Shloka 6
जिसके नगर और जनपदमें रहनेवाले लोग समस्त प्राणियोंपर दया करनेवाले और धन-धान्यसे सम्पन्न होते हैं, उस राजाकी जड़ मजबूत समझी जाती है ।। (राष्ट्रकर्मकरा होते राष्ट्रस्य च विरोधिन: । दुर्विनीता विनीताश्न सर्वे साध्या: प्रयत्नतः ।। ये नगर और जनपदके लोग राष्ट्रके कार्यकी सिद्धि करनेवाले और उसके विरोधी भी होते हैं। उद्ण्ड और विनयशील भी होते हैं। उन सबको प्रयत्नपूर्वक अपने वशमें करना चाहिये ।। चाण्डालम्लेच्छजात्याक्ष पाषण्डाक्ष विकर्मिण: । बलिनश्षाश्रमाश्नैव तथा गायकनर्तका: ।। यस्य राष्ट्र वसन्त्येते धान्योपचयकारिण: । आयवृद्धौ सहायाश्च दृढमूल: स पार्थिव: ।।) चाण्डाल, म्लेच्छ, पाखण्डी, शास्त्र-विरुद्ध कर्म करनेवाले, बलवान, सभी आश्रमोंके निवासी तथा गायक और नर्तक--इन सबको प्रयत्नपूर्वक वशमें करना चाहिये। जिसके राज्यमें ये सब लोग धन-धान्यकी वृद्धि करनेवाले और आय बढ़ानेमें सहायक होकर रहते हैं, उस राजाकी जड़ मजबूत समझी जाती है ।। प्रतापकालमधिकं यदा मन्येत चात्मन: । तदा लिप्सेत मेधावी परभूमिधनान्युत,बुद्धिमान् राजा जब अपने प्रतापको प्रकाशित करनेका उपयुक्त अवसर समझे, तभी दूसरेका राज्य और धन लेनेकी चेष्टा करे
rāṣṭrakarmakarā honti rāṣṭrasya ca virodhinaḥ | durvinītā vinītāś ca sarve sādhyāḥ prayatnataḥ || caṇḍālamlecchajātyāś ca pāṣaṇḍāś ca vikarmiṇaḥ | balinaś cāśramāś caiva tathā gāyakanartakāḥ || yasya rāṣṭre vasanti ete dhānyopacayakāriṇaḥ | āyavṛddhau sahāyāś ca dṛḍhamūlaḥ sa pārthivaḥ || pratāpakālam adhikaṃ yadā manyeta cātmanaḥ | tadā lipseta medhāvī parabhumidhanāny uta ||
Vāmadeva said: People living in towns and countryside are of many kinds—some advance the work of the realm, while others oppose it; some are undisciplined, others well-trained. A king should, through sustained effort, bring all such groups under effective governance. Even those regarded as marginal or heterodox—Caṇḍālas, foreigners (mlecchas), sectarians, doers of unlawful acts, the strong, residents of all āśramas, and also singers and dancers—should be managed so that they become contributors to prosperity. The ruler in whose kingdom these groups reside as producers of grain-surplus and as helpers in increasing revenue is said to have firm roots. Further, when a wise king judges that the time is especially favorable for displaying his power, only then should he attempt to seize another’s land and wealth.
वामदेव उवाच
Educational Q&A
A king’s stability depends on effective governance of all social groups—supporters and opponents, disciplined and undisciplined—so that they contribute to agrarian surplus and revenue growth; and conquest should be attempted only when conditions are truly favorable.
In Śānti Parva’s instruction on rājadharma, Vāmadeva advises the ruler on internal administration: bringing varied and even socially stigmatized or heterodox groups under orderly control for the kingdom’s prosperity, and timing external expansion prudently.