ग्रामं ग्रामशताध्यक्षो भोक्तुमरहति सत्कृत: । महान्तं भरतश्रेष्ठ सुस्फीतं जनसंकुलम्
grāmaṁ grāmaśatādhyakṣo bhoktum arhati satkṛtaḥ | mahāntaṁ bharataśreṣṭha susphītaṁ janasaṅkulam ||
Bhīṣma disse: «Um superintendente posto sobre cem aldeias merece ser honrosamente recebido e mantido. Ó melhor dos Bhāratas, deve-se prover-lhe uma grande aldeia — próspera, bem suprida e cheia de gente.»
भीष्म उवाच
Bhīṣma frames a principle of rājadharma: capable administrators who bear responsibility for many villages should be honored and materially supported, receiving a prosperous and populous village as their due—linking public service, merit, and rightful remuneration.
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on statecraft, Bhīṣma addresses Yudhiṣṭhira and describes how a king should treat a high-ranking local officer (over a hundred villages), emphasizing respectful reception and assignment of a substantial, flourishing village for his maintenance.