Shloka 36
तदस्य स्याद् बलार्थ वा धन यज्ञार्थमेव च । भरतनन्दन! ये समस्त प्रजाएँ क्षत्रियोंकी हैं। राज्यभोग भी क्षत्रियोंके ही हैं और सारा धन भी उन्हींका है, दूसरेका नहीं है; किंतु वह धन उसकी सेनाके लिये है या यज्ञानुष्ठानके लिये
tadasya syād balārthaṃ vā dhanaṃ yajñārtham eva ca | bharatanandana! ye samastāḥ prajāḥ kṣatriyāṇāṃ santi | rājyabhogā api kṣatriyāṇām eva santi, sarvaṃ dhanaṃ ca teṣām eva, na anyasya; kintu tad dhanaṃ tasya senāyai vā yajñānuṣṭhānāya vā bhavati |
Bhishma said: “That wealth should be regarded as meant either for strength—namely, the maintenance of the army—or else solely for the performance of sacrifices. O descendant of Bharata, all the subjects are under the Kshatriyas; the enjoyments of sovereignty too belong to the Kshatriyas, and all wealth is theirs, not another’s. Yet that wealth is not for private indulgence: it is to sustain the king’s forces or to uphold sacred rites.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Royal wealth is ethically justified only when directed to public and dharmic ends—maintaining the kingdom’s protective strength (army) and sustaining sacred obligations (sacrifices)—not for mere personal enjoyment.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on Rajadharma, Bhishma addresses Yudhishthira (Bharatanandana) and explains the rightful purpose of a Kshatriya king’s control over subjects, revenues, and wealth: it must serve protection and ritual duty.