Shloka 6

Kośārtha-Rājadharma: Ethical Revenue Collection and Social Regulation (कोशार्थ-राजधर्मः)

Devanagari script

यथा शल्यकवानाखु: पदं धूनयते सदा । अतीक्ष्णेनाभ्युपायेन तथा राष्ट्र समापिबेत्‌

Transliteration

yathā śalyakavān ākhuḥ padaṃ dhūnayate sadā | atīkṣṇenābhyupāyena tathā rāṣṭraṃ samāpibet ||

Translation

ພີສະມະກ່າວວ່າ: «ເຫມືອນໜູຟັນແຫຼມທີ່ກັດເນື້ອຕີນຄົນທີ່ກຳລັງນອນຢ່າງອ່ອນໆ ຈົນຜູ້ນອນພຽງແຕ່ກະຕຸກຕີນ ແຕ່ບໍ່ຮູ້ສຶກເຈັບຊັດ, ກະສັດກໍຄວນເກັບພາສີດ້ວຍວິທີອ່ອນໂຍນ ແລະບໍ່ລົບກວນ ເພື່ອບໍ່ໃຫ້ປະຊາຊົນເດືອດຮ້ອນ».

Word by Word

• यथा: just as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा

• शल्यकवान्: having sharp spines/needles (sharp-toothed)
• शल्यकवान्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शल्यकवत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• आखुः: rat, mouse
• आखुः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: आखु
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पदम्: foot
• पदम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• धूनयते: shakes, causes to tremble
• Type: Verb
• Root: धू (धूनयति)
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Atmanepada

• सदा: always
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा

• अतीक्ष्णेन: by a not-harsh (gentle) / not-too-sharp
• अतीक्ष्णेन: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अतीक्ष्ण
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• अभ्युपायेन: by a stratagem, by a means
• अभ्युपायेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अभ्युपाय
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• तथा: so, in the same way
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• राष्ट्रम्: kingdom, realm
• राष्ट्रम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: राष्ट्र
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• समापिबेत्: should drink up; should extract (revenue)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पा (पिबति) + सम्
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

भीष्य उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• king (rājā)
• rat/mouse (ākhu)
• realm/kingdom (rāṣṭra)
• foot (pada)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A ruler should collect revenue in a gentle, minimally burdensome way—so the subjects do not feel oppressed. Fiscal policy must be guided by dharma and the welfare of the people, not by harsh extraction.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Bhishma’s instruction on rajadharma, he uses a vivid analogy: a rat nibbling a sleeper’s foot so subtly that the sleeper only twitches. Likewise, the king should levy taxes gradually and tactfully, avoiding public suffering.