Shloka 8

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

Devanagari script

दमयतन्निव दम्यानि शश्चद्‌ भारं विवर्धयेत्‌ । मृदुपूर्व प्रयत्नेन पाशानभ्यवहारयेत्‌

Transliteration

damayatann iva damyāni śaścad bhāraṁ vivardhayet | mṛdu-pūrva-prayatnena pāśān abhyavahārayet ||

Translation

ພີສະມະກ່າວວ່າ: «ເຫມືອນຊາຍຜູ້ຝຶກລູກງົວໃຫ້ແບກຂອງ: ແຕ່ແລກເຂົາຄວບຄຸມ ແລະນຳພາດ້ວຍຄວາມພາກພຽນຢ່າງລະມັດລະວັງ, ແລ້ວຈຶ່ງເພີ່ມນ້ຳໜັກທີລະນ້ອຍ; ກະສັດກໍຄວນໃຫ້ພາລະພາສີເບົາໃນຕອນຕົ້ນ ແລ້ວຈຶ່ງເພີ່ມຂຶ້ນທີລະນ້ອຍ».

Word by Word

• दमयेत्: should tame / should train
• दमयेत्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: दम् (दमयति)
• Form: Vidhi-linga, Optative (injunctive sense), 3, Singular, Parasmaipada

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

• नव: new / young
• नव: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नव
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• दम्यानि: to be tamed; trainable (calves/young animals)
• दम्यानि: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दम्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• शनैः: gradually
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: शनैः

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• भारम्: burden / load
• भारम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: भार
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• विवर्धयेत्: should increase
• विवर्धयेत्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृध् (वि+वर्धयति)
• Form: Vidhi-linga, Optative, 3, Singular, Parasmaipada

• मृदु: gentle / mild (manner)
• मृदु: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मृदु
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• पूर्वम्: at first / beforehand
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्व

• प्रयत्नेन: with effort
• प्रयत्नेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रयत्न
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• पाशान्: ropes / nooses / halters
• पाशान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाश
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• अभ्यवहारयेत्: should apply/put on (halter/ropes); should make them bear (by harnessing)
• अभ्यवहारयेत्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: हृ (अभि+आ+हृ → अभ्यवहरति/अभ्यवहारयति)
• Form: Vidhi-linga, Optative, 3, Singular, Parasmaipada, Yes (णिच्)

Speaker

भीष्य उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• calves (as an illustrative object)
• load/burden
• ropes/halter (pāśa)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A ruler should not suddenly impose heavy taxes or obligations on the people; like training calves with a load, he should begin gently and increase demands only gradually, with careful restraint and guidance.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on rajadharma, Bhishma advises the king using a practical simile: the way one trains calves to carry loads—starting light and increasing step by step—so should the king manage taxation and public burdens.