Shloka 23

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

Devanagari script

यस्य कोशबलग्लान्या सर्वलोकपरा भव: । भैक्ष्यचर्या न विहिता न च विट्‌ शूद्रजीविका

Transliteration

yasya kośa-bala-glānyā sarva-loka-parā bhavaḥ | bhaikṣya-caryā na vihitā na ca viṭ-śūdra-jīvikā ||

Translation

毗湿摩说道：“前述劝诫，是为那种库藏与军力衰落、因而很可能被众人压倒的刹帝利而说。刹帝利不应以乞食为生，也不应改行从事吠舍或首陀罗的生计。”

Word by Word

• यस्य: of whom/whose
• यस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• कोशबलग्लान्या: by the decline of treasury and army
• कोशबलग्लान्या: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: कोश-बल-ग्लानि
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• सर्वलोकपरा: having all people as (the opposing side); from all people
• सर्वलोकपरा: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व-लोक-पर
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• भवः: defeat/ruin (state of being overcome)
• भवः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भव
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• भैक्ष्यचर्या: the practice of begging
• भैक्ष्यचर्या: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भैक्ष्य-चर्या
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• विहिता: prescribed/ordained
• Type: Adjective/Participle
• Root: वि-धा (धातु: धा) → विहित
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• न: nor/not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

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

• विट्: a Vaiśya
• Type: Noun
• Root: विट्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• शूद्रजीविका: a Śūdra’s livelihood/means of living
• शूद्रजीविका: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूद्र-जीविका
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• Kshatriya
• Vaishya
• Shudra
• Treasury (kośa)
• Army/strength (bala)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A kshatriya must uphold kshatriya-dharma even in hardship: when wealth and military power decline and defeat threatens, he should not resort to begging or to occupations assigned to vaishyas or shudras; the prior guidance is framed specifically for such a crisis.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on rajadharma, Bhishma is advising the king about proper conduct and permissible means of sustenance in times of political and economic weakness, clarifying what is and is not sanctioned for a kshatriya.