Shloka 21
अध्याय ७२ — राजधर्मः: प्रजारक्षण, कर-नीति, दण्ड-नीति, अमात्य-नियोजन
Chapter 72 — Royal Duty: protection of subjects, taxation, punishment, and appointments
परचक्राभियानेन यदि ते स्याद् धनक्षय: । अथ साम्नैव लिप्सेथा धनमतब्राह्मणेषु यत्,यदि शत्रुओंके आक्रमणसे तुम्हारे धनका नाश हो जाय तो भी सान्त्वनापूर्ण मधुर वाणीद्वारा ही ब्राह्मणेतर प्रजासे धन लेनेकी इच्छा रखो
paracakrābhiyānena yadi te syād dhanakṣayaḥ | atha sāmnaiva lipsetha dhanam atabrāhmaṇeṣu yat ||
Бхишма сказал: «Если из‑за нашествия вражеского войска твои богатства истощатся, то стремись добыть средства лишь путем примирения — мягкой, успокаивающей речью — у тех подданных, кто не является брахманами. Правитель должен избегать принуждения и хранить общественный и нравственный порядок даже в нужде, принесенной войной».
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even when war causes financial loss, a king should seek resources through sāmā (conciliation and gentle persuasion), not through harsh exaction—especially maintaining due restraint and protecting the Brahmanas’ position while drawing revenue from other subjects in a dharmic manner.
In Bhishma’s instruction on rajadharma in the Shanti Parva, he advises the ruler that if an enemy invasion leads to depletion of wealth, the king should attempt to obtain needed funds by pacific, reassuring speech from non-Brahmana subjects rather than by coercion.