Shloka 37
Daṇḍanīti and the King as the Cause of Yuga-Order (दण्डनीतिः राजधर्मश्च युगकारणत्वम्)
शस्याभिहारं कुर्याच्च स्वयमेव नराधिप: । असम्भवे प्रवेशस्य दहेद् दावाग्निना भृूशम्
śasyābhihāraṃ kuryācca svayam eva narādhipaḥ | asambhave praveśasya dahed dāvāgninā bhṛśam ||
قال بهيشما: «على الملك أن يتولى بنفسه أمر حصاد الغلال التي نضجت ونقلها. فإذا قُطِعت، فليُحمل المحصول ويُخزَّن داخل الحصن. فإن تعذّر إدخالها، فليأمر بإحراق تلك الزروع إحراقًا تامًّا بنارٍ مستعرةٍ منتشرة، كي لا يظفر العدو بالمؤن.»
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
A ruler must act decisively to secure provisions during conflict: either safeguard resources within the fort or, if that is impossible, deny them to the enemy—even through harsh measures—so the larger duty of protecting the realm is upheld.
Bhīṣma is instructing the king on practical measures for fort-defense in wartime: harvest the ready crops and store them inside the fortress; if transport into the fort cannot be done, burn the crops to prevent the opposing force from using them.