Shloka 80

Devanagari script

अगोप्तारश्न॒ राजानो बलिषड्भागतस्करा: । समर्थाक्षाप्पदातारस्ते वै निरयगामिन:,जो राजा होकर भी प्रजाकी रक्षा नहीं करते और उसकी आमदनीके छठे भागको लगानके रूपमें लूटते रहते हैं तथा जो समर्थ होनेपर भी दान नहीं करते, उन्हें भी निःसंदेह नरकमें जाना पड़ता है

Transliteration

agoptāraś ca rājāno bali-ṣaḍbhāga-taskarāḥ | samarthāś cāpy adātāras te vai niraya-gāminaḥ ||

Translation

భీష్ముడు పలికెను—ప్రజలను రక్షించని రాజులు, అయినా వారి ఆదాయంలో ఆరవ భాగాన్ని పన్నుగా దొంగలవలె తీసుకునేవారు; అలాగే సామర్థ్యం ఉన్నప్పటికీ దానం చేయనివారు—వారు నిశ్చయంగా నరకగాములు।

Word by Word

अगोप्तारःnon-protectors (those who do not protect)

चand

राजानःkings

बलि-षड्भाग-तस्कराःthieves of the tax (the sixth share) as tribute

समर्थाःcapable, able

चand

अ-प्रदातारःnon-givers (those who do not give)

तेthey

वैindeed, surely

निरय-गामिनःhell-going, destined for hell

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhishma

kings (rājānaḥ)

subjects/people (implied)

bali (tribute/tax)

niraya (hell)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Taxation is justified only when the ruler fulfills dharma: protecting the people and practicing generosity. Taking revenue without protection is equated with theft, and stinginess despite capacity is condemned; both lead to severe karmic consequences.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Bhishma’s instruction on dharma (especially duties of rulers), he warns about the moral accountability of kings: failure in protection and charity, while still extracting the traditional one-sixth levy, is portrayed as criminal and spiritually ruinous.