Shloka 49
Kośa, Bala, and Maryādā: Treasury, Capacity, and Enforceable Limits (कोश-बल-मर्यादा)
कुछ लोग दानसे, कुछ लोग यज्ञकर्म करनेसे, कुछ तपस्वी तपस्या करनेसे, कुछ लोग बुद्धिसे और अन्य बहुत-से मनुष्य कार्यकौशलसे धनराशि प्राप्त कर लेते हैं ।।
kecid dānena, kecid yajñakarmaṇā, kecit tapasvino tapasyā, kecid buddhyā, anye bahavo manuṣyāḥ kāryakauśalena dhanārāśiṃ prāpnuvanti. abadhanaṃ durbalaṃ prāhur, dhanena balavān bhavet. sarvaṃ dhanavatā prāpyaṃ, sarvaṃ tarati kośavān.
Bhīṣma berkata: Ada yang memperoleh harta lewat memberi, ada lewat pelaksanaan upacara kurban, para pertapa lewat tapa, ada lewat kecerdasan, dan banyak pula lewat keterampilan bekerja. Orang berkata: yang tanpa harta itu lemah, sedangkan dengan harta seseorang menjadi kuat. Bagi yang berharta, segala sesuatu dapat diraih; yang memiliki perbendaharaan menyeberangi setiap kesulitan.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhishma emphasizes the practical power of artha (material resources): wealth can be gained by multiple means (charity, ritual, austerity, intelligence, skill), and possessing a treasury increases one’s capacity to act, secure aims, and overcome obstacles—an ethical reminder that resources strongly shape worldly strength and effectiveness.
In Shanti Parva’s instruction to Yudhishthira on dharma and statecraft, Bhishma explains how people obtain wealth and why a king must understand the role of the treasury: without resources one is socially and politically weak, while with resources one can accomplish necessary duties and pass through crises.