Shloka 23
एकान्तिधर्म-प्रश्नः (Inquiry into Ekāntin Dharma) / The Origin and Practice of Single-Pointed Nārāyaṇa-Centered Discipline
आत्मराज्यं धनं चैव कलत्र॑ वाहनं तथा । यत्तद्भागवतं सर्वमिति तत् प्रोक्षितं सदा,राजा उपरिचरने अपने राज्य, धन, स्त्री और वाहन आदि सब उपकरणोंको भगवान्की ही वस्तु समझकर सब उन्हींको समर्पित कर रखा था
ātmarājyaṃ dhanaṃ caiva kalatraṃ vāhanaṃ tathā | yat tad bhāgavataṃ sarvam iti tat prokṣitaṃ sadā ||
Bhishma sprach: „Seine eigene Herrschaft, sein Reichtum, seine Gemahlin und seine Fahrzeuge—ja, alles, was ihm gehörte—hielt er für Eigentum des Herrn. Darum bewahrte er alles fortwährend geweiht, indem er es in Hingabe zurückdarbrachte, statt es als ‚mein‘ zu beanspruchen.“
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches devotional stewardship: a ruler (or any person) should treat power, wealth, family, and possessions not as absolute personal property but as belonging to the Lord, and therefore keep them dedicated—using them ethically and offering their fruits back to the divine.
In Bhishma’s discourse in the Śānti Parva, he describes an exemplary attitude of a king who continually consecrates his kingdom and all possessions as the Lord’s, emphasizing humility, non-possessiveness, and righteous governance grounded in devotion.