Shloka 19
राष्ट्रगुप्ति-संग्रहः
Protection of the Realm and Principles of Revenue & Local Administration
ईहाद्वाराणि संरुध्य राजा सम्प्रीतदर्शन: । प्रद्धिषन्ति परिख्यातं राजानमतिखादिनम्
bhīṣma uvāca | īhādvārāṇi saṃrudhya rājā samprītadarśanaḥ | praddhiṣanti parikhyātaṃ rājānam atikhādinam |
Wika ni Bhishma: “Isara ng hari ang mga pintuan ng kasakiman at pansariling paghahangad, at maging pinunong ang mismong pagtanaw sa kanya ay ikinalulugod ng mga tao. Sapagkat kapag ang isang namumuno ay sumikat sa masamang pangalan bilang labis na ‘manlalamon’—yaong sobra kung maningil at umubos sa yaman at ikabubuhay ng kanyang nasasakupan—ang buong bayan ay tatalikod sa kanya sa poot.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
A king must restrain greed and avoid excessive extraction from the people; rulership should be welfare-oriented so that the ruler remains प्रियदर्शन (pleasing and trusted), not notorious as an exploiter.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on rajadharma, Bhishma advises the ruler to close the ‘doors’ of selfish desire and warns that if a king becomes famous for over-consuming the people’s resources, public resentment and hatred inevitably arise.