Shloka 236
राष्ट्रगुप्ति-संग्रहः
Protection of the Realm and Principles of Revenue & Local Administration
राष्ट्र च कोशभूतं स्यात् कोशो वेश्मगतस्तथा । राजाको चाहिये कि वह अपने देशमें लोगोंके पास इकट्ठे हुए धनको आपत्तिके समय काम आनेके लिये बढ़ावे और अपने राष्ट्रको घरमें रखा हुआ खजाना समझे
rāṣṭraṃ ca kośabhūtaṃ syāt kośo veśmagatas tathā | rājā ca āhāryaṃ yat syāt sva-deśe janasaṃnidhau saṃcitaṃ dhanaṃ āpadi kāryārthaṃ vardhayet, rāṣṭraṃ ca veśmani nihitaṃ kośam iva manyeta |
Wika ni Bhishma: “Ituring na ang kaharian mismo ay isang kabang-yaman, at ang kabang-yaman ay parang kayamanang ligtas na nakatago sa loob ng tahanan. Kaya nararapat na palaguin ng hari ang yaman na naipon sa mga tao sa sarili niyang lupain upang magamit sa oras ng kapahamakan, at tingnan ang kanyang nasasakupan bilang pondong reserba na iniingatan sa bahay.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
A ruler must treat the realm and its productive capacity as a strategic reserve: nurture and expand the people’s prosperity so that, in emergencies, the state can draw upon stable resources without destroying the social fabric.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on rājadharma, Bhishma advises the king on prudent governance: the treasury should be as secure as wealth kept at home, and the kingdom itself should be managed as a living treasury by fostering accumulated wealth among the subjects for use in times of crisis.