Critical Edition
युधिष्ठिर उवाच किमाहुर्दैवतं विप्रा राजानं भरतर्षभ मनुष्याणामधिपतिं तन्मे ब्रूहि पितामह
M. N. Dutt: Yudhishthira said 'Why, O foremost of Bharata's race, have the Brahmanas declared that the king, that ruler of men, is a god.
भीष्म उवाच अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम् बृहस्पतिं वसुमना यथा पप्रच्छ भारत
M. N. Dutt: Bhishma said Regarding it is cited the old story, O Bharata, of the discourse of Brihaspati and Vasumanas..
राजा वसुमना नाम कौसल्यो धीमतां वरः महर्षिं परिपप्रच्छ कृतप्रज्ञो बृहस्पतिम्
M. N. Dutt: There was a highly intelligent king of Koshala, named Vasumanas. On a certain occasion he questioned the great wise sage Brihaspati.
सर्वं वैनयिकं कृत्वा विनयज्ञो बृहस्पतेः दक्षिणानन्तरो भूत्वा प्रणम्य विधिपूर्वकम्
AI Translation: Having performed all the rites of humility, the knower of humility, Brihaspati, having become the attendant of Daksha, bowed down with due respect,
विधिं पप्रच्छ राज्यस्य सर्वभूतहिते रतः प्रजानां हितमन्विच्छन्धर्ममूलं विशां पते
AI Translation: Devoted to the welfare of all beings, he asked the law about the kingdom. Seeking the welfare of the subjects, O Lord of the people, you are the root of Dharma.
केन भूतानि वर्धन्ते क्षयं गच्छन्ति केन च कमर्चन्तो महाप्राज्ञ सुखमत्यन्तमाप्नुयुः
AI Translation: By what are the elements nourished? By what do they perish? O greatly wise one, by worshipping whom would one attain supreme happiness?
Supplementary Passages:
12.68.6 D7 T G2-4 M ins. after 6; G1 after the omission in 5a: *154 एतन्मे शंस देवर्षे धर्मकामार्थसंशयम्
इति पृष्टो महाराज्ञा कौसल्येनामितौजसा राजसत्कारमव्यग्रः शशंसास्मै बृहस्पतिः
AI Translation: Thus asked by the great king, Kousalya, of immeasurable energy, Brihaspati, without hesitation, recounted to him the royal honors.
Supplementary Passages:
12.68.7 After 7c, D7 S (except G4) ins.: *155 राज्यस्य च विवेचनम् दण्डनीतिं समाश्रित्य
राजमूलो महाराज धर्मो लोकस्य लक्ष्यते प्रजा राजभयादेव न खादन्ति परस्परम्
M. N. Dutt: Brihaspati said The duties of all men, you of great wisdom, originate from the king. It is through fear of the king only that men do not devour one another.
राजा ह्येवाखिलं लोकं समुदीर्णं समुत्सुकम् प्रसादयति धर्मेण प्रसाद्य च विराजते
M. N. Dutt: It is the king who establishes peace on Earth through due observances of duties by checking all disregard for healthy restraints and all kinds of lust. Acquiring this he shines in glory.
यथा ह्यनुदये राजन्भूतानि शशिसूर्ययोः अन्धे तमसि मज्जेयुरपश्यन्तः परस्परम्
AI Translation: Just as, O King, when the moon and sun do not rise, the beings would sink into blinding darkness, not seeing each other,
यथा ह्यनुदके मत्स्या निराक्रन्दे विहंगमाः विहरेयुर्यथाकाममभिसृत्य पुनः पुनः
AI Translation: Just as fish in a place without water, or birds in a place without sound, can move about as they please, repeatedly approaching and leaving.
विमथ्यातिक्रमेरंश्च विषह्यापि परस्परम् अभावमचिरेणैव गच्छेयुर्नात्र संशयः
AI Translation: Even if we were to endure each other, we would soon be destroyed and would have no doubt about it.
