Shloka 19
Kośa-saṃjanana and Subtle Dharma
Treasury Formation and Fine-Grained Ethics
तस्मात् सशेषं कर्तव्यं स्वाधीनमपि दस्युभि: । न बलस्थो5हमस्मीति नृशंसानि समाचरेत्,इसलिये दस्युओंको उचित है कि वे दूसरोंके धनको अपने अधिकारमें पाकर भी कुछ शेष छोड़ दें, सारा-का-सारा न लूट लें। “मैं बलवान् हूँ” ऐसा समझकर क्रूरतापूर्ण बर्ताव न करें
tasmāt saśeṣaṁ kartavyaṁ svādhīnam api dasyubhiḥ | na balastho 'ham asmīti nṛśaṁsāni samācaret ||
Oleh itu, bahkan para penyamun sekalipun—walau telah menguasai harta orang lain—patut meninggalkan sedikit baki dan jangan merampas habis semuanya. Jangan sesiapa, kerana menyangka “aku kuat, aku berkuasa,” melakukan perbuatan kejam.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Restraint is a baseline moral requirement: even those who seize wealth should not take everything, and no one should justify cruelty by claiming strength or power.
In Śānti Parva’s instruction on dharma and conduct, Bhīṣma advises Yudhiṣṭhira on ethical behavior, using the example of robbers to stress that power must not become a pretext for ruthless action.