Shloka 10

Brāhmaṇa-bheda-nirṇaya and Rājā’s Regulatory Duties (ब्राह्मणभेदनिर्णयः)

Devanagari script

यदि राजाके खजानेमें कमी हो तो वह इन ब्राह्मणोंसे कर ले सकता है। केवल उन ब्राह्मणोंसे, जो ब्रह्माजी तथा देवताओंके समान बताये गये हैं, कर नहीं लेना चाहिये ।।

Transliteration

yadi rājake khajāne meṁ kamī ho to sa in brāhmaṇoṁ se kara le sakatā hai | kevala un brāhmaṇoṁ se, jo brahmājī tathā devatāoṁ ke samāna batāye gaye haiṁ, kara nahīṁ lenā cāhiye || abrāhmaṇānāṁ vittasya svāmī rājeti vaidikam | brāhmaṇānāṁ ca ye kecid vikarmasthā bhavanty uta, rājā brāhmaṇa ke sivā anya sab varṇoṁ ke dhana kā svāmī hotā hai, yahī vaidika siddhānta hai | brāhmaṇoṁ meṁ se jo koī apane varṇa ke viparīta karma karane vāle haiṁ, unake dhana para bhī rājā kā hī adhikāra hai |

Translation

毗湿摩说道：“若王库不足，国王甚至可以向这些婆罗门征税；但对于被称为如梵天与诸天一般的婆罗门——即安住于真正婆罗门行持者——则不应取之。吠陀之旨在于：国王是非婆罗门之财富的正当主宰；而在婆罗门之中，凡处于‘维迦摩’（违背本分之邪行）者，其财亦在王之赋税权下。故王家之财赋被视为达摩之器：既护国而立序，又免真正正直者之累，并约束背弃所定职责之人。”

Word by Word

• अब्राह्मणानाम्: of non-Brahmins
• अब्राह्मणानाम्: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: अ-ब्राह्मण
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• वित्तस्य: of wealth/property
• वित्तस्य: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: वित्त
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• स्वामी: owner/lord
• स्वामी: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वामिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• राजा: the king
• राजा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• इति: thus/so (quotative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति

• वैदिकम्: Vedic (doctrine/statement)
• वैदिकम्: Visheshana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वैदिक
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• ब्राह्मणानाम्: of Brahmins
• ब्राह्मणानाम्: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

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

• ये: who (those who)
• ये: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• केचित्: some
• केचित्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: केचित्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• विकर्मस्थाः: standing in improper acts / engaged in forbidden conduct
• विकर्मस्थाः: Visheshana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विकर्म-स्थ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• भवन्ति: are/become
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू
• Form: Present, Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• उत: also/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उत

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• Brahmins
• King (raja)
• Brahma
• Devas (gods)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Royal taxation is legitimate as a tool of governance, but it must be guided by dharma: the king should respect and protect truly righteous Brahmins, while asserting fiscal authority over non-Brahmins and over those Brahmins who abandon proper conduct (vikarma).

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on rajadharma, Bhishma advises Yudhishthira on revenue policy: when the treasury is deficient, the king may levy taxes broadly, yet he should exempt exemplary Brahmins and may tax even Brahmins who act contrary to their ordained duties.