Shloka 40
Cyavana’s Water-Vow and the Ethics of Cohabitation (स्नेह-सम्वास-धर्मः)
श्रीक्ष राज्यं च कोशकश्ष क्षत्रियाणां युधिषछ्ठिर,राजा युधिष्ठिर! लक्ष्मी, राज्य और कोष--यह सब शास्त्रमें क्षत्रियोंक लिये ही विहित देखा जाता है। राजन! क्षत्रिय अपने धर्मके अनुसार समुद्रपर्यन्त पृथ्वी तथा बहुत बड़ी सम्पत्ति प्राप्त कर लेता है। नरेश्वर! राजा (क्षत्रिय) दण्ड धारण करनेवाला होता है। क्षत्रियके सिवा और किसीसे रक्षाका कार्य नहीं हो सकता
bhīṣma uvāca | śrīś ca rājyaṃ ca kośaś ca kṣatriyāṇāṃ yudhiṣṭhira | rājā yudhiṣṭhira! lakṣmī rājyaṃ ca kośaś ca—etat sarvaṃ śāstre kṣatriyārthaṃ vihitaṃ dṛśyate | rājan! kṣatriyo dharmānusāreṇa samudraparyantāṃ pṛthivīṃ bahulāṃ ca sampadaṃ prāpnoti | nareśvara! rājā (kṣatriyaḥ) daṇḍadhārī bhavati | kṣatriyāt paraṃ rakṣākāryaṃ nānyena śakyate kartum |
Bhishma said: “O Yudhishthira, prosperity, sovereignty, and the royal treasury are prescribed in the scriptures as the proper charge of the Kshatriya. O King Yudhishthira, it is seen that Lakshmi (royal fortune), the kingdom, and the treasury are all ordained for the Kshatriya’s role. Acting in accordance with his dharma, a Kshatriya may lawfully obtain dominion over the earth up to the encircling seas and acquire vast wealth. O lord of men, the king—being a Kshatriya—is the bearer of the rod of punishment (danda), and apart from the Kshatriya no one else is truly able to carry out the work of protection.”
भीष्म उवाच