Critical Edition
इन्द्र उवाच एवंवीर्यः सर्वधर्मोपपन्नः; क्षात्रः श्रेष्ठः सर्वधर्मेषु धर्मः पाल्यो युष्माभिर्लोकसिंहैरुदारै;र्विपर्यये स्यादभावः प्रजानाम्
M. N. Dutt: Indra said Kshatriya duties, O king, which are so very potent, which embrace the exercise of all other duties, and which are the highest of all duties, should be observed by persons that are like you so high-souled and seek the well-being of the world. If those duties are not properly satisfied all creatures would be ruined.
भुवः संस्कारं राजसंस्कारयोग;मभैक्षचर्यां पालनं च प्रजानाम् विद्याद्राजा सर्वभूतानुकम्पां; देहत्यागं चाहवे धर्ममग्र्यम्
M. N. Dutt: The king, cherishing mercy for all creatures, should consider these as the highest of his duties, viz., reclaiming the land for cultivation and fertilizing it, celebration of great sacrifices for purifying himself, aversion for begging, and protection of subjects.
त्यागं श्रेष्ठं मुनयो वै वदन्ति; सर्वश्रेष्ठो यः शरीरं त्यजेत नित्यं त्यक्तं राजधर्मेषु सर्वं; प्रत्यक्षं ते भूमिपालाः सदैते
AI Translation: The sages say that renunciation is the best; the best of all is he who renounces the body. All is renounced in the duties of kingship; these kings are always evident.
बहुश्रुत्या गुरुशुश्रूषया वा; परस्य वा संहननाद्वदन्ति नित्यं धर्मं क्षत्रियो ब्रह्मचारी; चरेदेको ह्याश्रमं धर्मकामः
AI Translation: By much learning, by serving a teacher, or by the union of others, they speak. A kshatriya who desires dharma should always practice celibacy, living alone in an ashrama.
सामान्यार्थे व्यवहारे प्रवृत्ते; प्रियाप्रिये वर्जयन्नेव यत्नात् चातुर्वर्ण्यस्थापनात्पालनाच्च; तैस्तैर्योगैर्नियमैरौरसैश्च
AI Translation: When the world is engaged in the pursuit of common goals, avoiding what is pleasant and unpleasant with effort, By establishing and protecting the four castes, by various means, rules, and natural laws,
सर्वोद्योगैराश्रमं धर्ममाहुः; क्षात्रं ज्येष्ठं सर्वधर्मोपपन्नम् स्वं स्वं धर्मं ये न चरन्ति वर्णा;स्तांस्तान्धर्मानयथावद्वदन्ति
AI Translation: All the efforts are for the Dharma of the hermitage; they say that the Kshatriya Dharma is the best, endowed with all the Dharmas. Those who do not practice their own Dharma according to their caste, they speak about those Dharmas as they are.
निर्मर्यादे नित्यमर्थे विनष्टा;नाहुस्तान्वै पशुभूतान्मनुष्यान् यथा नीतिं गमयत्यर्थलोभा;च्छ्रेयांस्तस्मादाश्रमः क्षत्रधर्मः
M. N. Dutt: Those men, who disobey all healthy checks and who are too much attached to the worldly objects, are regarded as brutes. They are constrained to act justly by the exercise of kingly duties. Those duties, therefore, are said to be the highest of all.
त्रैविद्यानां या गतिर्ब्राह्मणानां; यश्चैवोक्तोऽथाश्रमो ब्राह्मणानाम् एतत्कर्म ब्राह्मणस्याहुरग्र्य;मन्यत्कुर्वञ्शूद्रवच्छस्त्रवध्यः
M. N. Dutt: That course of conduct which has been laid down for Brahmanas who follow the three Vedas, and those modes of life that have been laid down for Brahmanas, should, first, of all be observed by every Brahmana. If a Brahmana acts otherwise, he should be punished like a Shudra,
चातुराश्रम्यधर्माश्च वेदधर्माश्च पार्थिव ब्राह्मणेनानुगन्तव्या नान्यो विद्यात्कथंचन
M. N. Dutt: The duties of the four modes of life and the rituals laid down in the Vedas, O king, should always be followed by a Brahmana; he has no other duties.