एवमेव विना राज्ञा विनश्येयुरिमाः प्रजाः अन्धे तमसि मज्जेयुरगोपाः पशवो यथा
AI Translation: In the same way, without a king, these subjects would be destroyed. The cattle would be submerged in the darkness of ignorance, like cattle without a shepherd.
हरेयुर्बलवन्तो हि दुर्बलानां परिग्रहान् हन्युर्व्यायच्छमानांश्च यदि राजा न पालयेत्
M. N. Dutt: If the king did not observe the duty of protection, the strong would by would by force misappropriate the properties of the weak, and if the latter refuse to surrender to them easily their very lives would be taken,
यानं वस्त्रमलंकारान्रत्नानि विविधानि च हरेयुः सहसा पापा यदि राजा न पालयेत्
AI Translation: Vehicles, clothes, ornaments, and various jewels The wicked would seize them suddenly if the king did not protect.
ममेदमिति लोकेऽस्मिन्न भवेत्संपरिग्रहः विश्वलोपः प्रवर्तेत यदि राजा न पालयेत्
AI Translation: If there were no appropriation in this world, “This is mine,” the destruction of the world would take place, if the king did not protect.
Supplementary Passages:
12.68.16 After 16ab, V1 B (except B2) Da Dn D2.3.5.6.8 ins.: *156 न दारा न च पुत्रः स्यान्न धनं न परिग्रहः
मातरं पितरं वृद्धमाचार्यमतिथिं गुरुम् क्लिश्नीयुरपि हिंस्युर्वा यदि राजा न पालयेत्
AI Translation: If the king does not protect, even a mother, father, elder, teacher, guest, or guru may be harmed or injured.
पतेद्बहुविधं शस्त्रं बहुधा धर्मचारिषु अधर्मः प्रगृहीतः स्याद्यदि राजा न पालयेत्
AI Translation: If the king does not protect, then unrighteousness would be taken up, and the various kinds of weapons would fall on the righteous.
वधबन्धपरिक्लेशो नित्यमर्थवतां भवेत् ममत्वं च न विन्देयुर्यदि राजा न पालयेत्
AI Translation: The torment of killing and binding would always be for those who have wealth. And they would not have any sense of ownership, if the king did not protect.
अन्तश्चाकाशमेव स्याल्लोकोऽयं दस्युसाद्भवेत् पतेच्च नरकं घोरं यदि राजा न पालयेत्
AI Translation: If the king does not protect, the world would be like the inside of a cave, this world would be like a den of thieves, and he would fall into a terrible hell.
न योनिपोषो वर्तेत न कृषिर्न वणिक्पथः मज्जेद्धर्मस्त्रयी न स्याद्यदि राजा न पालयेत्
M. N. Dutt: If the king did not protect, all restrictions about marriage and intercourse would disappear; all matters of agriculture and trade would fall into confusion; morality and the three Vedas would disappear.
न यज्ञाः संप्रवर्तेरन्विधिवत्स्वाप्तदक्षिणाः न विवाहाः समाजा वा यदि राजा न पालयेत्
M. N. Dutt: Sacrifices, duly finished with presents according to the ordinance, would no longer be celebrated and no marriage would take place; society itself would cease to exist, if the king did not observe the duty of protection.
न वृषाः संप्रवर्तेरन्न मथ्येरंश्च गर्गराः घोषाः प्रणाशं गच्छेयुर्यदि राजा न पालयेत्
M. N. Dutt: The bulls would not know cows and milk jars would not be churned, and men living by rearing kine would be ruined, if the king did not exercise the duty of protection.
त्रस्तमुद्विग्नहृदयं हाहाभूतमचेतनम् क्षणेन विनशेत्सर्वं यदि राजा न पालयेत्
M. N. Dutt: In the absence of king's protection, all things, filled with fear and anxiety and becoming senseless and uttering cries of misery would be ruined in no time.
न संवत्सरसत्राणि तिष्ठेयुरकुतोभयाः विधिवद्दक्षिणावन्ति यदि राजा न पालयेत्
M. N. Dutt: No sacrifices extending for a year and finished with presents according to the ordinance would take place if the king did not observe the duty of protection.
