Shloka 35

Kośa, Bala, and Maryādā: Treasury, Capacity, and Enforceable Limits (कोश-बल-मर्यादा)

Devanagari script

राज्ञ: कोशबलं मूलं कोशमूलं पुनर्बलम्‌ । तन्मूलं सर्वधर्माणां धर्ममूला: पुनः प्रजा:

Transliteration

rājñaḥ kośabalaṃ mūlaṃ kośamūlaṃ punar balam | tanmūlaṃ sarvadharmāṇāṃ dharmamūlāḥ punaḥ prajāḥ ||

Translation

Bhishma nói: “Với nhà vua, gốc rễ của quyền lực là kho tàng (kośa) và quân đội; mà quân đội lại lấy kho tàng làm gốc. Trên sức mạnh ấy đặt nền cho việc bảo hộ mọi dharma; và trên dharma, đến lượt nó, sự ổn định và hưng thịnh của dân chúng mới nương tựa.”

Word by Word

• राज्ञः: of the king
• राज्ञः: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• कोशबलम्: treasury and army (resources and force)
• कोशबलम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कोशबल
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• मूलम्: the root/foundation
• मूलम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूल
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• कोशमूलम्: having the treasury as its root; treasury-rooted
• कोशमूलम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कोशमूल
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• पुनः: again; further
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः

• बलम्: strength; army/force
• बलम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• तत्: that (i.e., that force/army)
• तत्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• मूलम्: the root/foundation
• मूलम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूल
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• सर्वधर्माणाम्: of all dharmas (duties/laws)
• सर्वधर्माणाम्: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्वधर्म
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• धर्ममूलाः: having dharma as their root; rooted in dharma
• धर्ममूलाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्ममूल
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

• पुनः: again; further
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः

• प्रजाः: the subjects/people
• प्रजाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजा
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• king (rājā)
• treasury (kośa)
• army/force (bala)
• dharma
• subjects/people (prajāḥ)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Bhīṣma presents a chain of foundations in kingship: the king’s effective power depends on treasury and army; the army depends on financial resources; that strength enables the safeguarding of dharma; and dharma is the ultimate foundation for the well-being and continuity of the people.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on rājadharma, Bhīṣma advises Yudhiṣṭhira on practical governance. Here he emphasizes that moral order (dharma) requires protection, and such protection in a kingdom relies on material capacity—especially a well-maintained treasury supporting the army.