Shloka 2
युधिष्ठिरने पूछा--भरतकुलभूषण पितामह! किन-किन मनुष्योंके धनपर राजाका अधिकार होता है? तथा राजाको कैसा बर्ताव करना चाहिये? यह मुझे बताइये ।। भीष्म उवाच अब्राह्माणानां वित्तस्य स्वामी राजेति वैदिकम् । ब्राह्मणानां च ये केचिद् विकर्मस्था भवन्त्युत,भीष्मजीने कहा--राजन! ब्राह्मणके सिवा अन्य सभी वर्णोके धनका स्वामी राजा होता है, यह वैदिक मत है। ब्राह्मणोंमें भी जो कोई अपने वर्णके विपरीत कर्म करते हों, उनके धनपर भी राजाका ही अधिकार है
bhīṣma uvāca | abrāhmaṇānāṃ vittasya svāmī rājeti vaidikam | brāhmaṇānāṃ ca ye kecid vikarmasthā bhavanty uta ||
Bhishma said: “According to Vedic doctrine, the king is the rightful lord over the wealth of all who are not Brahmins. And even among Brahmins, those who have fallen into conduct contrary to their ordained duties (vikarma) come under the king’s authority with respect to their wealth.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse states a principle of rājadharma: the king has overarching authority over the wealth of non-Brahmins, and even over Brahmins who abandon their prescribed duties and engage in vikarma. Authority is framed as conditional and tied to maintaining dharma and social order.
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on governance, Yudhiṣṭhira asks Bhishma about the king’s rights over subjects’ wealth and proper royal conduct. Bhishma replies by citing a Vedic principle defining whose wealth falls under royal jurisdiction, emphasizing the king’s role as guardian of dharma.