Arthashastra

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दुर्बलो अभिजातो बलवान् अनभिजातो राजा इति "दुर्बलस्य अभिजातस्य उपजापं दौर्बल्य अपेक्षाः प्रकृतयः कृच्छ्रेण उपगच्छन्ति, बलवतश् च अनभिजातस्य बल अपेक्षाः सुखेन" इत्य् आचार्याः ॥

Which is better, a weak but high-born king, or a strong but low-born king? My teacher says that a people, even if interested in having a weak king, hardly allow room for the intrigues of a weak but high-born person to be their king; but that if they desire power, they will easily yield themselves to the intrigues of a strong but base-born person to be their king.

english translation

durbalo abhijAto balavAn anabhijAto rAjA iti "durbalasya abhijAtasya upajApaM daurbalya apekSAH prakRtayaH kRcchreNa upagacchanti, balavataz ca anabhijAtasya bala apekSAH sukhena" ity AcAryAH ॥

hk transliteration by Sanscript