Shloka 13
धन-राजधर्म संवादः
Discourse on Wealth and Royal Duty
धर्म संहरते तस्य धनं हरति यस्य सः । हियमाणे धने राजन् वयं कस्य क्षमेमहि
dharmaṁ saṁharate tasya dhanaṁ harati yasya saḥ | hīyamāṇe dhane rājan vayaṁ kasya kṣamemahi |
قال أرجونا: «من يستولي على مال رجلٍ إنما يهدم دَرما ذلك الرجل أيضًا؛ إذ إن المعاش والسلوك القويم يقومان على ما يملكه المرء من وسائل. أيها الملك، إذا كانت أموالنا تُنتزع منا، فمن ذا الذي نستطيع أن نعفو عنه—وكيف يُنتظر منا العفو؟»
अर्जुन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse links material security with the capacity to live dharmically: unjust seizure of wealth undermines a person’s ability to maintain duty, charity, and social obligations; therefore, expecting easy forgiveness from the victim is ethically unrealistic.
Arjuna addresses a king, arguing that taking away someone’s wealth is not a minor offense but an assault on their dharma itself; he uses this to question how forgiveness can be demanded when their resources are being stripped away.