Shloka 21
Adhyāya 64: Dāna-prakāra—Suvarṇa, Pānīya-dāna, Ghṛta-dāna, and Upakaraṇa-dāna
Utility Gifts
यो रक्षिभ्य: सम्प्रदाय राजा राष्ट्र विलुम्पति । यज्ञे राष्ट्रादू धनं तस्मादानयध्वमिति ब्रुवन्
yo rakṣibhyaḥ sampradāya rājā rāṣṭraṃ vilumpati | yajñe rāṣṭrād dhanaṃ tasmād ānayadhvam iti bruvan |
毗湿摩说：有的国王把政务交给卫士与官吏，自己却反过来掠夺本国；并且这样命令臣仆：“为祭祀（yajña）去从国中取钱来。”他便是借“祭祀”之名劫掠百姓。若他又以奉命恐吓、强取而来的财物来举行祭祀，这样的祭祀，贤良明达之士并不称赞。因为其仪式以压迫为资粮，而非以正当之道得财，故在义理上已被玷污。
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
A religious act (yajña) does not become meritorious merely by its outward ritual form; its moral legitimacy depends on the means by which it is funded. Wealth taken by coercion from subjects corrupts the sacrifice, and the wise do not praise such a rite.
Bhishma criticizes a ruler who orders officials to collect money from the kingdom under the pretext of performing a sacrifice. The verse condemns the king’s exploitation of subjects and states that sacrifices performed with such forcibly extracted wealth are not approved by noble persons.