Shloka 4

Treasury Security, Protection of Informants, and the Kalakavṛkṣīya Exemplum (Śānti Parva 83)

Devanagari script

राजकोशस्य गोप्तारं राजकोशविलोपका: । समेत्य सर्वे बाधन्ते स विनश्यत्यरक्षित:,जो राजाके खजानेकी रक्षा करनेवाला है, उस पुरुषको राजकीय कोष लूटनेवाले सब लोग एकमत होकर सताने लगते हैं। यदि राजाके द्वारा उसकी रक्षा नहीं की जाय तो वह बेचारा बेमौत मारा जाता है

Transliteration

rājakośasya goptāraṃ rājakośavilopakāḥ | sametya sarve bādhante sa vinaśyaty arakṣitaḥ ||

Translation

جو لوگ شاہی خزانہ لوٹتے ہیں وہ سب مل کر اسی شخص کو ستاتے ہیں جو خزانے کا نگہبان ہوتا ہے۔ اگر بادشاہ اس کی حفاظت نہ کرے تو وہ نگہبان—اپنے فرض پر قائم رہتے ہوئے بھی—بے یار و مددگار تباہ ہو جاتا ہے۔

Word by Word

राजकोशस्यof the royal treasury

गोप्तारम्the protector/guardian

राजकोशविलोपकाःplunderers of the royal treasury

समेत्यhaving assembled/coming together

सर्वेall

बाधन्तेthey harass/afflict

सःhe

विनश्यतिperishes/is destroyed

अरक्षितःunprotected/unguarded

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhīṣma

rājā (the king)

rājakośa (royal treasury)

goptṛ (treasury-guardian)

rājakośavilopakāḥ (treasury-plunderers)

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?

A ruler must actively protect honest officials who safeguard public wealth; otherwise corrupt actors will unite to persecute them, and the state’s moral order collapses along with the innocent.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma warns that treasury-plunderers collectively target the treasury-guardian; if the king fails to provide protection, the guardian is ruined—highlighting the king’s duty to shield loyal servants against organized corruption.