Shloka 21
Śānti Parva 116: Criteria for Royal Servants and Administrative Competence (भृत्य-गुण-प्रश्नः / राजसेवक-लक्षणम्)
कोष्ठागारमसंहार्यराप्तै: संचयतत्परै: । पात्रभूतैरलुब्धैश्व पाल्यमानं गुणी भवेत्,यदि लोभवश फूट न सकनेवाले, विश्वासपात्र, संग्रही, सुपात्र एवं निर्लोभ मनुष्य अन्नादि भण्डारकी रक्षामें तत्पर हों तो उसकी विशेष उन्नति होती है
koṣṭhāgāram asaṃhārya-rāptaiḥ saṃcaya-tatparaiḥ | pātra-bhūtair alubdhaiś ca pālyamānaṃ guṇī bhavet ||
ভীষ্ম বললেন—যে শস্যাগার ভাঙা যায় না এবং যা বিশ্বস্ত, সঞ্চয়ে তৎপর, যোগ্য ও নির্লোভ তত্ত্বাবধায়কদের দ্বারা রক্ষিত হয়—সে ভাণ্ডার গুণসম্পন্ন হয়ে সমৃদ্ধি লাভ করে।
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Wealth and public resources prosper when entrusted to secure systems and to guardians who are competent, trustworthy, and free from greed; integrity and fitness for responsibility are the true protection of a treasury.
In Śānti Parva’s instruction on righteous rule and social order, Bhīṣma advises the king (Yudhiṣṭhira) using the example of a granary: proper safeguarding by qualified, non-greedy custodians leads to growth and stability.