Shloka 20

Kośa, Bala, and Maryādā: Treasury, Capacity, and Enforceable Limits (कोश-बल-मर्यादा)

Devanagari script

क्षत्रियो वृत्तिसंरोधे कस्य नादातुमर्हति । अन्यत्र तापसस्वाच्च ब्राह्मणस्वाच्च भारत,भरतनन्दन! क्षत्रिय यदि आजीविकासे रहित हो जाय तो वह तपस्वी और ब्राह्मणका धन छोड़कर और किसका धन नहीं ले सकता है (अर्थात्‌ सभीका ले सकता है)

Transliteration

kṣatriyo vṛttisaṃrodhe kasya nādātum arhati | anyatra tāpasasvāc ca brāhmaṇasvāc ca bhārata bharatanandana ||

Translation

Bhīṣma said: “When a kṣatriya’s means of livelihood are cut off, from whom is he not permitted to take wealth? From anyone—except from an ascetic and from a brāhmaṇa, O Bhārata, delight of the Bharatas. In such distress, he may take from others, but he must not violate the protected property of those devoted to austerity and Vedic life.”

Word by Word

क्षत्रियःa Kshatriya

वृत्तिसंरोधेin the obstruction of livelihood

कस्यof whom

नnot

आदातुम्to take

अर्हतिis entitled / may

अन्यत्रexcept

तापसस्यof an ascetic

चand

ब्राह्मणस्यof a Brahmin

चand

भारतO Bharata

भरतनन्दनO delight of Bharata

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhīṣma

Yudhiṣṭhira (addressed as Bhārata, Bharatanandana)

kṣatriya

tāpasa (ascetic)

brāhmaṇa

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

In a survival crisis (āpaddharma), a kṣatriya may procure resources even by taking wealth, but dharma sets firm limits: the property of ascetics and brāhmaṇas is specially protected and must not be seized.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Śānti Parva, Bhīṣma instructs Yudhiṣṭhira on rājadharma and exceptional rules for times of distress. Here he clarifies what a kṣatriya may do when deprived of livelihood, while exempting ascetics and brāhmaṇas from such exactions.