Shloka 26

Kośārtha-Rājadharma: Ethical Revenue Collection and Social Regulation (कोशार्थ-राजधर्मः)

Devanagari script

जो सब प्राणियोंपर दया करते और प्रजाकी उन्नतिमें योग देते हैं, वे तुम्हारे राष्ट्रमें निवास करें। जो लोग प्राणियोंका विनाश करनेवाले हैं, वे न रहें ।।

Transliteration

bhīṣma uvāca | ye sarva-prāṇiṣu dayāṃ kurvanti prajāyāś ca unnatau yogaṃ dadati, te tava rāṣṭre nivasantu | ye tu prāṇi-vināśa-kārāḥ, te na nivasantu || daṇḍyās te ca mahārāja dhanādāna-prayojakāḥ | prayogaṃ kārayeyus tān yathā-bali-karāṃs tathā ||

Translation

Bhīṣma dit : «Que demeurent dans ton royaume ceux qui ont compassion de tous les êtres et qui contribuent au bien-être et à l’élévation du peuple. Mais que ceux qui provoquent la destruction des créatures n’y restent pas. Et, ô grand roi, les agents qui excitent à prendre de l’argent—ceux qui prélèvent ou font prélever plus que le dû—méritent d’être châtiés par toi. Établis d’autres officiers pour former et faire observer la juste pratique : ne percevoir que ce qui est dû, selon le prélèvement légitime.»

Word by Word

• दण्ड्याः: punishable
• दण्ड्याः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दण्ड्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• ते: they
• ते: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• महाराज: O great king
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाराज
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• धन: wealth/money
• Type: Noun
• Root: धन
• Form: Neuter, Stem (compound member), Singular

• दान: giving, payment
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान
• Form: Neuter, Stem (compound member), Singular

• प्रयोजकाः: instigators/agents (who cause)
• प्रयोजकाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रयोजक
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• प्रयोगम्: application, practice, enforcement
• प्रयोगम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रयोग
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• कारयेयुः: should cause (to be done), should make (them) do
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (कारयति)
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), Third, Plural, Parasmaipada, Yes

• तान्: those (persons)
• तान्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• यथा: as, according to
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा

• बलि: tribute, tax
• Type: Noun
• Root: बलि
• Form: Masculine, Stem (compound member), Singular

• करान्: taxes
• करान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• तथा: so, thus
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

Speaker

भीष्य उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma (Bhīṣma)
• Mahārāja (the king, addressed—contextually Yudhiṣṭhira)
• Rāṣṭra (the kingdom/realm)
• Prajā (subjects/people)
• Royal officials/tax collectors (implied)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A king should foster a realm led by compassionate, welfare-oriented people, and should punish officials who exploit subjects through improper exactions; taxation must follow a correct, limited, and lawful procedure.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on kingship, Bhishma addresses the king (Yudhishthira) and lays down administrative policy: keep benevolent persons in the kingdom, expel harmful ones, and discipline corrupt revenue agents while instituting proper tax-collection practice through responsible officers.