Shloka 21
अध्याय ७२ — राजधर्मः: प्रजारक्षण, कर-नीति, दण्ड-नीति, अमात्य-नियोजन
Chapter 72 — Royal Duty: protection of subjects, taxation, punishment, and appointments
परचक्राभियानेन यदि ते स्याद् धनक्षय: । अथ साम्नैव लिप्सेथा धनमतब्राह्मणेषु यत्
paracakrābhiyānena yadi te syād dhanakṣayaḥ | atha sāmnaiva lipsetha dhanam atabrāhmaṇeṣu yat ||
毗湿摩说道：“若因敌军入侵而使你的财帛耗尽，也当只以和解之道求取财物——以温柔、安抚之言——向你那些非婆罗门的臣民求取。君王应当避免强迫，即便因战争而陷于财困，也要守护社会秩序与道德纲常。”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even when war causes financial loss, a king should seek resources through sāmā (conciliation and gentle persuasion), not through harsh exaction—especially maintaining due restraint and protecting the Brahmanas’ position while drawing revenue from other subjects in a dharmic manner.
In Bhishma’s instruction on rajadharma in the Shanti Parva, he advises the ruler that if an enemy invasion leads to depletion of wealth, the king should attempt to obtain needed funds by pacific, reassuring speech from non-Brahmana subjects rather than by coercion.