राजमूलो हि धर्मश्च जयश्च जयतां वर।
तस्मात्सर्वास्ववस्थासु रक्षितव्या नराधिपाः॥
rāja-mūlo hi dharmaś ca jayaś ca jayatāṁ vara
tasmāt sarvāsv avasthāsu rakṣitavyā narādhipāḥ
rāja-mūlaḥ = have the king as their source; hi = this is because; dharmaḥ ca = pious credits; jayaḥ = victory; ca = and; jayatām = of the victorious; vara = O best; tasmāt = therefore; sarvāsu = under all; avasthāsu = circumstances; rakṣitavyāḥ = are meant to be protected; nara-adhipāḥ = kings.
This is because pious credits and victory have the king as their source, O best of the victorious! Therefore kings are meant to be protected under all circumstances.1
1 It is the dharma of a king’s assistants in governance to protect him from performing acts forbidden for him. Similarly, it is the dharma of a guru’s assistants in education to protect him from performing acts forbidden for him. If these assistants fail in their duties, it is they who will suffer the most. Vedic civilization has proper checks and balances to prevent abuse of power.
The second half of the verse concludes [Mārīca’s points in the earlier verses].