Shloka 10
अध्याय ७२ — राजधर्मः: प्रजारक्षण, कर-नीति, दण्ड-नीति, अमात्य-नियोजन
Chapter 72 — Royal Duty: protection of subjects, taxation, punishment, and appointments
बलिषष्ेन शुल्केन दण्डेनाथापराधिनाम् । शास्त्रानीतेन लिप्सेथा वेतनेन धनागमम्
baliṣaṣṭhena śulkena daṇḍenāthāparādhinām | śāstrānītena lipsetha vetanena dhanāgamam |
राजाने धनागमाची इच्छा केवळ शास्त्रसम्मत मार्गांनीच ठेवावी—प्रजेचा योग्य भाग (बलि) घेऊन, उचित शुल्क/कर (शुल्क) स्वीकारून, अपराध्यांवर अर्थदंड लावून, तसेच शास्त्रानुसार संरक्षण-नियमन इत्यादींच्या बदल्यात मिळणाऱ्या वेतन/प्रतिदानातून।
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
A ruler should collect revenue only through dharmic, regulated means—legitimate taxes/dues, lawful fines for wrongdoing, and śāstra-approved fees connected with governance and protection—avoiding arbitrary or exploitative extraction.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on rājadharma, Bhishma advises Yudhishthira on how a king should obtain wealth for the state: through proper taxation, penal fines, and sanctioned remuneration tied to administrative duties.