Critical Edition
युधिष्ठिर उवाच कथंविधं पुरं राजा स्वयमावस्तुमर्हति कृतं वा कारयित्वा वा तन्मे ब्रूहि पितामह
M. N. Dutt: Yudhishthira said What should be the kind of city within which the king should himself live? Should he select one already made, or should he cause one to be especially made? Tell me this, O grand-father!
भीष्म उवाच यत्र कौन्तेय वस्तव्यं सपुत्रभ्रातृबन्धुना न्याय्यं तत्र परिप्रष्टुं गुप्तिं वृत्तिं च भारत
M. N. Dutt: Bhishma said “It is proper, O Bharata, to enquire about how should a king live on a city, and how should he defend it, O son of Kunti.
तस्मात्ते वर्तयिष्यामि दुर्गकर्म विशेषतः श्रुत्वा तथा विधातव्यमनुष्ठेयं च यत्नतः
M. N. Dutt: I shall, therefore, describe to you this subject, referring especially to the defences of forts. Having heard me, you should make the arrangements required and conduct yourself attentively as directed.
षड्विधं दुर्गमास्थाय पुराण्यथ निवेशयेत् सर्वसंपत्प्रधानं यद्बाहुल्यं वापि संभवेत्
M. N. Dutt: Keeping his eye on the six different sorts of forts the king should build his cities containing every kind of riches and every article of use in profusion.
धन्वदुर्गं महीदुर्गं गिरिदुर्गं तथैव च मनुष्यदुर्गमब्दुर्गं वनदुर्गं च तानि षट्
M. N. Dutt: Those six kinds are water-citadels, earthcitadels, hill-citadels, human-citadels, mud citadels, and forest-citadels.
यत्पुरं दुर्गसंपन्नं धान्यायुधसमन्वितम् दृढप्राकारपरिखं हस्त्यश्वरथसंकुलम्
AI Translation: The city that is well-fortified, endowed with grain and weapons, with strong ramparts and moats, crowded with elephants, horses and chariots,
विद्वांसः शिल्पिनो यत्र निचयाश्च सुसंचिताः धार्मिकश्च जनो यत्र दाक्ष्यमुत्तममास्थितः
AI Translation: Where the wise and artisans are, and where wealth is well-accumulated, And where the people are righteous, having resorted to excellent skill.
ऊर्जस्विनरनागाश्वं चत्वरापणशोभितम् प्रसिद्धव्यवहारं च प्रशान्तमकुतोभयम्
AI Translation: adorned with crossroads and markets, with well-known transactions, peaceful, free from fear,
सुप्रभं सानुनादं च सुप्रशस्तनिवेशनम् शूराढ्यजनसंपन्नं ब्रह्मघोषानुनादितम्
AI Translation: Well-lit, resounding, well-praised, well-settled, Abounding in heroic people, resounding with the sound of the Vedas,
समाजोत्सवसंपन्नं सदापूजितदैवतम् वश्यामात्यबलो राजा तत्पुरं स्वयमावसेत्
AI Translation: One who has a kingdom with a prosperous assembly, with festivals, with deities always worshipped, with ministers under control, with power, the king himself should reside in that city.
तत्र कोशं बलं मित्रं व्यवहारं च वर्धयेत् पुरे जनपदे चैव सर्वदोषान्निवर्तयेत्
M. N. Dutt: Living there, the king should always try to fill his treasury, to increase his army, multiply the number of his friends, and establish courts of justice. He should suppress all abuses and evils in both his cities and provinces.
भाण्डागारायुधागारं प्रयत्नेनाभिवर्धयेत् निचयान्वर्धयेत्सर्वांस्तथा यन्त्रगदागदान्
M. N. Dutt: He should collect provisions of all sorts and replenish his arsenals carefully. He should also increase his storage of rice and other grain, and strengthen his counsels.
काष्ठलोहतुषाङ्गारदारुशृङ्गास्थिवैणवान् मज्जास्नेहवसाक्षौद्रमौषधग्राममेव च
AI Translation: Wood, metal, chaff, charcoal, wood, horn, bone, bamboo, Marrow, oil, fat, honey, medicine, and village.
शणं सर्जरसं धान्यमायुधानि शरांस्तथा चर्म स्नायु तथा वेत्रं मुञ्जबल्बजधन्वनान्
AI Translation: Cotton, resin, grain, weapons, arrows, Leather, sinew, bamboo, reeds, and bows,
आशयाश्चोदपानाश्च प्रभूतसलिला वराः निरोद्धव्याः सदा राज्ञा क्षीरिणश्च महीरुहाः
M. N. Dutt: He should multiply the number of tanks and wells containing large quantities of water, and should protect all shady trees.
