Shloka 18

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

Devanagari script

प्रभुर्नियमने राजा य एतान्‌ न नियच्छति । भुड्धक्ते स तस्य पापस्य चतुर्भागमिति श्रुति:,जो राजा इन सबको नियमके अंदर रखनेमें समर्थ होकर भी इन्हें काबूमें नहीं रखता, वह इनके किये हुए पापका चौथाई भाग स्वयं भोगता है, ऐसा श्रुतिका कथन है

Transliteration

bhīṣma uvāca | prabhur niyamane rājā ya etān na niyacchati | bhunakte sa tasya pāpasya caturbhāgam iti śrutiḥ ||

Translation

Bhishma said: A king who has the power and authority to restrain these (wrongdoers) but does not keep them under control, is said in the sacred tradition to partake of one-fourth of the sin they commit. The teaching underscores royal responsibility: negligence in governance becomes moral complicity.

Word by Word

प्रभुःcapable, competent (one)

नियमनेin restraining/controlling

राजाthe king

यःwho

एतान्these (persons/things)

नnot

नियच्छतिrestrains, controls

भुङ्क्तेenjoys/experiences (bears)

सःhe

तस्यof that / of those

पापस्यof the sin

चतुर्भागम्a fourth part

इतिthus (quotative)

श्रुतिःthe Vedic tradition/authority

Speaker

भीष्य उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhishma

king (rājā)

Śruti (scriptural authority)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Geographic Context

Sandhi Notes