Shloka 7
Nīti-upadeśa to a Rājaputra: Self-restraint, Alliances, and Rival-Management (नीतिउपदेशः)
दातुमर्ति ते वित्त वैदेह: सत्यसंगर: । प्रमाणं सर्वभूतेषु प्रग्रहं च भविष्यसि
dātum arhati te vittaṃ vaidehaḥ satyasaṅgaraḥ | pramāṇaṃ sarvabhūteṣu pragrahaṃ ca bhaviṣyasi ||
भीष्म उवाच—वैदेहः सत्यसंगरः सत्यप्रतिज्ञश्च राजा ते वित्तं दातुमर्हति। त्वं पवित्रेण व्यवहारैः श्रेष्ठैश्च कर्मभिः स्वविषये तस्य विश्वासं जनय। स हि सत्यप्रतिज्ञः; तस्मात् त्वां नूनं धनं दास्यति। तथा कृते त्वं सर्वभूतेषु प्रमाणभूतो भविष्यसि, राज्ञश्च दक्षिणभुज इव कार्येषु प्रग्रहश्च।
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Trust and authority are earned through purity of conduct and excellent action; when a ruler is truthful and steadfast, ethical behavior becomes the means to secure rightful support and to become a reliable exemplar for society.
Bhishma advises that the truthful king of Videha will grant wealth, but the recipient should first establish the king’s confidence through upright behavior; success will make the person both widely trusted and a key support to the king’s administration.