Shloka 6
Kośa-saṃjanana and Subtle Dharma
Treasury Formation and Fine-Grained Ethics
हीनकोशं॑ हि राजानमवजानन्ति मानवा: । न चास्याल्पेन तुष्यन्ति कार्यमप्युत्सहन्ति च
hīna-kośaṁ hi rājānam avajānanti mānavāḥ | na cāsyālpena tuṣyanti kāryam apy utsahanti ca ||
Bhishma sprach: Die Menschen verachten einen König, wenn seine Schatzkammer erschöpft ist. Mit wenig, das sie von ihm erhalten, geben sie sich nicht zufrieden, und auch zur Ausführung seiner Aufgaben zeigen sie keinen Eifer.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
A ruler’s effectiveness depends not only on personal virtue but also on material resources: without a stable treasury, public respect declines, incentives fail, and administrative work loses momentum.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on rāja-dharma, Bhishma advises the king on practical statecraft, warning that a depleted treasury undermines both the people’s regard and their willingness to serve.