Critical Edition
भीष्म उवाच नित्योद्युक्तेन वै राज्ञा भवितव्यं युधिष्ठिर प्रशाम्यते च राजा हि नारीवोद्यमवर्जितः
M. N. Dutt: 'The king, O Yudhishthira, should always address himself for action. That king does not deserve praise who, like a woman, is destitute of exertion.
भगवानुशना चाह श्लोकमत्र विशां पते तमिहैकमना राजन्गदतस्त्वं निबोध मे
M. N. Dutt: On this subject, the holy Ushanas has recited a Sloka, o king, Listen to it with attention, O king, as I recite it to you.
द्वावेतौ ग्रसते भूमिः सर्पो बिलशयानिव राजानं चाविरोद्धारं ब्राह्मणं चाप्रवासिनम्
M. N. Dutt: Like a snake swallowing up mice, the Earth swallows up those two, viz., the king who does not like to fight and the Brahmana who is exceedingly found of his wives and children.
तदेतन्नरशार्दूल हृदि त्वं कर्तुमर्हसि संधेयानपि संधत्स्व विरोध्यांश्च विरोधय
M. N. Dutt: You should, O foremost of kings, always remember it. Make peace with those enemies with whom peace should be made, and fight with them with whom war should be waged.
Supplementary Passages:
12.57.4 After 4, K2.4 ins.: *124 स्वाम्यमात्यसुहृत्कोशराष्ट्रदुर्गबलानि च
सप्ताङ्गे यश्च ते राज्ये वैपरीत्यं समाचरेत् गुरुर्वा यदि वा मित्रं प्रतिहन्तव्य एव सः
M. N. Dutt: He, who acts inimically towards your kingdom consisting of seven limbs, should be killed, may he be your preceptor or friend.
मरुत्तेन हि राज्ञायं गीतः श्लोकः पुरातनः राज्याधिकारे राजेन्द्र बृहस्पतिमतः पुरा
M. N. Dutt: There is an ancient Sloka recited by king Marutta, quite of a piece with Brihaspati's view, O king, about the duty of kings.
गुरोरप्यवलिप्तस्य कार्याकार्यमजानतः उत्पथप्रतिपन्नस्य परित्यागो विधीयते
AI Translation: Even if the teacher is corrupt, does not know what is to be done and what is not to be done, and has fallen into the wrong path, it is prescribed that he should be abandoned.
बाहोः पुत्रेण राज्ञा च सगरेणेह धीमता असमञ्जाः सुतो ज्येष्ठस्त्यक्तः पौरहितैषिणा
AI Translation: By the son of Bahu, the wise king Sagara, The eldest son Asamanja was abandoned by him who desired to be a priest.
असमञ्जाः सरय्वां प्राक्पौराणां बालकान्नृप न्यमज्जयदतः पित्रा निर्भर्त्स्य स विवासितः
M. N. Dutt: Asamanjas, O king, used to drown the children of the citizens in the Sarayu. His father, therefore, remonstrated with and exiled him.
ऋषिणोद्दालकेनापि श्वेतकेतुर्महातपाः मिथ्या विप्रानुपचरन्संत्यक्तो दयितः सुतः
M. N. Dutt: The Rishi Uddalaka renounced his favourite son Svetaketu of rigid penances, because the latter used to invite Brahmanas with false promises of entertainment.
लोकरञ्जनमेवात्र राज्ञां धर्मः सनातनः सत्यस्य रक्षणं चैव व्यवहारस्य चार्जवम्
M. N. Dutt: To make their subjects happy, to observe truth and to act sincerely are the eternal duties of kings.
न हिंस्यात्परवित्तानि देयं काले च दापयेत् विक्रान्तः सत्यवाक्क्षान्तो नृपो न चलते पथः
M. N. Dutt: The king should not hanker after the wealth of others. He should in time give what should be given. If the king be comes endued with prowess, truthful in speech, and forgiving in temper, he would never be shorn of prosperity.
गुप्तमन्त्रो जितक्रोधो शास्त्रार्थगतनिश्चयः धर्मे चार्थे च कामे च मोक्षे च सततं रतः
M. N. Dutt: With soul purged off sins the king should be able to govern his anger and all his conclusions should be according to the scriptures. He should also always follow morality, worldly profit, pleasure and emancipation.
त्रय्या संवृतरन्ध्रश्च राजा भवितुमर्हति वृजिनस्य नरेन्द्राणां नान्यत्संवरणात्परम्
M. N. Dutt: The king should always keep his counsels close regarding these three. No greater misfortune can betake the king than the giving out of his counsels.
