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 ||
Wika ni Bhishma: “Kung dahil sa pananalakay ng hukbong kaaway ay maubos ang iyong yaman, hanapin mong makapagtamo ng yaman sa pamamagitan lamang ng pakikipagkasundo—sa banayad at nakaaaliw na pananalita—mula sa mga nasasakupan mong hindi Brahmana. Dapat iwasan ng pinuno ang pamimilit at pangalagaan ang kaayusang panlipunan at moral kahit sa kagipitang dulot ng digmaan.”
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.