Shloka 124
Varṇa-dharma and Rājadharma: Yudhiṣṭhira’s Inquiry and Bhīṣma’s Normative Outline (वर्णधर्म-राजधर्म-प्रश्नोत्तरम्)
तेनेयं पृथिवी दुग्धा सस्यानि दश सप्त च | यक्षराक्षसनागैश्वापीप्सितं यस्य यस्य यत्,उन्होंने इस पृथ्वीसे सत्रह प्रकारके धान्योंका दोहन किया था, यक्षों, राक्षमों और नागोंमेंसे जिसको जो वस्तु अभीष्ट थी, वह उन्होंने पृथ्वीसे दुह ली थी
teneyaṁ pṛthivī dugdhā sasyāni daśa sapta ca | yakṣarākṣasanāgaiś cāpīpsitaṁ yasya yasya yat |
Bhīṣma berkata: Oleh dia, Bumi ini seakan-akan “diperah”, hingga menghasilkan tujuh belas jenis biji-bijian. Dan di antara Yakṣa, Rākṣasa, dan Nāga, apa pun yang diinginkan masing-masing, itulah yang ia keluarkan dari Bumi ini.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse uses the metaphor of ‘milking the Earth’ to express righteous governance: a capable ruler makes the land fruitful and ensures that diverse communities and beings receive what they legitimately seek, reflecting stewardship, order, and welfare rather than exploitation.
Bhīṣma describes a powerful figure who caused the Earth to yield abundant produce—specifically seventeen kinds of grains—and who enabled Yakṣas, Rākṣasas, and Nāgas to obtain from the Earth the particular goods each desired.