अन्यथा वर्तमानस्य न सा वृत्तिः प्रकल्प्यते कर्मणा व्यज्यते धर्मो यथैव श्वा तथैव सः
M. N. Dutt: A Kshatriya should never maintain a Brahmana acting otherwise. His religious merit increases for his acts. A Brahmana, indeed, is like Dharma.
यो विकर्मस्थितो विप्रो न स सन्मानमर्हति कर्मस्वनुपयुञ्जानमविश्वास्यं हि तं विदुः
M. N. Dutt: That Brahmana who does works that are not sanctioned for him, deserves no respect. If not engaged in his proper acts, he should not be trusted.
एते धर्माः सर्ववर्णाश्च वीरै;रुत्क्रष्टव्याः क्षत्रियैरेष धर्मः तस्माज्ज्येष्ठा राजधर्मा न चान्ये; वीर्यज्येष्ठा वीरधर्मा मता मे
M. N. Dutt: These are the duties of the various orders. Kshatriyas should look after them so that their observance may be improved. These are the duties of Kshatriyas. For these reasons also, kingly duties and no others, are the highest of all. They are, as I believe, the duties of heroes, and the heroes are foremost in following them.
मान्धातोवाच यवनाः किराता गान्धाराश्चीनाः शबरबर्बराः शकास्तुषाराः कह्वाश्च पह्लवाश्चान्ध्रमद्रकाः
AI Translation: Māndhātā said: Yavanas, Kirātas, Gandhāras, Cīnas, Śabaras, Barbars, Śakas, Tuṣāras, Kahvas, Pahlavas, Andhras, Madrakas,
Supplementary Passages:
12.65.13 K3-5 ins. after 13ab: D4 after the repetition of 13c: *145 बाह्लीकाश्च तुरुष्काश्च पाञ्चालाश्च तथा स्मृताः
ओड्राः पुलिन्दा रमठाः काचा म्लेच्छाश्च सर्वशः ब्रह्मक्षत्रप्रसूताश्च वैश्याः शूद्राश्च मानवाः
AI Translation: Odra, Pulinda, Ramatha, Kacha, Mleccha, and all others, Brahmana, Kshatriya, Vaishya, Shudra, and human beings,
कथं धर्मं चरेयुस्ते सर्वे विषयवासिनः मद्विधैश्च कथं स्थाप्याः सर्वे ते दस्युजीविनः
AI Translation: How should they practice the Dharma, all those who live in the realm? And how should those who live as robbers be established by those like me?
एतदिच्छाम्यहं श्रोतुं भगवंस्तद्ब्रवीहि मे त्वं बन्धुभूतो ह्यस्माकं क्षत्रियाणां सुरेश्वर
M. N. Dutt: I wish to hear all this, O illustrious god, instruct me. O chief of all the gods, you are the friend of us Kshatriyas.
इन्द्र उवाच मातापित्रोर्हि कर्तव्या शुश्रूषा सर्वदस्युभिः आचार्यगुरुशुश्रूषा तथैवाश्रमवासिनाम्
M. N. Dutt: Indra said All the robber tribes should serve their parents, their preceptors and other elders and hermits living in the forest.
भूमिपालानां च शुश्रूषा कर्तव्या सर्वदस्युभिः वेदधर्मक्रियाश्चैव तेषां धर्मो विधीयते
M. N. Dutt: All the robber tribes should also serve their kings. The duties and rites laid down in the Vedas should also be followed by them.
पितृयज्ञास्तथा कूपाः प्रपाश्च शयनानि च दानानि च यथाकालं द्विजेषु दद्युरेव ते
M. N. Dutt: They should celebrate sacrifices in honour of the departed manes, dig wells, for the public give water to thirsty travellers, distribute beds and other presents amongst Brahmanas.
अहिंसा सत्यमक्रोधो वृत्तिदायानुपालनम् भरणं पुत्रदाराणां शौचमद्रोह एव च
AI Translation: Non-violence, truth, non-anger, protecting the livelihood of dependents, Supporting one's children and wife, purity, and non-harming.
दक्षिणा सर्वयज्ञानां दातव्या भूतिमिच्छता पाकयज्ञा महार्हाश्च कर्तव्याः सर्वदस्युभिः
AI Translation: One who desires prosperity should give Dakshina (gifts) at all sacrifices. The Pakayajnas (sacrifices involving cooking) should be performed by all the robbers.
