Shloka 6
Kośa-saṃjanana and Subtle Dharma
Treasury Formation and Fine-Grained Ethics
हीनकोशं॑ हि राजानमवजानन्ति मानवा: । न चास्याल्पेन तुष्यन्ति कार्यमप्युत्सहन्ति च
hīna-kośaṁ hi rājānam avajānanti mānavāḥ | na cāsyālpena tuṣyanti kāryam apy utsahanti ca ||
Bhishma dit : Les hommes méprisent un roi lorsque son trésor est épuisé. Ils ne se satisfont pas de recevoir peu de lui, et ils manquent aussi d’ardeur pour accomplir ses tâches.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
A ruler’s effectiveness depends not only on personal virtue but also on material resources: without a stable treasury, public respect declines, incentives fail, and administrative work loses momentum.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on rāja-dharma, Bhishma advises the king on practical statecraft, warning that a depleted treasury undermines both the people’s regard and their willingness to serve.