Shloka 12
मरुत्तोपाख्यान-प्रस्तावः — Genealogy to Marutta and the Logistics of Royal Sacrifice
तस्य धर्मप्रवृत्तस्य व्यशीर्यत् कोशवाहनम् । तं क्षीणकोशं सामन््ता: समन्तात् पर्यपीडयन्,किंतु केवल धर्ममें ही प्रवृत्त रहनेके कारण कुछ ही दिनोंमें राजाका खजाना खाली हो गया और उनके वाहन आदि भी नष्ट हो गये। उनका खजाना खाली हो गया, यह जानकर सामन्त नरेश चारों ओरसे धावा करके उन्हें पीड़ा देने लगे
tasya dharmapravṛttasya vyaśīryat kośavāhanam | taṃ kṣīṇakośaṃ sāmantāḥ samantāt paryapīḍayan |
Vyāsa said: As that king devoted himself wholly to dharma, his treasury and means of conveyance were gradually depleted and fell into ruin. Seeing him with an exhausted treasury, the neighboring feudatory rulers pressed in from all sides and began to harass him.
व्यास उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights a tension in rājanīti: personal devotion to dharma without sustaining the material foundations of governance (treasury, logistics) can invite external aggression. Ethical rule must be supported by practical capacity, or it becomes vulnerable to exploitation.
A king, intent on righteous conduct, rapidly loses wealth and transport resources. Observing his weakened condition, surrounding feudatory rulers attack or harass him from all directions, taking advantage of his depleted treasury.