ब्राह्मणाश्चतुरो वेदान्नाधीयेरंस्तपस्विनः विद्यास्नातास्तपःस्नाता यदि राजा न पालयेत्
M. N. Dutt: In the absence of king's protection Brahmanas would never study the four Vedas or practise austerities or be purified by knowledge and rigid vows.
हस्तो हस्तं स मुष्णीयाद्भिद्येरन्सर्वसेतवः भयार्तं विद्रवेत्सर्वं यदि राजा न पालयेत्
M. N. Dutt: In the absence of king's protection, men would take away other people's wealth from their very hands, and all healthy restrictions would be abolished, and everybody, stricken with, fear would seek safety in flight.
न लभेद्धर्मसंश्लेषं हतविप्रहतो जनः कर्ता स्वेच्छेन्द्रियो गच्छेद्यदि राजा न पालयेत्
AI Translation: The people who are defeated and destroyed do not obtain the union with Dharma. If the king does not protect, the doer would go according to his own will.
अनयाः संप्रवर्तेरन्भवेद्वै वर्णसंकरः दुर्भिक्षमाविशेद्राष्ट्रं यदि राजा न पालयेत्
M. N. Dutt: In the absence of king's protection, all kinds of injustice would commence; intermixture of castes would occur; and famine would devastate the kingdom.
विवृत्य हि यथाकामं गृहद्वाराणि शेरते मनुष्या रक्षिता राज्ञा समन्तादकुतोभयाः
M. N. Dutt: Again by virtue of royal protection, men can everywhere sleep fearlessly at their ease without shutting their houses and doors with bolts and bars.
नाक्रुष्टं सहते कश्चित्कुतो हस्तस्य लङ्घनम् यदि राजा मनुष्येषु त्राता भवति धार्मिकः
M. N. Dutt: Nobody would stand the evil words of others far less assaults, if the king did not righteously protect the Earth.
स्त्रियश्चापुरुषा मार्गं सर्वालंकारभूषिताः निर्भयाः प्रतिपद्यन्ते यदा रक्षति भूमिपः
M. N. Dutt: If the king observes the duty of protection, women adorned with ornaments may fearlessly walk about everywhere without male relatives to guard them.
धर्ममेव प्रपद्यन्ते न हिंसन्ति परस्परम् अनुगृह्णन्ति चान्योन्यं यदा रक्षति भूमिपः
M. N. Dutt: Men become righteous and without injuring serve one another because the king observes the duty of protection.
यजन्ते च त्रयो वर्णा महायज्ञैः पृथग्विधैः युक्ताश्चाधीयते शास्त्रं यदा रक्षति भूमिपः
M. N. Dutt: By virtue of royal protection the members of the three castes can celebrate high sacrifices and engage themselves in the acquisition of learning with attention.
वार्तामूलो ह्ययं लोकस्त्रय्या वै धार्यते सदा तत्सर्वं वर्तते सम्यग्यदा रक्षति भूमिपः
M. N. Dutt: The world depends upon agriculture and trade and is protected by the Vedas. All these again are duly protected by the king exercising his principal duty.
यदा राजा धुरं श्रेष्ठामादाय वहति प्रजाः महता बलयोगेन तदा लोकः प्रसीदति
M. N. Dutt: Since the king, taking a heavy burden upon himself, protects his subjects with the help of a mighty force, it is therefore that the people are able to live in happiness.
यस्याभावे च भूतानामभावः स्यात्समन्ततः भावे च भावो नित्यः स्यात्कस्तं न प्रतिपूजयेत्
M. N. Dutt: Who is there who will not worship him on whose existence depends the existence of the people and by whose destruction the people are destroyed?
तस्य यो वहते भारं सर्वलोकसुखावहम् तिष्ठेत्प्रियहिते राज्ञ उभौ लोकौ हि यो जयेत्
M. N. Dutt: That person who does what is agreeable and beneficial to the king and who participates in the burden of kingly duties which fill every caste with fear, conquers both this and the other world.
