Shloka 21
Adhyāya 64: Dāna-prakāra—Suvarṇa, Pānīya-dāna, Ghṛta-dāna, and Upakaraṇa-dāna
Utility Gifts
यो रक्षिभ्य: सम्प्रदाय राजा राष्ट्र विलुम्पति । यज्ञे राष्ट्रादू धनं तस्मादानयध्वमिति ब्रुवन्
yo rakṣibhyaḥ sampradāya rājā rāṣṭraṃ vilumpati | yajñe rāṣṭrād dhanaṃ tasmād ānayadhvam iti bruvan |
ビーシュマは言った。「護衛や官吏に政務を委ねたのち、みずから国を掠め取り、家臣に向かって『ヤジュニャ（yajña）の供犠のために国から財を集めて来い』と命ずる王がいる。これはヤジュニャの名を借りて民を奪うに等しい。さらに、その命令のもと脅しと苛酷な取り立てで得た財で供犠を行うなら、そのような祭祀は高徳で見識ある者に称賛されない。正しい手段ではなく圧政によって支えられるゆえ、儀礼は倫理的に汚されるのである。」
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
A religious act (yajña) does not become meritorious merely by its outward ritual form; its moral legitimacy depends on the means by which it is funded. Wealth taken by coercion from subjects corrupts the sacrifice, and the wise do not praise such a rite.
Bhishma criticizes a ruler who orders officials to collect money from the kingdom under the pretext of performing a sacrifice. The verse condemns the king’s exploitation of subjects and states that sacrifices performed with such forcibly extracted wealth are not approved by noble persons.