चातुर्वर्ण्यस्य धर्माश्च रक्षितव्या महीक्षिता धर्मसंकररक्षा हि राज्ञां धर्मः सनातनः
M. N. Dutt: Kings should protect the four castes in the discharge of their duties. it is the eternal duty of kings not to allow the confusion of duties of the different orders.
न विश्वसेच्च नृपतिर्न चात्यर्थं न विश्वसेत् षाड्गुण्यगुणदोषांश्च नित्यं बुद्ध्यावलोकयेत्
M. N. Dutt: The king should not confide (in others than his own servants), nor should he place too much confidence (in even his servants). He should, by own intelligence, find out the merits and short-comings of the six principal works of sovereignty.
द्विट्छिद्रदर्शी नृपतिर्नित्यमेव प्रशस्यते त्रिवर्गविदितार्थश्च युक्तचारोपधिश्च यः
M. N. Dutt: The king who marks the short-comings of his enemies and cleverly follows morality, profit, and pleasure, who engages intelligent spies for determining secrets and tries to win over the officers of his enemies by presents of wealth is indeed praise-worthy.
कोशस्योपार्जनरतिर्यमवैश्रवणोपमः वेत्ता च दशवर्गस्य स्थानवृद्धिक्षयात्मनः
M. N. Dutt: The king should administer justice like the Regent of Death and amass riches like the god of wealth. He should also mark the merits and short-comings of his on acquisitions and losses and of his own territories.
अभृतानां भवेद्भर्ता भृतानां चान्ववेक्षकः नृपतिः सुमुखश्च स्यात्स्मितपूर्वाभिभाषिता
M. N. Dutt: He should feed those who have not been fed, and enquire of those who have been fed. Always sweet-speeched he should spcak with a smiling face.
उपासिता च वृद्धानां जिततन्द्रीरलोलुपः सतां वृत्ते स्थितमतिः सन्तो ह्याचारदर्शिनः
M. N. Dutt: He should always wait upon his elders and put down procrastination. He should never covet others' properties.
न चाददीत वित्तानि सतां हस्तात्कदाचन असद्भ्यस्तु समादद्यात्सद्भ्यः संप्रतिपादयेत्
M. N. Dutt: He should strictly follow the conduct of the righteous. He should never take money from the righteous. Taking the wealth of those who are not righteous he should give it to them who are righteous.
स्वयं प्रहर्तादाता च वश्यात्मा वश्यसाधनः काले दाता च भोक्ता च शुद्धाचारस्तथैव च
M. N. Dutt: The king should himself be clever in smitting. He should be liberal. He should have his mind under control. He should dress himself gorgeously. He should make presents in proper time and be regular in his meals. He should also be of good conduct.
शूरान्भक्तानसंहार्यान्कुले जातानरोगिणः शिष्टाञ्शिष्टाभिसंबन्धान्मानिनो नावमानिनः
AI Translation: Those who are brave, devoted, and cannot be destroyed, born in a family, free from disease, Those who are virtuous, connected with the virtuous, proud, not disrespectful,
विद्याविदो लोकविदः परलोकान्ववेक्षकान् धर्मेषु निरतान्साधूनचलानचलानिव
AI Translation: Those who know the Vedas, those who know the world, those who investigate the other world, Those who are devoted to the Dharma, those who are good, those who are immovable like the immovable.
सहायान्सततं कुर्याद्राजा भूतिपुरस्कृतः तैस्तुल्यश्च भवेद्भोगैश्छत्रमात्राज्ञयाधिकः
AI Translation: The king should always make his allies prosperous and honored. He should be equal to them in wealth and superior to them only in the umbrella and the command.
प्रत्यक्षा च परोक्षा च वृत्तिश्चास्य भवेत्सदा एवं कृत्वा नरेन्द्रो हि न खेदमिह विन्दति
M. N. Dutt: He should always treat them equally before or behind. The king, who behaves in this way, is never overtaken by calamity.
सर्वातिशङ्की नृपतिर्यश्च सर्वहरो भवेत् स क्षिप्रमनृजुर्लुब्धः स्वजनेनैव बाध्यते
M. N. Dutt: That crooked and covetous king, who suspect ever body and who imposes heavy taxes on his subjects, is soon killed by his own servants and relatives.
शुचिस्तु पृथिवीपालो लोकचित्तग्रहे रतः न पतत्यरिभिर्ग्रस्तः पतितश्चावतिष्ठते
M. N. Dutt: That king, however, who is righteous and who is ever engaged in attracting the hearts of his people, is never ruined when attacked by foes. If defeated, he soon regains his position.
