Shloka 32
Kośa, Bala, and Maryādā: Treasury, Capacity, and Enforceable Limits (कोश-बल-मर्यादा)
कोशं दण्डं बलं॑ मित्र यदन््यदपि संचितम् | न कुर्वीतान्तरं राष्ट्रे राजा परिगत: क्षुधा,राजा भूखसे पीड़ित होने--जीविकाके लिये कष्ट पानेपर भी खजाना, राजदण्ड, सेना, मित्र तथा अन्य संचित साधनोंको कभी राज्यसे दूर न करे
Bhīṣma uvāca | kośaṁ daṇḍaṁ balaṁ mitra yad anyad api sañcitam | na kurvītāntaraṁ rāṣṭre rājā parigataḥ kṣudhā ||
Bhishma berkata—Sekalipun seorang raja dikuasai lapar dan terhimpit kesukaran demi nafkahnya sendiri, ia tidak boleh memindahkan keluar dari negeri, atau menimbulkan kekurangan di dalamnya, atas perbendaharaan, perangkat denda dan tata-pemerintahan, bala tentara, para sekutu, maupun sumber daya lain yang telah dihimpun.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
A king must not, even under personal hunger or financial distress, deplete or remove the kingdom’s essential supports—treasury, law-and-order authority, military strength, alliances, and stored resources—because these exist for the protection and stability of the realm and its people.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on rājadharma, Bhishma advises Yudhishthira on practical ethics of rulership, warning that a ruler’s private hardship should not lead to policies that create shortages or weaken core institutions of the state.