Critical Edition
भीष्म उवाच य एव तु सतो रक्षेदसतश्च निबर्हयेत् स एव राज्ञा कर्तव्यो राजन्राजपुरोहितः
M. N. Dutt: Bhishma said A king should appoint that person as his priest who would protect the good and punish the wicked.
Supplementary Passages:
12.73.1 Before 1, D7 S ins.: *178 युधिष्ठिर उवाच कीदृशो ब्राह्मणो राज्ञां कार्याकार्यविचारणे क्षमः कर्तुं समर्थो वा तन्मे ब्रूहि पितामह
अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम् पुरूरवस ऐलस्य संवादं मातरिश्वनः
M. N. Dutt: Regarding it is cited the old story about the discourse between Pururavas the son of Aila and Matarishvan.
ऐल उवाच कुतः स्विद्ब्राह्मणो जातो वर्णाश्चापि कुतस्त्रयः कस्माच्च भवति श्रेयानेतद्वायो विचक्ष्व मे
M. N. Dutt: Pururavas said Whence has the Brahmana originated and whence the three other orders? Why also has the Brahmana become the foremost? You should tell me all this.
वायुरुवाच ब्रह्मणो मुखतः सृष्टो ब्राह्मणो राजसत्तम बाहुभ्यां क्षत्रियः सृष्ट ऊरुभ्यां वैश्य उच्यते
M. N. Dutt: Matarishvan answered The Brahmana. O best of kings, has originated from the mouth of Brahman. The Kshatriya has originated from his two arms, and the Vaishya from his two thighs.
वर्णानां परिचर्यार्थं त्रयाणां पुरुषर्षभ वर्णश्चतुर्थः पश्चात्तु पद्भ्यां शूद्रो विनिर्मितः
M. N. Dutt: For serving these three orders, O king, a fourth order, viz., the Shudra, came into being created from the feet (of Brahman).
ब्राह्मणो जातमात्रस्तु पृथिवीमन्वजायत ईश्वरः सर्वभूतानां धर्मकोशस्य गुप्तये
M. N. Dutt: Thus created the Brahmana is born on Earth as the lord of all creatures, his duty being to preserve the Vedas and the other scriptures.
Supplementary Passages:
12.73.6 After 6, D7 S ins.: *179 सर्वस्वं ब्राह्मणस्येदं यत्किंचिदिह दृश्यते धर्मयुक्तं प्रशस्तं च जगत्यस्मिन्नृपात्मज
ततः पृथिव्या गोप्तारं क्षत्रियं दण्डधारिणम् द्वितीयं वर्णमकरोत्प्रजानामनुगुप्तये
M. N. Dutt: Then, for ruling the Earth and holding the rod of punishment and protecting all creatures, the second order, viz., the Kshatriya was created.
वैश्यस्तु धनधान्येन त्रीन्वर्णान्बिभृयादिमान् शूद्रो ह्येनान्परिचरेदिति ब्रह्मानुशासनम्
M. N. Dutt: The Vaishya was created for supporting the two other orders and himself by cultivation and trade, and finally it was ordained by Brahman that the Shudra should serve the three orders as a servant.
ऐल उवाच द्विजस्य क्षत्रबन्धोर्वा कस्येयं पृथिवी भवेत् धर्मतः सह वित्तेन सम्यग्वायो प्रचक्ष्व मे
M. N. Dutt: Pururavas said Tell me, truly, O god of Wind, to whom does this Earth fairly belong, Does it belong to the Brahmana or to the Kshatriya.
वायुरुवाच विप्रस्य सर्वमेवैतद्यत्किंचिज्जगतीगतम् ज्येष्ठेनाभिजनेनेह तद्धर्मकुशला विदुः
M. N. Dutt: The god of Wind said Everything that exists in the universe belongs to the Brahmana on account of his birth and precedence. Persons, conversant with morality, declare it.
Supplementary Passages:
12.73.10 After 10ab, D7 S ins.: *180 धनं धान्यं हिरण्यं च स्त्रियो रत्नानि वाहनम् मङ्गलं च प्रशस्तं च यच्चान्यदपि विद्यते
स्वमेव ब्राह्मणो भुङ्क्ते स्वं वस्ते स्वं ददाति च गुरुर्हि सर्ववर्णानां ज्येष्ठः श्रेष्ठश्च वै द्विजः
M. N. Dutt: What the Brahmana eats is his own. The place he dwells is his own. What he gives away is his own. He deserves the respect of all the (other) orders. He is the first-born and the foremost.