अक्रोधनोऽथाव्यसनी मृदुदण्डो जितेन्द्रियः राजा भवति भूतानां विश्वास्यो हिमवानिव
M. N. Dutt: If the king is not angry by nature, if he is not addicted to evil habits and not severe in his punishment, if he succeeds in keeping his passions under restraint he becomes an object of confidence to all like the Himavat mountains.
प्राज्ञो न्यायगुणोपेतः पररन्ध्रेषु तत्परः सुदर्शः सर्ववर्णानां नयापनयवित्तथा
AI Translation: wise, endowed with the qualities of justice, intent on the weaknesses of others, well-known to all castes, skilled in policy and non-policy,
क्षिप्रकारी जितक्रोधः सुप्रसादो महामनाः अरोगप्रकृतिर्युक्तः क्रियावानविकत्थनः
AI Translation: Quick in action, having conquered anger, easily pleased, of great mind, Of healthy nature, well-composed, active, not boastful,
आरब्धान्येव कार्याणि न पर्यवसितानि च यस्य राज्ञः प्रदृश्यन्ते स राजा राजसत्तमः
AI Translation: The king who has begun his duties but not completed them is seen to be the best of kings.
पुत्रा इव पितुर्गेहे विषये यस्य मानवाः निर्भया विचरिष्यन्ति स राजा राजसत्तमः
M. N. Dutt: He is best of kings in whose kingdom men live fearlessly like sons in the house of their father.
अगूढविभवा यस्य पौरा राष्ट्रनिवासिनः नयापनयवेत्तारः स राजा राजसत्तमः
M. N. Dutt: He is the best of kings whose subjects have not to hide their wealth and know what is good and what is bad for them.
स्वकर्मनिरता यस्य जना विषयवासिनः असंघातरता दान्ताः पाल्यमाना यथाविधि
AI Translation: Those who are engaged in their own duties, who dwell in the realm of objects, Who are devoted to non-violence, who are disciplined, who are protected according to the rules,
वश्या नेया विनीताश्च न च संघर्षशीलिनः विषये दानरुचयो नरा यस्य स पार्थिवः
AI Translation: Those who are under control, who are to be led, who are disciplined, and who are not quarrelsome, Those who are devoted to giving in the realm, that king.
न यस्य कूटकपटं न माया न च मत्सरः विषये भूमिपालस्य तस्य धर्मः सनातनः
AI Translation: For him there is no deceit, no illusion, no envy. This is the eternal dharma of the lord of the land.
यः सत्करोति ज्ञानानि नेयः पौरहिते रतः सतां धर्मानुगस्त्यागी स राजा राज्यमर्हति
M. N. Dutt: That king truly deserves to govern who honours knowledge, who is devoted to the no scriptures and the good of his people, who wends the path of the righteous, and who is liberal.
यस्य चारश्च मन्त्रश्च नित्यं चैव कृताकृते न ज्ञायते हि रिपुभिः स राजा राज्यमर्हति
M. N. Dutt: That king deserves to rule whose counsels and acts done and undone remain close to his enemies.
श्लोकश्चायं पुरा गीतो भार्गवेण महात्मना आख्याते रामचरिते नृपतिं प्रति भारत
M. N. Dutt: The following verse was recited in days of yore by Ushanas of Bhrigu's race, in the narrative called Ramacharita, on the subject, O Bharata, of royal duties.
राजानं प्रथमं विन्देत्ततो भार्यां ततो धनम् राजन्यसति लोकस्य कुतो भार्या कुतो धनम्
M. N. Dutt: One should first select a king. Then should he select a wife, and then acquire wealth. If there be no king, what would become of his wife and properties?
तद्राजन्राजसिंहानां नान्यो धर्मः सनातनः ऋते रक्षां सुविस्पष्टां रक्षा लोकस्य धारणम्
M. N. Dutt: About those who seek kingdom, there is no other eternal duty than the protection of subjects). The protection the king grants of his subjects maintains the world.
प्राचेतसेन मनुना श्लोकौ चेमावुदाहृतौ राजधर्मेषु राजेन्द्र ताविहैकमनाः शृणु
M. N. Dutt: Manu, the son of Prachetas, recited these two verses regarding the duties of kings. Listen to them with attention.
षडेतान्पुरुषो जह्याद्भिन्नां नावमिवार्णवे अप्रवक्तारमाचार्यमनधीयानमृत्विजम्
AI Translation: One should avoid these six, like a leaky boat in the ocean: A teacher who does not speak, a priest who does not study,
अरक्षितारं राजानं भार्यां चाप्रियवादिनीम् ग्रामकामं च गोपालं वनकामं च नापितम्
AI Translation: a king who does not protect, a wife who speaks unpleasantly, a cowherd who desires a village, a barber who desires a forest,