Shloka 16

मयूरवद्राजधर्मः (Mayūra-vat Rāja-dharma) — The Peacock-Model of Protective Kingship

Devanagari script

कोशक्न सततं रक्ष्यो यत्नमास्थाय राजभि: । कोशमूला हि राजान: कोशो वृद्धिकरो भवेत्‌

Transliteration

kośaḥ satataṁ rakṣyo yatnam āsthāya rājabhiḥ | kośamūlā hi rājānaḥ kośo vṛddhikaro bhavet ||

Translation

毗湿摩说道：“君王当竭力不懈，恒常守护国库。因为诸王以国库为根：正是国库使政权得以安定、治理得以施行、国势得以增长。”

Word by Word

• कोशः: treasury
• कोशः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कोश
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• सततम्: always, continually
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सतत

• रक्ष्यः: to be protected / should be protected
• Type: Verb
• Root: रक्ष्
• Form: Gerundive (तव्यत्/यत् sense), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• यत्नम्: effort
• यत्नम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: यत्न
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• आस्थाय: having undertaken / having resorted to
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-स्था
• Form: Absolutive (क्त्वा/ल्यप्), Parasmaipada (usage)

• राजभिः: by kings
• राजभिः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• कोशमूलाः: having the treasury as their root/foundation
• कोशमूलाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कोशमूल
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

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

• राजानः: kings
• राजानः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• कोशः: treasury
• कोशः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कोश
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• वृद्धिकरः: growth-causing, promoting prosperity
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वृद्धिकर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• भवेत्: should be / may become
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• kings (rājānaḥ)
• treasury (kośa)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Bhīṣma teaches that a ruler’s capacity to uphold dharma in practice—administration, protection, welfare, and stability—depends on a well-protected treasury; therefore the king must guard it continuously and diligently.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on rājadharma, Bhīṣma is advising the king on principles of governance, emphasizing the treasury as the foundational support of royal power and public administration.