भीष्म उवाच स्वराष्ट्रात् परराष्ट्राच्च कोशं संजनयेन्नृपः। कोशाद्धि धर्मः कौन्तेय राज्यमूलं च वर्धते॥
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.
तस्मात् संजनयेत् कोशं सत्कृत्य परिपालयेत्। परिपाल्यानुतनुयादेष धर्मः सनातनः॥
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 जातुचित्। मध्यमं पदमास्थाय कोशसंग्रहणं चरेत्॥
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 कुत: कोशो ह्यकोशस्य कुतो बलम्। अबलस्य कुतो राज्यमराज्ञः श्रीर्भवेत् कुतः॥
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। तस्मात् कोशं बलं मित्रमथ राजा विवर्धयेत्॥
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 कार्यमप्युत्सहन्ति च॥
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 कारणाद् राजा सक्रियां लभते पराम्। सास्य गृहति पापानि वासो गुह्यमिव स्त्रियाः॥
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.
ऋद्धिमस्यानु तप्यन्ते पुरा विप्रकृता नराः। शालावृका इवाजस्त्रं जिघांसुमेव विन्दति॥
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.
ईदृशस्य कुतो राज्ञः सुखं भवति भारत। उद्यच्छेदेव न नमेदुद्यमो ह्येव पौरुषम्॥
How, O Bharata, can such a king enjoy happiness? The king should always try for acquiring greatness.
अप्यपर्वणि भज्येत न नमतेह कस्यचित्। अप्यरण्यं समाश्रित्य चरेन्मृगगणैः सह॥
He should never bend low in humility. Exertion is manliness. He should rather break when an unfavourable opportunity comes than bend low before any one. He should rather go to the forest and live there with wild animals.
न त्वेवोज्झितमर्यादैर्दस्युभिः सहितश्चरेत्। दस्यूनां सुलभा सेना रौद्रकर्मसु भारत॥
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.
एकान्ततो ह्यमर्यादात् सर्वोऽप्युद्विजते जनः। दस्यवोऽप्यभिशङ्कन्ते निरनुक्रोशकारिणः॥
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। अल्पेऽप्यर्थे च मर्यादा लोके भवति पूजिता॥
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 हि विश्वासं नास्तिके भयशङ्किते॥
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 दस्युभिः कृता। अनुरज्यन्ति भूतानि समर्यादेषु दस्युषु॥
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.
अयुद्ध्यमानस्य वधो दारामर्षः कृतघ्नता। ब्रह्मवित्तस्य चादानं निःशेषकरणं तथा॥ स्त्रिया मोषः पतिस्थानं दस्युष्वेतद् विगर्हितम्। संश्लेषं च परस्त्रीमिर्दस्युरेतानि वजयेत्॥
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.
अभिसंदधते ये च विश्वासायास्य मानवाः। अशेषमेवोपलभ्य कुर्वन्तीति विनिश्चयः॥
It is again certain that those kings, who try to create confidence in robbers, succeed, after watching all their ins and outs, in rooting them out.
तस्मात् सशेषं कर्तव्यं स्वाधीनमपि दस्युभिः। न बलस्थोऽहमस्मीति नृशंसानि समाचरेत्॥
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.
स शेषकारिणस्तत्र शेषं पश्यन्ति सर्वशः। निःशेषकारिणो नित्यं निःशेषकरणाद् भयम्॥
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.'