Shloka 22
राष्ट्रमप्यतिदुग्धं हि न कर्म कुरुते महत् । यो राष्ट्रमनुगृह्नाति परिरक्षन् स्वयं नूप:
rāṣṭram apy atidugdhaṃ hi na karma kurute mahat | yo rāṣṭram anugṛhṇāti parirakṣan svayaṃ nūpaḥ ||
Même un royaume trop « trait »—surimposé et vidé—ne peut accomplir de grandes œuvres. Mais le roi qui accorde sa faveur au pays, le protégeant comme une charge qui lui incombe, le fait prospérer et le rend capable de vastes entreprises.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
A ruler must not drain the realm through excessive extraction; a kingdom weakened by over-taxation cannot achieve great ends. By personally protecting and supporting the people, the king strengthens the state and makes prosperity and major accomplishments possible.
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on rājadharma, Bhīṣma advises the king on ethical governance. He uses the image of an over-milked cow to warn that a heavily exploited kingdom loses its capacity, whereas a protective and benevolent king sustains the realm’s strength.