Shloka 15
Chapter 78: Royal Responsibility for Wealth, Social Order, and the Protection of Dvijas
Kekaya Exemplum
कृषिगोरक्षवाणिज्यमुपजीवन्त्यमायया । अप्रमत्ता: क्रियावन्त: सुव्रता: सत्यवादिन:
bhīṣma uvāca | kṛṣi-gorakṣa-vāṇijyam upajīvanti amāyayā | apramattāḥ kriyāvantaḥ suvratāḥ satyavādinaḥ |
ഭീഷ്മൻ പറഞ്ഞു—എന്റെ രാജ്യത്തിലെ വൈശ്യർ കപടമില്ലാതെ കൃഷി, ഗോരക്ഷണം, വാണിജ്യം എന്നിവയാൽ ഉപജീവനം നടത്തുന്നു. അവർ അപ്രമാദികൾ, കർമ്മനിഷ്ഠർ, ഉത്തമവ്രതപാലകർ, സത്യവാദികൾ. എന്നിട്ടും—നീ എങ്ങനെ എന്റെ ഉള്ളിൽ പ്രവേശിച്ചു?
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights Vaiśya-dharma as honest livelihood—farming, cattle-care, and trade—performed with vigilance, disciplined conduct, and truthfulness. Ethical economic life (without fraud) is presented as a pillar of social and royal well-being.
Bhīṣma, while instructing on governance and social duties in the Śānti Parva, describes the exemplary conduct of the Vaiśyas in his kingdom. The closing rhetorical question (“how have you entered into me?”) conveys surprise that some inner fault or corruption could arise despite such outwardly righteous social order.