Shloka 40
Cyavana’s Water-Vow and the Ethics of Cohabitation (स्नेह-सम्वास-धर्मः)
श्रीक्ष राज्यं च कोशकश्ष क्षत्रियाणां युधिषछ्ठिर
bhīṣma uvāca | śrīś ca rājyaṃ ca kośaś ca kṣatriyāṇāṃ yudhiṣṭhira | rājā yudhiṣṭhira! lakṣmī rājyaṃ ca kośaś ca—etat sarvaṃ śāstre kṣatriyārthaṃ vihitaṃ dṛśyate | rājan! kṣatriyo dharmānusāreṇa samudraparyantāṃ pṛthivīṃ bahulāṃ ca sampadaṃ prāpnoti | nareśvara! rājā (kṣatriyaḥ) daṇḍadhārī bhavati | kṣatriyāt paraṃ rakṣākāryaṃ nānyena śakyate kartum |
Bhīṣma berkata: “Wahai Yudhiṣṭhira, kemakmuran, kedaulatan, dan perbendaharaan diraja (kośa) ditetapkan dalam śāstra sebagai amanah yang wajar bagi Kṣatriya. Wahai Raja Yudhiṣṭhira, terlihat bahawa Lakṣmī (tuah diraja), kerajaan, dan khazanah semuanya diperuntukkan bagi peranan Kṣatriya. Dengan bertindak menurut dharmanya, seorang Kṣatriya boleh memperoleh kekuasaan atas bumi hingga ke lautan yang melingkari serta mengumpul kekayaan yang besar. Wahai tuan manusia, raja—sebagai Kṣatriya—ialah pemegang tongkat hukuman (daṇḍa), dan selain Kṣatriya tiada siapa yang benar-benar mampu melaksanakan tugas perlindungan.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhishma asserts that sovereignty, wealth, and the treasury are legitimate and scripturally sanctioned for the Kshatriya when pursued according to dharma, because the king’s defining obligation is protection—upheld through danda (lawful discipline and punishment).
In Anushasana Parva, Bhishma continues instructing King Yudhishthira on rajadharma. Here he explains why kingship, resources, and coercive authority properly belong to the Kshatriya: only such a ruler can effectively protect society and maintain order.