Critical Edition
भीष्म उवाच स्वराष्ट्रात्परराष्ट्राच्च कोशं संजनयेन्नृपः कोशाद्धि धर्मः कौन्तेय राज्यमूलः प्रवर्तते
M. N. Dutt: Bhishma said By taking riches from his own kingdom as also from the kingdoms of his enemies, the king should, replenish his treasury. Religious merit springs from the treasury, O son of Kunti, and it is through the treasury that the roots of his kingdom extend.
तस्मात्संजनयेत्कोशं संहृत्य परिपालयेत् परिपाल्यानुगृह्णीयादेष धर्मः सनातनः
M. N. Dutt: For these reasons the treasury must be replenished; and when filled, it should be carefully kept, and even sought to be increased. This is the eternal practice.
न कोशः शुद्धशौचेन न नृशंसेन जायते पदं मध्यममास्थाय कोशसंग्रहणं चरेत्
M. N. Dutt: The treasury cannot be replenished by (acting with) purity and fairness, nor by (acting with) ruthless cruelty. It should be filled by following a middle course.
अबलस्य कुतः कोशो ह्यकोशस्य कुतो बलम् अबलस्य कुतो राज्यमराज्ञः श्रीः कुतो भवेत्
M. N. Dutt: How can a weak king have a treasury? How can a king who has no treasury have strength? How can a weak man maintain a kingdom? How, again, can one, who has no kingdom of his own, acquire prosperity?
उच्चैर्वृत्तेः श्रियो हानिर्यथैव मरणं तथा तस्मात्कोशं बलं मित्राण्यथ राजा विवर्धयेत्
M. N. Dutt: Adversity is like death to a person of high rank. Therefore, the king should always multiply his treasury, and army, and allies and friends.
हीनकोशं हि राजानमवजानन्ति मानवाः न चास्याल्पेन तुष्यन्ति कार्यमभ्युत्सहन्ति च
M. N. Dutt: All men disregard a king, who has an empty treasury. Without being pleased with the little that such a king can give, his servants never show any zeal in his business.
श्रियो हि कारणाद्राजा सत्क्रियां लभते पराम् सास्य गूहति पापानि वासो गुह्यमिव स्त्रियाः
M. N. Dutt: By riches, the king acquires great honours. Indeed, riches conceal his very sins, as a dress conceals such parts of a female form as should not be exposed to the public gaze.
ऋद्धिमस्यानुवर्तन्ते पुरा विप्रकृता जनाः शालावृका इवाजस्रं जिघांसूनिव विन्दति ईदृशस्य कुतो राज्ञः सुखं भरतसत्तम
M. N. Dutt: The former enemies of the king become stricken with grief on seeing his newly acquired riches. Like dogs they once more serve him, and though they only seek an opportunity to kill him, he treats them as if nothing has taken place.
उद्यच्छेदेव न ग्लायेदुद्यमो ह्येव पौरुषम् अप्यपर्वणि भज्येत न नमेतेह कस्यचित्
AI Translation: One should not be discouraged, but should strive. For, striving is the very essence of manhood. Even if one is broken in the middle, one should not bow down to anyone.
अप्यरण्यं समाश्रित्य चरेद्दस्युगणैः सह न त्वेवोद्धृतमर्यादैर्दस्युभिः सहितश्चरेत् दस्यूनां सुलभा सेना रौद्रकर्मसु भारत
M. N. Dutt: But he should not, however, live in the midst of ministers and officers who have like robbers transgressed all restraints. Even the wild robbers may supply a large number of soldiers for the performance of the fiercest of deeds. O Bharata.
एकान्तेन ह्यमर्यादात्सर्वोऽप्युद्विजते जनः दस्यवोऽप्युपशङ्कन्ते निरनुक्रोशकारिणः
M. N. Dutt: If the king disregards all healthy restraints, all people are filled with terror. They very robbers who know not what mercy is, fear such a king.
स्थापयेदेव मर्यादां जनचित्तप्रसादिनीम् अल्पाप्यथेह मर्यादा लोके भवति पूजिता
M. N. Dutt: Therefore, the king, should always set down rules and restraints for pleasing his subjects. People always welcome rules even regarding insignificant matters.
नायं लोकोऽस्ति न पर इति व्यवसितो जनः नालं गन्तुं च विश्वासं नास्तिके भयशङ्किनि
M. N. Dutt: There are men who hold that this world is nothing and the future also is a myth. He, who is such an undeliever, though his heart is moved by secret fears, should never be trusted.
यथा सद्भिः परादानमहिंसा दस्युभिस्तथा अनुरज्यन्ति भूतानि समर्यादेषु दस्युषु
M. N. Dutt: If the wild robbers, while observing other virtues, commit robberies, in respect of properties those deeds may be considered as innocent. The lives of thousands of creatures are protected when robbers follow such restraints.
अयुध्यमानस्य वधो दारामर्शः कृतघ्नता ब्रह्मवित्तस्य चादानं निःशेषकरणं तथा स्त्रिया मोषः परिस्थानं दस्युष्वेतद्विगर्हितम्
M. N. Dutt: Killing a retreating enemy, ravishment of wives, ingratitude, plundering the property of a Brahmana, depriving a person of his entire property, violation of maidens, continued occupation of villages and towns as their lawful lords, and adultery with other people's wives.-these are known as sinful acts among even robbers, and robbers should always stand aloof from them.
स एष एव भवति दस्युरेतानि वर्जयन् अभिसंदधते ये न विनाशायास्य भारत नशेषमेवोपालभ्य न कुर्वन्तीति निश्चयः
AI Translation: He alone is the robber, avoiding these. Those who do not unite with him for his destruction, O descendant of Bharata, are not to be blamed at all, since they do not
तस्मात्सशेषं कर्तव्यं स्वाधीनमपि दस्युभिः न बलस्थोऽहमस्मीति नृशंसानि समाचरेत्
M. N. Dutt: Therefore, in dealing with robbers, it is necessary that they should not be destroyed outright. They should be gradually brought under the king's sway. The king should never treat them cruelly, thinking that he is more powerful than they.
सशेषकारिणस्तात शेषं पश्यन्ति सर्वतः निःशेषकारिणो नित्यमशेषकरणाद्भयम्
M. N. Dutt: Those kings, who do not root them out outright have no fear of their ruin, They, however, that do root them out, stand always in dread of them.'