Critical Edition
भीष्म उवाच एतत्ते राजधर्माणां नवनीतं युधिष्ठिर बृहस्पतिर्हि भगवान्नान्यं धर्मं प्रशंसति
M. N. Dutt: 'Protection of the subjects, O Yudhishthira, is the quintessence of duties. the divine Brihaspati does not speak so highly of any other duty.
Supplementary Passages:
12.58.1 Before the ref., G2 ins.: *125 श्रीवैशंपायनः एतावदुक्त्वा भूयोऽपि भीष्मः कुरुपितामहः उवाच वचनं धीमान्सर्वतः सारसंग्रहम्
विशालाक्षश्च भगवान्काव्यश्चैव महातपाः सहस्राक्षो महेन्द्रश्च तथा प्राचेतसो मनुः
AI Translation: The Blessed One with wide eyes, the one with great austerities, The Thousand-eyed One, the great Indra, and Manu Prachêtas,
भरद्वाजश्च भगवांस्तथा गौरशिरा मुनिः राजशास्त्रप्रणेतारो ब्रह्मण्या ब्रह्मवादिनः
AI Translation: The revered Bharadvaja, and the sage Gauriśiras, The formulators of royal policy, the most righteous, the expounders of the Vedas,
रक्षामेव प्रशंसन्ति धर्मं धर्मभृतां वर राज्ञां राजीवताम्राक्ष साधनं चात्र वै शृणु
M. N. Dutt: All of them speak highly of the duty of protection, O foremost of virtuous persons regarding the kings. O you having eyes like lotus petals and copper-coloured, listen to the means by which protection may be obtained.
चारश्च प्रणिधिश्चैव काले दानममत्सरः युक्त्यादानं न चादानमयोगेन युधिष्ठिर
AI Translation: Charity, self-control, and giving at the right time, without miserliness, Giving through proper means, not giving through improper means, O Yudhishthira,
सतां संग्रहणं शौर्यं दाक्ष्यं सत्यं प्रजाहितम् अनार्जवैरार्जवैश्च शत्रुपक्षस्य भेदनम्
AI Translation: The protection of the good, courage, skill, truth, and the welfare of the people, and the division of the enemy's faction through dishonesty and honesty.
साधूनामपरित्यागः कुलीनानां च धारणम् निचयश्च निचेयानां सेवा बुद्धिमतामपि
AI Translation: Not abandoning the good, and supporting the noble, and accumulating the lowly, and serving even the wise,
बलानां हर्षणं नित्यं प्रजानामन्ववेक्षणम् कार्येष्वखेदः कोशस्य तथैव च विवर्धनम्
AI Translation: Always delighting the strong, looking after the subjects, Not being discouraged in tasks, and similarly increasing the treasury,
पुरगुप्तिरविश्वासः पौरसंघातभेदनम् केतनानां च जीर्णानामवेक्षा चैव सीदताम्
AI Translation: Purugupta, non-confidence, division of the assembly of citizens, and the neglect of the old and the distressed.
द्विविधस्य च दण्डस्य प्रयोगः कालचोदितः अरिमध्यस्थमित्राणां यथावच्चान्ववेक्षणम्
AI Translation: The application of the two kinds of punishment is prompted by time. The proper supervision of enemies, neutrals, and friends.
उपजापश्च भृत्यानामात्मनः परदर्शनात् अविश्वासः स्वयं चैव परस्याश्वासनं तथा
AI Translation: and the instigation of servants, and the display of oneself to others, and lack of trust in oneself, and the reassurance of others,
नीतिधर्मानुसरणं नित्यमुत्थानमेव च रिपूणामनवज्ञानं नित्यं चानार्यवर्जनम्
AI Translation: The constant practice of the principles of statecraft, the constant striving, The constant non-recognition of enemies, and the constant avoidance of the unrighteous.
उत्थानं हि नरेन्द्राणां बृहस्पतिरभाषत राजधर्मस्य यन्मूलं श्लोकांश्चात्र निबोध मे
M. N. Dutt: Readiness for action in kings is the root of royal duties. This has been said by Brihaspati. Listen to the verses recited by him.
उत्थानेनामृतं लब्धमुत्थानेनासुरा हताः उत्थानेन महेन्द्रेण श्रैष्ठ्यं प्राप्तं दिवीह च
M. N. Dutt: By exertion the ambrosia was obtained; by exertion the Asuras were killed; by exertion Indra himself acquired sovereignty in heaven and on earth.
उत्थानधीरः पुरुषो वाग्धीरानधितिष्ठति उत्थानधीरं वाग्धीरा रमयन्त उपासते
M. N. Dutt: The hero who works is superior to one who speaks. The heroes who speak, gratify and worship the heroes who work.
