Shloka 5

Kośa-saṃjanana and Subtle Dharma

Treasury Formation and Fine-Grained Ethics

Devanagari script

उच्चैव॒त्ति: श्रियो हानिर्यथैव मरणं तथा । तस्मात्‌ कोशं बलं मित्रमथ राजा विवर्धयेत्‌

Transliteration

uccair vṛttiḥ śriyo hānir yathaiva maraṇaṃ tathā | tasmāt kośaṃ balaṃ mitram atha rājā vivardhayet ||

Translation

Bhishma sprach: Wer durch Reichtum und Gedeihen zu hoher Stellung gelangt ist, dem ist der Verlust dieses Reichtums ein Schmerz, der dem Tod gleichkommt. Darum soll ein König stetig seine Schatzkammer, seine Heeresmacht und den Kreis seiner Verbündeten mehren.

Word by Word

• उच्चैः: highly, aloft
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उच्चैः
• Form: Avyaya (adverb)

• एव: indeed, just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव
• Form: Avyaya (particle)

• वृत्तिः: condition/state (of being), course of life
• वृत्तिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृत्ति
• Form: Feminine, nominative, singular

• श्रियो: of prosperity/wealth
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री
• Form: Feminine, genitive, singular

• हानिः: loss
• हानिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: हानि
• Form: Feminine, nominative, singular

• यथा: as, just as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा
• Form: Avyaya (comparative particle)

• एव: indeed, just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव
• Form: Avyaya (particle)

• मरणम्: death
• Type: Noun
• Root: मरण
• Form: Neuter, nominative, singular

• तथा: so, likewise
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा
• Form: Avyaya (correlative particle)

• तस्मात्: therefore, from that (reason)
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तस्मद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, ablative, singular

• कोशम्: treasury
• कोशम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कोश
• Form: Masculine, accusative, singular

• बलम्: army/strength
• बलम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल
• Form: Neuter, accusative, singular

• मित्रम्: ally/friend
• मित्रम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मित्र
• Form: Neuter, accusative, singular

• अथ: then, and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ
• Form: Avyaya (connective)

• राजा: the king
• राजा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, nominative, singular

• विवर्धयेत्: should increase, should augment
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृध्
• Form: Optative (vidhi-lin), parasmaipada, 3rd person, singular, present-system causative sense (vi-vardhaya-)

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• king (rājā)
• treasury (kośa)
• army/force (bala)
• allies/friends (mitra)
• prosperity/fortune (śrī)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A ruler must treat financial stability, military strength, and reliable alliances as essential supports of the kingdom; losing wealth can be as devastating as death for one dependent on prosperity, so the king should proactively build these pillars.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on kingship, Bhishma advises the king on practical duties of rule, emphasizing the need to expand the treasury, strengthen the army, and cultivate allies as safeguards for the realm.