Shloka 4
Kośārtha-Rājadharma: Ethical Revenue Collection and Social Regulation (कोशार्थ-राजधर्मः)
मधुदोहं दुह्ेद् राष्ट्र भ्रमरा इव पादपम् । वत्सापेक्षी दुहेच्चैव स्तनांश्व न विकुट्टयेत्
bhīṣma uvāca | madhudohaṃ duhed rāṣṭraṃ bhramarā iva pādapam | vatsāpekṣī duhec caiva stanāṃś ca na vikuṭṭayet ||
ພີສະມະກ່າວວ່າ: «ຈົ່ງໃຫ້ກະສັດເກັບພາສີຈາກອານາເຂດ ເຫມືອນເຜິ້ງເອົານ້ຳຫວານຈາກຕົ້ນໄມ້—ຢ່າງອ່ອນໂຍນ ບໍ່ເຮັດລາຍມັນ. ແລະເຫມືອນຜູ້ຄົນບີບນົມງົວດ້ວຍຄວາມເອື້ອອາທອນຕໍ່ລູກງົວ ບໍ່ຟົດຟັ້ນຫົວນົມ ບໍ່ເຮັດໃຫ້ຊ້ຳ ດັ່ງນັ້ນຜູ້ປົກຄອງຄວນ ‘ບີບນົມ’ ອານາຈັກດ້ວຍຄວາມອ່ອນໂຍນແລະຄວາມຍັບຍັ້ງ ຢ່າໄດ້ຂົ່ມເຫັງ».
भीष्य उवाच
Educational Q&A
A ruler may take resources from the kingdom (taxes, service, produce) only in a measured, non-injurious way—like a bee taking nectar without damaging the tree, or a careful milker who does not hurt the cow. State extraction must preserve the people’s capacity to live and prosper.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on rajadharma, Bhishma advises Yudhishthira on how a king should treat his realm. Using two everyday similes—bee and milking—he warns against harsh taxation and oppressive governance, urging gentle, sustainable rule.