पत्यभावे यथा स्त्री हि देवरं कुरुते पतिम् आनन्तर्यात्तथा क्षत्रं पृथिवी कुरुते पतिम्
AI Translation: Just as a woman makes her brother-in-law her husband in the absence of her husband, in the same way, the earth makes the kshatriya her husband because of the absence of
एष ते प्रथमः कल्प आपद्यन्यो भवेदतः यदि स्वर्गे परं स्थानं धर्मतः परिमार्गसि
AI Translation: This is the first option for you. There may be another option. If you seek the supreme place in heaven through Dharma,
यः कश्चिद्विजयेद्भूमिं ब्राह्मणाय निवेदयेत् श्रुतवृत्तोपपन्नाय धर्मज्ञाय तपस्विने
AI Translation: Whoever conquers the earth should offer it to a Brahmin who is learned, virtuous, knows the Dharma, and is an ascetic.
स्वधर्मपरितृप्ताय यो न वित्तपरो भवेत् यो राजानं नयेद्बुद्ध्या सर्वतः परिपूर्णया
AI Translation: He who is content with his own duty and is not attached to wealth, He who would lead the king with wisdom completely fulfilled in every way,
ब्राह्मणो हि कुले जातः कृतप्रज्ञो विनीतवाक् श्रेयो नयति राजानं ब्रुवंश्चित्रां सरस्वतीम्
AI Translation: For a brahmin born in a family, who is wise and speaks with humility, leads the king to the good, speaking the various Sarasvati.
राजा चरति यं धर्मं ब्राह्मणेन निदर्शितम् शुश्रूषुरनहंवादी क्षत्रधर्मव्रते स्थितः
AI Translation: The king practices the Dharma as shown by the brahmin, listening attentively, without self-assertion, abiding in the vow of the warrior's Dharma.
तावता स कृतप्रज्ञश्चिरं यशसि तिष्ठति तस्य धर्मस्य सर्वस्य भागी राजपुरोहितः
M. N. Dutt: As long as a wish king, observant of the duties of his order, and shorn of pride, is desirous of listening to the advice of the Brahmana, so long is he respected and so long does he enjoy fame. The priest of the king, therefore, partakes, of the merit that the king acquires.
एवमेव प्रजाः सर्वा राजानमभिसंश्रिताः सम्यग्वृत्ताः स्वधर्मस्था न कुतश्चिद्भयान्विताः
M. N. Dutt: When the king behaves himself thus, all his subjects, depending upon him, become virtuous in their behaviour, follow their duties, and are freed from every fear.
Supplementary Passages:
12.73.19 After 19ab, D7 S (except G1) ins.: *181 ब्राह्मणं च सुविद्वांसं राजशास्त्रविपश्चितम्
राष्ट्रे चरन्ति यं धर्मं राज्ञा साध्वभिरक्षिताः चतुर्थं तस्य धर्मस्य राजा भागं स विन्दति
M. N. Dutt: The king shares a fourth part of those righteous acts which his subjects, wellprotected by him, perform in his kingdom.
देवा मनुष्याः पितरो गन्धर्वोरगराक्षसाः यज्ञमेवोपजीवन्ति नास्ति चेष्टमराजके
M. N. Dutt: The gods, men, Pitris, Gandharvas, Uragas, and Rakshasas, all derive their support from sacrifices. In a country having no king, their can be no sacrifice.
इतो दत्तेन जीवन्ति देवताः पितरस्तथा राजन्येवास्य धर्मस्य योगक्षेमः प्रतिष्ठितः
M. N. Dutt: The gods and the Pitris live upon the offerings made in sacrifices. Sacrifice, however, dependants upon the king.
छायायामप्सु वायौ च सुखमुष्णेऽधिगच्छति अग्नौ वाससि सूर्ये च सुखं शीतेऽधिगच्छति
M. N. Dutt: In summer, men seek comfort from the shade of trees, cool water, and cool breezes. In winter, they derive comfort from fire, warm clothing and the sun.
शब्दे स्पर्शे रसे रूपे गन्धे च रमते मनः तेषु भोगेषु सर्वेषु नभीतो लभते सुखम्
M. N. Dutt: The heart of man finds pleasure in sound, touch, taste, vision, and smell. The man, however, who is filled with fear, finds no pleasure in all these things.
अभयस्यैव यो दाता तस्यैव सुमहत्फलम् न हि प्राणसमं दानं त्रिषु लोकेषु विद्यते
M. N. Dutt: That person, who removes the fears of men, acquires great merit. There is no present so valuable in three worlds as that of life.
इन्द्रो राजा यमो राजा धर्मो राजा तथैव च राजा बिभर्ति रूपाणि राज्ञा सर्वमिदं धृतम्
M. N. Dutt: The king is Indra. The king is Yama. The king is Dharma. The king puts on different forms. The king preserves and supports every things.