Shloka 57
Varṇa-dharma and Rājadharma: Yudhiṣṭhira’s Inquiry and Bhīṣma’s Normative Outline (वर्णधर्म-राजधर्म-प्रश्नोत्तरम्)
अलब्धलाभो लब्धस्य तथैव च विवर्धनम् | प्रदानं च विवृद्धस्य पात्रेभ्यो विधिवत्तत:
Bhīṣma uvāca: alabdhalābho labdhasya tathaiva ca vivardhanam | pradānaṃ ca vivṛddhasya pātrebhyo vidhivattataḥ ||
Wika ni Bhishma: “Una, sikaping makamtan ang hindi pa nakukuha; saka ingatan ang nakamtan at palaguin ito nang tuluy-tuloy. At kapag lumago na ang yaman, ipagkaloob ito sa wastong paraan sa mga karapat-dapat. Ang disiplinadong pagkuha, pag-iingat, pagpapalago, at matuwid na pagbibigay—ito ang pangunahing wastong paggamit ng yaman.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Wealth should be handled ethically through a disciplined sequence: acquire what is lacking, safeguard what is acquired, increase it responsibly, and finally give the increased wealth properly to worthy recipients.
In Shanti Parva, Bhishma instructs the listener on righteous conduct and statecraft; here he outlines a normative policy for managing wealth, emphasizing orderly acquisition, preservation, growth, and rule-governed charity.