Shloka 20

Śānti Parva 116: Criteria for Royal Servants and Administrative Competence (भृत्य-गुण-प्रश्नः / राजसेवक-लक्षणम्)

Devanagari script

कोशाख्यपटलं यस्य कोशवृद्धिकरैनरि: । आप्तैस्तुष्टैश्न सततं चीयते स नृपोत्तम:,विश्वासपात्र, संतोषी तथा खजाना बढ़ानेका सतत प्रयत्न करनेवाले, खजांचियोंके द्वारा जिसके कोषकी सदा वृद्धि हो रही हो, वही राजाओंमें श्रेष्ठ है

Transliteration

kośākhyapaṭalaṃ yasya kośavṛddhikarair naraḥ | āptais tuṣṭaiś ca satataṃ cīyate sa nṛpottamaḥ ||

Translation

Bhishma nói: Vị vua ưu việt nhất trong hàng quân vương là người có quốc khố—được quản trị đúng phép—không ngừng tăng trưởng nhờ những quan lại đáng tin, biết đủ, và luôn chuyên cần lo việc làm cho kho tàng thêm dồi dào.

Word by Word

कोशाख्यपटलम्the cover/door called the treasury (i.e., the treasury’s guarded enclosure)

यस्यwhose

कोशवृद्धिकरैःby (those) who cause increase of the treasury

नरैःby men (officials)

आप्तैःby trustworthy/faithful (persons)

तुष्टैःby satisfied/contented (persons)

नnot

सततम्always, constantly

चीयतेis accumulated / is built up

सःhe

नृपोत्तमःthe best of kings

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhīṣma

king (nṛpa/nṛpottama)

treasury (kośa)

trusted and contented officials (āptāḥ tuṣṭāḥ)

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’s excellence is shown by stable, well-managed finances: the treasury should grow through continuous, lawful administration by trustworthy and contented officers—implying integrity, proper incentives, and vigilant oversight as pillars of good kingship.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on kingship, Bhīṣma advises Yudhiṣṭhira on qualities of an ideal ruler, here emphasizing the importance of a steadily increasing treasury maintained by reliable, satisfied administrators.