एतान्येवंप्रकाराणि विहितानि पुरानघ सर्वलोकस्य कर्माणि कर्तव्यानीह पार्थिव
M. N. Dutt: These and similar duties, O sinless one, were laid down in days of yore for person of this class. All these acts, which have been laid down for all others, should be done by the robbers also, O king.
मान्धातोवाच दृश्यन्ते मानवा लोके सर्ववर्णेषु दस्यवः लिङ्गान्तरे वर्तमाना आश्रमेषु चतुर्ष्वपि
M. N. Dutt: Mandhatri said In this world, such wicked men may be seen living in disguise among all the four castes and in all the four modes of life.
इन्द्र उवाच विनष्टायां दण्डनीतौ राजधर्मे निराकृते संप्रमुह्यन्ति भूतानि राजदौरात्म्यतो नृप
M. N. Dutt: Indra said When the kingly duties are lost as well as the science of punishment, all creatures become exceedingly exercised, O sinless one, for the oppression of kings.
असंख्याता भविष्यन्ति भिक्षवो लिङ्गिनस्तथा आश्रमाणां विकल्पाश्च निवृत्तेऽस्मिन्कृते युगे
M. N. Dutt: After the termination of the Krita age, a confusion will set in regarding the various modes of life, and numberless mendicants will appear with sectarial marks of various sorts.
अशृण्वानाः पुराणानां धर्माणां प्रवरा गतीः उत्पथं प्रतिपत्स्यन्ते काममन्युसमीरिताः
M. N. Dutt: Disregarding the Puranas and the great truths of religion, men, urged by lust and anger, will wend wrong ways.
यदा निवर्त्यते पापो दण्डनीत्या महात्मभिः तदा धर्मो न चलते सद्भूतः शाश्वतः परः
M. N. Dutt: When sinful men are restrained by highsouled persons with the help of the science of punishment, then religion, which reigns supreme over everything and is eternal and which is the source of all good, becomes firmly established.
परलोकगुरुं चैव राजानं योऽवमन्यते न तस्य दत्तं न हुतं न श्राद्धं फलति क्वचित्
M. N. Dutt: The gifts, and libations, and offerings to the departed manes of the man who disregards the king who is superior to every one, become useless.
मानुषाणामधिपतिं देवभूतं सनातनम् देवाश्च बहु मन्यन्ते धर्मकामं नरेश्वरम्
M. N. Dutt: The very gods do not disobey a virtuous king who is truly a personification of god.
प्रजापतिर्हि भगवान्यः सर्वमसृजज्जगत् स प्रवृत्तिनिवृत्त्यर्थं धर्माणां क्षत्रमिच्छति
M. N. Dutt: Having created the universe, the divine Lord of all creatures meant the Kshatriya to rule men making them follow their duties.
प्रवृत्तस्य हि धर्मस्य बुद्ध्या यः स्मरते गतिम् स मे मान्यश्च पूज्यश्च तत्र क्षत्रं प्रतिष्ठितम्
M. N. Dutt: I respect and worship that person who hclped by his understanding, watches the course of the duties performed by men. Upon such supervision depend Kshatriya duties.
भीष्म उवाच एवमुक्त्वा स भगवान्मरुद्गणवृतः प्रभुः जगाम भवनं विष्णुरक्षरं परमं पदम्
M. N. Dutt: Bhishma continued 'Having said these words, the divine and powerful Narayana, in the forın of Indra, accompanied by the Maruts, repaired to his eternal abode of endless felicity.
एवं प्रवर्तिते धर्मे पुरा सुचरितेऽनघ कः क्षत्रमवमन्येत चेतनावान्बहुश्रुतः
M. N. Dutt: When, O sinless one, duties were thus followed in days of yore what man of cleansed soul and learning is there that would disregard the Kshatriya?
अन्यायेन प्रवृत्तानि निवृत्तानि तथैव च अन्तरा विलयं यान्ति यथा पथि विचक्षुषः
M. N. Dutt: Like blind men lost on the way creatures, acting unrighteously, meet with ruin.
आदौ प्रवर्तिते चक्रे तथैवादिपरायणे वर्तस्व पुरुषव्याघ्र संविजानामि तेऽनघ
M. N. Dutt: O foremost of men, do you follow those duties which were first promulgated and which the ancients had followed. I know, O sinless one, that you are quite competent to do this.'