Shloka 7

Kośa-saṃjanana and Subtle Dharma

Treasury Formation and Fine-Grained Ethics

Devanagari script

श्रियो हि कारणाद्‌ राजा सत्क्रियां लभते पराम्‌ | सास्य गूहति पापानि वासो गुह्यूमिव स्त्रिया:

Transliteration

śriyo hi kāraṇād rājā satkriyāṁ labhate parām | sāsyā gūhati pāpāni vāso guhyaṁ iva striyāḥ ||

Translation

Bhishma nói: Chính nhờ phú quý (Lakshmi) mà nhà vua được tôn kính và phụng sự cao nhất ở khắp nơi. Phú quý ấy cũng che lấp lỗi lầm và tội lỗi của ông—như y phục che kín chỗ kín của người phụ nữ.

Word by Word

• श्रियाḥ: of fortune/wealth (Lakṣmī)
• श्रियाḥ: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री (स्त्री.)
• Form: Feminine, Genitive, Singular

• हि: indeed/for
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि

• कारणात्: from/because of the cause (i.e., due to)
• कारणात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: कारण (नपुं.)
• Form: Neuter, Ablative, Singular

• राजा: the king
• राजा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (पुं.)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सत्क्रियम्: honour/respectful reception
• सत्क्रियम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्क्रिया (स्त्री.)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• लभते: obtains
• Type: Verb
• Root: लभ् (धातु)
• Form: Present, Ātmanepada, 3rd, Singular

• पराम्: supreme/great
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (विशेषण)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• सा: she (that fortune)
• सा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• अस्य: of him/of this (king)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• गूहति: conceals/hides
• Type: Verb
• Root: गूह् (धातु)
• Form: Present, Parasmaipada, 3rd, Singular

• पापानि: sins/evils/faults
• पापानि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (नपुं.)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• वासः: a garment/cloth
• वासः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वासस् (नपुं.)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• गुह्यम्: the secret part/private parts
• गुह्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुह्य (विशेषण/नाम)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• इव: like/as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• स्त्रियाः: of a woman
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्री (स्त्री.)
• Form: Feminine, Genitive, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• King (rājā)
• Śrī/Lakṣmī (prosperity/fortune)
• Garment/cloth (vāsaḥ)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Prosperity and royal fortune often generate public honor for a king and can conceal his moral failings; therefore, respect shown to rulers may reflect wealth and power more than genuine virtue, and one should judge by dharma rather than outward splendor.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on governance and conduct, Bhishma advises Yudhishthira by observing how Śrī (royal prosperity) influences society’s treatment of a king—granting him high honor and masking his defects, much like clothing covers what is private.