Shloka 11

Devanagari script

यावत: साधुधर्मान्‌ वै सन्त: संवर्धयन्त्युत । सर्वस्वैश्वापि भर्तव्या नरा ये बहुकारिण:,जो संत पुरुष सदा समस्त सद्धर्मोंका प्रचार और विस्तार करते रहते हैं, अपना सर्वस्व देकर भी उनका भरण-पोषण करना चाहिये; क्योंकि वे राजाके अत्यन्त उपकारी होते हैं

Transliteration

yāvataḥ sādhudharmān vai santaḥ saṃvardhayanty uta | sarvasvaiś cāpi bhartavyā narā ye bahukāriṇaḥ ||

Translation

Bhishma said: As long as the virtuous uphold and foster the righteous forms of dharma, such men—who render great benefit to the king and the realm—should be supported and maintained even at the cost of one’s entire wealth. Their nourishment is not charity but a duty, because their very presence strengthens public morality and order.

Word by Word

यावतःas many as / those who (as many)

साधु-धर्मान्good/virtuous duties (righteous practices)

वैindeed

सन्तःthe good (saints, virtuous people)

संवर्धयन्तिthey increase, foster

उतand also

सर्वस्वैःwith all one’s possessions / by one’s entire wealth

अपिeven

भर्तव्याःshould be supported/maintained

नराःmen (persons)

येwho

बहु-कारिणःdoing much (highly beneficial)

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhishma

santaḥ (virtuous persons/saints)

narāḥ (men/benefactors)

rājā (king)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A ruler (and society) must materially support those virtuous people who actively promote and expand righteous conduct; even great expense is justified because their work sustains dharma and benefits the kingdom.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Anushasana Parva, Bhishma instructs Yudhishthira on righteous governance and conduct. Here he emphasizes the king’s obligation to maintain and honor beneficent, dharma-promoting persons, treating their support as a state duty tied to moral order.