Shloka 5
Characteristics of the King and His Servants
Rāja-dharma, Nīti, and Ethical Revenue
नोधश्छिन्द्यात्तु यो धेन्वाः क्षारार्थो लभते पयः / एवं राष्ट्रं प्रयोगेण पीड्यमानं न वर्धते
nodhaśchindyāttu yo dhenvāḥ kṣārārtho labhate payaḥ / evaṃ rāṣṭraṃ prayogeṇa pīḍyamānaṃ na vardhate
De même que celui qui tranche la mamelle d’une vache pour obtenir du lait destiné au caillé n’en recueille qu’au prix d’une blessure, de même un royaume, accablé par des mesures d’exploitation, ne prospère pas.
Lord Vishnu (in dialogue with Garuda/Vinata-putra)
Concept: Adharmic extraction harms the source; governance must be protective rather than oppressive.
Vedantic Theme: Lobha (greed) and himsā bind one to decline; dharma sustains loka-saṅgraha (world-order).
Application: Avoid predatory taxation, forced labor, and short-term profiteering; invest in agriculture, welfare, and fair administration to keep the productive base healthy.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: karuna
Type: kingdom/raashtra (polity)
Related Themes: Garuda Purana (Dharma/ācāra sections): rājadharma—protection of subjects, avoidance of prajā-pīḍā; Garuda Purana: teachings on dāna and ahiṃsā as sustaining dharma
FAQs
This verse teaches that prosperity cannot be produced through harmful, extractive policies; a state grows only when its people are not oppressed.
It uses a concrete analogy—injuring a cow to get milk—to show that short-term gain achieved by harm undermines long-term wellbeing and stability.
Avoid “growth” methods that squeeze people or resources beyond limits; sustainable prosperity comes from protection, fairness, and non-exploitative administration.