Shloka 12
Adhyāya 11 — Maṇḍala-vicāra and Ṣāḍguṇya-prayoga
Circle-of-Kings Analysis and the Six Policies
ददातु राजा वित्रेभ्यो यथेष्ट क्रियतां व्यय: । पुत्राणां सुहृदां चैव गच्छत्वानृण्यमद्य सः,वे ब्राह्मणोंको यथेष्ट धन दें। जितना खर्च करना चाहें, करें। आज वे अपने पुत्रों और सुहृदोंके ऋणसे मुक्त हो जायेँ इति श्रीमहाभारते आश्रमवासिके पर्वणि आश्रमवासपर्वणि युधिष्ठिरानुमो दने द्वादशोड्ध्याय:
vaiśampāyana uvāca | dadātu rājā viprebhyo yatheṣṭaṃ kriyatāṃ vyayaḥ | putrāṇāṃ suhṛdāṃ caiva gacchatvānṛṇyam adya saḥ ||
Vaiśampāyana berkata: “Biarlah raja mengurniakan kepada para Brahmana apa sahaja yang mereka kehendaki; dan biarlah perbelanjaan dibuat menurut kehendaknya. Biarlah pada hari ini baginda terbebas daripada segala hutang kewajipan—yang terhutang kepada putera-putera dan kepada para sahabat setia.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches that righteous giving (dāna) and settling obligations are part of dharma: a king should distribute wealth appropriately, and one should aim to become anṛṇa—free from debts and duties—before moving forward to the next stage of life or undertaking austere vows.
Vaiśampāyana reports an instruction or resolve that the king should give generously to Brahmins and spend as needed, so that on that very day he becomes free from obligations toward his sons and friends—suggesting a formal settling of accounts and responsibilities in preparation for withdrawal/transition.