यस्तस्य पुरुषः पापं मनसाप्यनुचिन्तयेत् असंशयमिह क्लिष्टः प्रेत्यापि नरकं पतेत्
M. N. Dutt: That man who even thinks of injuring the king, forsooth meets with grief here and goes to hell hereafter.
न हि जात्ववमन्तव्यो मनुष्य इति भूमिपः महती देवता ह्येषा नररूपेण तिष्ठति
M. N. Dutt: No one should obey the king by taking him for a man, for he is in sooth a great god in human form.
कुरुते पञ्च रूपाणि कालयुक्तानि यः सदा भवत्यग्निस्तथादित्यो मृत्युर्वैश्रवणो यमः
M. N. Dutt: The king puts on five different forms according to five different occasions. He energy the becomes Agni, Aditya, Mrityu, Vaishravana, and Yama.
यदा ह्यासीदतः पापान्दहत्युग्रेण तेजसा मिथ्योपचरितो राजा तदा भवति पावकः
M. N. Dutt: When the king, imposed on by falsehood, consumes with his dreadful offenders before him, he is said to put on the form of Agni.
यदा पश्यति चारेण सर्वभूतानि भूमिपः क्षेमं च कृत्वा व्रजति तदा भवति भास्करः
M. N. Dutt: When he marks through his spies the acts of all persons and does what is for the general behoof, he is said to put on the form of Aditya.
अशुचींश्च यदा क्रुद्धः क्षिणोति शतशो नरान् सपुत्रपौत्रान्सामात्यांस्तदा भवति सोऽन्तकः
M. N. Dutt: When he kills in anger hundreds of wicked men with their sons, grandsons, and relatives, he is then said to put on the form of the Destroyer.
यदा त्वधार्मिकान्सर्वांस्तीक्ष्णैर्दण्डैर्नियच्छति धार्मिकांश्चानुगृह्णाति भवत्यथ यमस्तदा
M. N. Dutt: When he suppresses the the wicked by punishing them severely and favours the righteous by giving them rewards, he is then said to put on the form of Yama.
यदा तु धनधाराभिस्तर्पयत्युपकारिणः आच्छिनत्ति च रत्नानि विविधान्यपकारिणाम्
AI Translation: When he satisfies those who have helped him with a stream of wealth, and takes away the various jewels of those who have harmed him,
श्रियं ददाति कस्मैचित्कस्माच्चिदपकर्षति तदा वैश्रवणो राजँल्लोके भवति भूमिपः
AI Translation: He bestows prosperity on some and takes it away from others. Then Vaishravana becomes the king of the world.
नास्यापवादे स्थातव्यं दक्षेणाक्लिष्टकर्मणा धर्म्यमाकाङ्क्षता लाभमीश्वरस्यानसूयता
AI Translation: One should not dwell in the denial of this, by the one who performs unblemished deeds, by the one who desires the Dharma, by the one who desires gain, by the one who is not envious of the Lord.
न हि राज्ञः प्रतीपानि कुर्वन्सुखमवाप्नुयात् पुत्रो भ्राता वयस्यो वा यद्यप्यात्मसमो भवेत्
AI Translation: For one who does not act in accordance with the king's wishes will not find happiness. Even if a son, brother, or friend is equal to oneself,
कुर्यात्कृष्णगतिः शेषं ज्वलितोऽनिलसारथिः न तु राज्ञाभिपन्नस्य शेषं क्वचन विद्यते
M. N. Dutt: The anger of the king, however, leaves not anything to the person who happens to incur it. Everything that belongs to the king should be avoided from a distance.
तस्य सर्वाणि रक्ष्याणि दूरतः परिवर्जयेत् मृत्योरिव जुगुप्सेत राजस्वहरणान्नरः
M. N. Dutt: One should turn away from the king's property as he would from death itself. A person, by taking what belongs to the king, soon meets with destruction like a deer upon touching poison.
