Shloka 37
Daṇḍanīti and the King as the Cause of Yuga-Order (दण्डनीतिः राजधर्मश्च युगकारणत्वम्)
शस्याभिहारं कुर्याच्च स्वयमेव नराधिप: । असम्भवे प्रवेशस्य दहेद् दावाग्निना भृूशम्
śasyābhihāraṃ kuryācca svayam eva narādhipaḥ | asambhave praveśasya dahed dāvāgninā bhṛśam ||
Bhīṣma dit : «Que le roi veille lui-même à la récolte et à l’enlèvement des grains parvenus à maturité. Qu’il les fasse couper, puis transporter et entreposer dans la forteresse. S’il est impossible de les y faire entrer, qu’il fasse brûler entièrement ces cultures par un feu qui se propage, afin que l’ennemi ne s’empare pas des vivres.»
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
A ruler must act decisively to secure provisions during conflict: either safeguard resources within the fort or, if that is impossible, deny them to the enemy—even through harsh measures—so the larger duty of protecting the realm is upheld.
Bhīṣma is instructing the king on practical measures for fort-defense in wartime: harvest the ready crops and store them inside the fortress; if transport into the fort cannot be done, burn the crops to prevent the opposing force from using them.