Shloka 15
राष्ट्रगुप्ति-संग्रहः
Protection of the Realm and Principles of Revenue & Local Administration
शिल्पं प्रति करानेवं शिल्पिन: प्रति कारयेत् । इसी तरह मालकी तैयारी, उसकी खपत तथा शिल्पकी उत्तम-मध्यम आदि श्रेणियोंका बार-बार निरीक्षण करके शिल्प एवं शिल्पकारोंपर कर लगावे ।।
śilpaṁ prati kārāṇeva śilpinaḥ prati kārayet |
Bhīṣma advises Yudhiṣṭhira on just governance: the king should regulate crafts and craftsmen by assessing production and workmanship, repeatedly inspecting the quality grades of goods and their market movement, and then levying taxes accordingly. Taxes should be proportionate—higher or lower based on people’s capacity—so that the subjects are not driven into distress; revenue policy must be guided by observing actual work and profit rather than arbitrary exaction.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
A king must levy taxes with discernment and compassion: assess actual production, quality, and profit in crafts and trade, and impose proportionate taxes so that subjects are not pushed into hardship.
In the Śānti Parva dialogue on rājadharma, Bhīṣma instructs Yudhiṣṭhira on practical statecraft—especially how to supervise economic activity (crafts and markets) and set fair, capacity-based taxation.