नश्येदभिमृशन्सद्यो मृगः कूटमिव स्पृशन् आत्मस्वमिव संरक्षेद्राजस्वमिह बुद्धिमान्
M. N. Dutt: An intelligent man should protect as his own what belongs to the king.
महान्तं नरकं घोरमप्रतिष्ठमचेतसः पतन्ति चिररात्राय राजवित्तापहारिणः
M. N. Dutt: Those, who take wealth belonging to the king, sink senseless into a deep hell of eternal darkness and infamy.
राजा भोजो विराट्सम्राट्क्षत्रियो भूपतिर्नृपः य एवं स्तूयते शब्दैः कस्तं नार्चितुमिच्छति
M. N. Dutt: Who is there who will not adore the king who is described by terms,–'delighter of the people,' 'bestower of happiness, possessor of prosperity, the best of all, healer of injuries, master of Earth,' and protector of men?
तस्माद्बुभूषुर्नियतो जितात्मा संयतेन्द्रियः मेधावी स्मृतिमान्दक्षः संश्रयेत महीपतिम्
M. N. Dutt: That man, therefore, who seeks his own prosperity, who satisfies all healthy restraints, who has his soul under control, who has subdued his passions, who is gifted with intelligence and memory, and who is a clever (business man), should always be attached to the king.
कृतज्ञं प्राज्ञमक्षुद्रं दृढभक्तिं जितेन्द्रियम् धर्मनित्यं स्थितं स्थित्यां मन्त्रिणं पूजयेन्नृपः
M. N. Dutt: The king should duly honour the minister who is grateful, wise, large-hearted loyal, a master of his senses, virtuous, and observant of the dictates of policy.
दृढभक्तिं कृतप्रज्ञं धर्मज्ञं संयतेन्द्रियम् शूरमक्षुद्रकर्माणं निषिद्धजनमाश्रयेत्
M. N. Dutt: The king should entertain the man who is loyal, grateful, virtuous, self-controlled, brave, noble, and competent to complete works without the help of others.
राजा प्रगल्भं पुरुषं करोति; राजा कृशं बृंहयते मनुष्यम् राजाभिपन्नस्य कुतः सुखानि; राजाभ्युपेतं सुखिनं करोति
M. N. Dutt: Knowledge makes men proud. The king makes men humble. The man who is assailed by the king can never enjoy happiness. On the other hand, the man who gets royal favours becomes happy.
Supplementary Passages:
12.68.58 D7 T G2.3 ins. after 58: M after 59: *157 राजा प्रजानां प्रथमं शरीरं प्रजाश्च राज्ञोऽप्रतिमं शरीरम् राज्ञा विहीना न भवन्ति देशा देशैर्विहीना न नृपा भवन्ति
राजा प्रजानां हृदयं गरीयो; गतिः प्रतिष्ठा सुखमुत्तमं च यमाश्रिता लोकमिमं परं च; जयन्ति सम्यक्पुरुषा नरेन्द्रम्
M. N. Dutt: The king is the heart of his people; he is their great refuge; he is their glory; and he is their greatest happiness. Those men, O king, who are attached to the king, can conquer both this and the next world.
नराधिपश्चाप्यनुशिष्य मेदिनीं; दमेन सत्येन च सौहृदेन महद्भिरिष्ट्वा क्रतुभिर्महायशा;स्त्रिविष्टपे स्थानमुपैति सत्कृतम्
M. N. Dutt: Having governed the Earth with the help of the qualities of self-control, truth, and friendship, and having worshipped the deities by great sacrifices, the king, acquiring great glory, acquires an eternal abode in heaven.
स एवमुक्तो गुरुणा कौसल्यो राजसत्तमः प्रयत्नात्कृतवान्वीरः प्रजानां परिपालनम्
M. N. Dutt: That best of kings viz., the heroic Vasumanas, king of Koshala, thus instructed by Brihaspati the son of Angiras, began thenceforth to protect his subjects.'