Shloka 34
राजधर्मप्रश्नः — Yudhiṣṭhira’s Inquiry into Rājadharma (Śānti-parva 56)
दयिताश्च नरास्ते स्युर्भक्तिमन्तो द्विजेषु ये । न कोश: परमोडन््यो<स्ति राज्ञां पुरुषसंचयात्,जो मनुष्य ब्राह्मणोंके प्रति भक्ति रखते हैं, वे सबके प्रिय होते हैं। राजाओंके लिये ब्राह्मणके भक्तोंका संग्रह करनेसे बढ़कर दूसरा कोई कोश नहीं है
dayitāś ca narās te syur bhaktimanto dvijeṣu ye | na kośaḥ paramo 'nyo 'sti rājñāṃ puruṣa-saṃcayāt ||
Bhishma said: “Those men who are devoted to the twice-born (Brahmins) become dear to all. For kings, there is no treasury higher than the gathering and retention of such worthy persons—for the true wealth of a ruler lies in a loyal, dharma-aligned body of people rather than in mere stored riches.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
A king’s greatest ‘treasury’ is not gold but people: cultivating and retaining dharmic, loyal subjects—especially those who honor the learned and the Brahminical order—creates stability, goodwill, and righteous governance.
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on dharma and rājadharma, Bhīṣma continues advising the ruler on the foundations of successful kingship, emphasizing social-religious reverence and the strategic value of assembling virtuous supporters.