First, let it be heard
The verse
Hover a word to see its split · tap on mobile
What does it convey?
This verse is about leadership, but its standard applies anywhere we claim to stand for something. A principle means nothing if it only appears when it favours the people we already like. The hardest part is not having a position. It is recognising the same principle when it protects someone we disagree with, or when applying it costs us something. Otherwise, what looks like conviction may only be preference with better language.
The beauty of this verse
One word keeps the whole list honest.
The verse includes things that can easily be distorted by loyalty or power: punishment, favour, money, and protection. Then it places न्यायेन, “by justice,” and अपक्षपातः, “without partiality,” among them. They are not decorative virtues. They are the conditions that stop power from becoming convenience.