उत्थानहीनो राजा हि बुद्धिमानपि नित्यशः धर्षणीयो रिपूणां स्याद्भुजंग इव निर्विषः
M. N. Dutt: The king, who is shorn of exertion, even if endued with intelligence, is always defeated by foes like a snake that is shorn of poison.
न च शत्रुरवज्ञेयो दुर्बलोऽपि बलीयसा अल्पोऽपि हि दहत्यग्निर्विषमल्पं हिनस्ति च
M. N. Dutt: The king, even if very powerful, should not neglect a foe however weak. A scintillation of fire can produce a conflagration and a particle of Poison can kill.
एकाश्वेनापि संभूतः शत्रुर्दुर्गसमाश्रितः तं तं तापयते देशमपि राज्ञः समृद्धिनः
M. N. Dutt: With only one kind of force, an enemy, from within a fort, can assail the whole country of even a powerful and prosperous king.
राज्ञो रहस्यं यद्वाक्यं जयार्थं लोकसंग्रहः हृदि यच्चास्य जिह्मं स्यात्कारणार्थं च यद्भवेत्
AI Translation: The secret of the king, the words for victory, the gathering of the world, And what is crooked in his heart, and what is for the sake of a cause,
यच्चास्य कार्यं वृजिनमार्जवेनैव धार्यते दम्भनार्थाय लोकस्य धर्मिष्ठामाचरेत्क्रियाम्
AI Translation: And whatever duty of his is to be performed by the purification of the fetters, For the sake of deception, he should perform the most righteous rites for the world.
राज्यं हि सुमहत्तन्त्रं दुर्धार्यमकृतात्मभिः न शक्यं मृदुना वोढुमाघातस्थानमुत्तमम्
M. N. Dutt: Wily persons can not govern an extensive empire, A king who is mild cannot acquire superior rank the acquisition of which depends upon exertion.
राज्यं सर्वामिषं नित्यमार्जवेनेह धार्यते तस्मान्मिश्रेण सततं वर्तितव्यं युधिष्ठिर
M. N. Dutt: A kingdom, which is sought for by all like meat can never be protected by candour and simplicity. A king, O Yudhishthira, should, therefore, always resort to both candour and wiliness.
यद्यप्यस्य विपत्तिः स्याद्रक्षमाणस्य वै प्रजाः सोऽप्यस्य विपुलो धर्म एवंवृत्ता हि भूमिपाः
M. N. Dutt: Even while protecting his subjects a king is beset with danger, he earns great merit. Such should be the conduct of kings.
एष ते राजधर्माणां लेशः समनुवर्णितः भूयस्ते यत्र संदेहस्तद्ब्रूहि वदतां वर
M. N. Dutt: I have now told you a part only of the duties of kings. Tell me, O best of Kurus, what more you wish to know.
वैशंपायन उवाच ततो व्यासश्च भगवान्देवस्थानोऽश्मना सह वासुदेवः कृपश्चैव सात्यकिः संजयस्तथा
AI Translation: Vaishampayana said: Then the revered Vyasa, Devashthana, Ashma, Vasudeva, Kripa, Satyaki, and Sanjaya,
साधु साध्विति संहृष्टाः पुष्यमाणैरिवाननैः अस्तुवंस्ते नरव्याघ्रं भीष्मं धर्मभृतां वरम्
AI Translation: "They were delighted and said, ""Well done! Well done!"" as if their faces were blooming." They praised Bhishma, the best of those who uphold dharma, the tiger among men.
ततो दीनमना भीष्ममुवाच कुरुसत्तमः नेत्राभ्यामश्रुपूर्णाभ्यां पादौ तस्य शनैः स्पृशन्
AI Translation: Then the best of the Kurus, with a dejected mind, spoke to Bhishma, Touching his feet slowly with his eyes filled with tears.
श्व इदानीं स्वसंदेहं प्रक्ष्यामि त्वा पितामह उपैति सविताप्यस्तं रसमापीय पार्थिवम्
AI Translation: Now, O Grandfather, I shall ask you about my own doubts. The sun is setting, having drunk the earth's juice.
ततो द्विजातीनभिवाद्य केशवः; कृपश्च ते चैव युधिष्ठिरादयः प्रदक्षिणीकृत्य महानदीसुतं; ततो रथानारुरुहुर्मुदा युताः
M. N. Dutt: Then Keshava, Kripa, Yudhishthira and others, saluting the Brahmanas and circumambulating Bhishma, gladly got on their cars.
दृषद्वतीं चाप्यवगाह्य सुव्रताः; कृतोदकार्याः कृतजप्यमङ्गलाः उपास्य संध्यां विधिवत्परंतपा;स्ततः पुरं ते विविशुर्गजाह्वयम्
M. N. Dutt: All of them, observant of excellent vows, then bathed in the river Drishadvati-Having offered oblations of water to their departed manes and silently recited the sacred mantras and performed other auspicious rites, and having adored the evening twilight with due rites, those scorchers of enemies entered the city of Hastinapur.