Dear Rāma, the king who seizes one-sixth of the taxes and does not provide for and protect [his citizens] as if they are his children will attain a great sin.
And having pointed out in this verse that [for such a king] to not provide such care and protection causes him to diminish, in the next verse they point out that if he does care for and protect [his citizens], he elevates himself.