Shloka 26
आपद्धर्मे कोशबलन्यायः | Treasury, Force, and Crisis-Ethics for the King
अपृच्छंश्वैव तं तत्र राजानमपराजितम् । प्रयोजनमिदं सर्वमाश्रमस्य निवेशने,उन सबने वहाँ उन अपराजित नरेशसे उस आश्रमपर पधारनेका सारा प्रयोजन पूछा
apṛcchaṃś caiva taṃ tatra rājānam aparājitam | prayojanam idaṃ sarvam āśramasya niveśane ||
সেখানে তাঁরা সেই অপরাজিত রাজাকে আশ্রম স্থাপন ও সেখানে বসবাসের সমগ্র উদ্দেশ্য সম্পর্কে জিজ্ঞাসা করলেন—তার ধর্মার্থ অভিপ্রায় জানতে।
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights a dharmic principle: actions—especially those involving renunciation, residence in an āśrama, or public conduct by a ruler—should be examined by their prayojana (purpose). Ethical evaluation begins with clarifying intention and the larger aim.
In Bhīṣma’s narration, a group present at the hermitage questions an undefeated king, asking why he has come and what objective lies behind establishing or settling that āśrama.