Arthashastra
तेषाम् अभावे तद् अभावः, छिन्न पक्षस्य इव राज्ञश् चेष्टा नाशश् च ॥
In the absence of ministers; the above works are ill-done; and like a bird, deprived of its feathers, the king loses his active capacity.
english translation
teSAm abhAve tad abhAvaH, chinna pakSasya iva rAjJaz ceSTA nAzaz ca ॥
hk transliteration by Sanscript