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Shloka 6

Kośa-saṃjanana and Subtle Dharma

Treasury Formation and Fine-Grained Ethics

हीनकोशं॑ हि राजानमवजानन्ति मानवा: । न चास्याल्पेन तुष्यन्ति कार्यमप्युत्सहन्ति च

hīna-kośaṁ hi rājānam avajānanti mānavāḥ | na cāsyālpena tuṣyanti kāryam apy utsahanti ca ||

Bhishma nói: Người đời khinh thường một vị vua khi kho tàng đã cạn. Họ không thỏa mãn nếu chỉ nhận được ít ỏi từ ông, và cũng chẳng hăng hái thực hiện công việc của ông.

हीनकोशम्having a deficient treasury
हीनकोशम्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootहीनकोश
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
हिindeed/for
हि:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootहि
राजानम्king
राजानम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootराजन्
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
अवजानन्तिdisrespect/ignore
अवजानन्ति:
TypeVerb
Rootअव√ज्ञा
FormPresent, Third, Plural, Parasmaipada
मानवाःpeople/men
मानवाः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootमानव
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
not
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
and
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
अस्यof him/of this (king)
अस्य:
TypePronoun
Rootइदम्
FormMasculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular
अल्पेनwith a little (amount)
अल्पेन:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootअल्प
FormNeuter, Instrumental, Singular
तुष्यन्तिare satisfied
तुष्यन्ति:
TypeVerb
Root√तुष्
FormPresent, Third, Plural, Parasmaipada
कार्यम्task/work
कार्यम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootकार्य
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
अपिeven/also
अपि:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअपि
उत्सहन्तिundertake/are eager (to do)
उत्सहन्ति:
TypeVerb
Rootउत्√सह्
FormPresent, Third, Plural, Parasmaipada
and
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root

भीष्म उवाच

B
Bhishma
K
king (rājā)
P
people (mānavāḥ)
T
treasury (kośa)

Educational Q&A

A ruler’s effectiveness depends not only on personal virtue but also on material resources: without a stable treasury, public respect declines, incentives fail, and administrative work loses momentum.

In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on rāja-dharma, Bhishma advises the king on practical statecraft, warning that a depleted treasury undermines both the people’s regard and their willingness to serve.