सत्कृताश्च प्रयत्नेन आचार्यर्त्विक्पुरोहिताः महेष्वासाः स्थपतयः सांवत्सरचिकित्सकाः
AI Translation: The teachers, priests, and household priests were honored with great effort, The great archers, the architects, the astrologers, the physicians,
प्राज्ञा मेधाविनो दान्ता दक्षाः शूरा बहुश्रुताः कुलीनाः सत्त्वसंपन्ना युक्ताः सर्वेषु कर्मसु
AI Translation: wise, intelligent, disciplined, skilled, brave, learned, of noble birth, endowed with courage, fit for all tasks,
पूजयेद्धार्मिकान्राजा निगृह्णीयादधार्मिकान् नियुञ्ज्याच्च प्रयत्नेन सर्ववर्णान्स्वकर्मसु
M. N. Dutt: The king should honour the righteous and punish the unrighteous. He should, acting with resolution, compell the several castes follow their respective duties,
बाह्यमाभ्यन्तरं चैव पौरजानपदं जनम् चारैः सुविदितं कृत्वा ततः कर्म प्रयोजयेत्
M. N. Dutt: Knowing properly, through spies, the external conduct and the state of mind of the inhabitants of his city and provinces, he should take the necessary steps.
चारान्मन्त्रं च कोशं च मन्त्रं चैव विशेषतः अनुतिष्ठेत्स्वयं राजा सर्वं ह्यत्र प्रतिष्ठितम्
M. N. Dutt: The king should himself look after his spies and counsels, his treasury, and the instrument for inflicting punishments. Everything depends upon these.
उदासीनारिमित्राणां सर्वमेव चिकीर्षितम् पुरे जनपदे चैव ज्ञातव्यं चारचक्षुषा
M. N. Dutt: Having spies for his eyes, the king should learn all the acts and intentions of his foes, friends, and neutrals.
ततस्तथा विधातव्यं सर्वमेवाप्रमादतः भक्तान्पूजयता नित्यं द्विषतश्च निगृह्णता
M. N. Dutt: He should then, carefully, concert his own measures, honouring those that are loyal to him and chastising those that are hostile.
यष्टव्यं क्रतुभिर्नित्यं दातव्यं चाप्यपीडया प्रजानां रक्षणं कार्यं न कार्यं कर्म गर्हितम्
M. N. Dutt: The king should always worship the gods in sacrifices and make gifts without giving pain to anybody. He should protect his subjects, never doing anything that may stand in the way of righteousness.
कृपणानाथवृद्धानां विधवानां च योषिताम् योगक्षेमं च वृत्तिं च नित्यमेव प्रकल्पयेत्
M. N. Dutt: He should always support and protect the helpless, the lordless, the aged, and widows.
आश्रमेषु यथाकालं चेलभाजनभोजनम् सदैवोपहरेद्राजा सत्कृत्यानवमन्य च
M. N. Dutt: The king should always honour the ascetics and present them, at proper times, with clothes, vessels and food.
आत्मानं सर्वकार्याणि तापसे राज्यमेव च निवेदयेत्प्रयत्नेन तिष्ठेत्प्रह्वश्च सर्वदा
M. N. Dutt: The king should, with sufficient care, inform the ascetics of the state of his own self, of all his measures, and of the kingdom, and should always behave humbly in their presence.
सर्वार्थत्यागिनं राजा कुले जातं बहुश्रुतम् पूजयेत्तादृशं दृष्ट्वा शयनासनभोजनैः
M. N. Dutt: When he beholds anchorites of high descent and great learning that have forsaken all earthly objects, he should honour them with presents of beds and seats and food.
तस्मिन्कुर्वीत विश्वासं राजा कस्यांचिदापदि तापसेषु हि विश्वासमपि कुर्वन्ति दस्यवः
M. N. Dutt: Whatever the distress which he befalls him, he should confide in an anchorite. The very ribbers place confidence upon persons of that character.
तस्मिन्निधीनादधीत प्रज्ञां पर्याददीत च न चाप्यभीक्ष्णं सेवेत भृशं वा प्रतिपूजयेत्
M. N. Dutt: The king should keep his wealth in charge of an ascetic and should take wise counsels from him. He should not, however, always wait upon them or adore them at all times.
अन्यः कार्यः स्वराष्ट्रेषु परराष्ट्रेषु चापरः अटवीष्वपरः कार्यः सामन्तनगरेषु च
M. N. Dutt: From among those living in his own kingdom, he should select one for friendship. Likewise, he should select another from among those that live in the kingdom of his enemy. He should select a third from among recluses in the forests, and a fourth from among those living in his tributary kingdoms.
तेषु सत्कारसंस्कारान्संविभागांश्च कारयेत् परराष्ट्राटवीस्थेषु यथा स्वविषये तथा
M. N. Dutt: He should treat them hospitably and honour them and assign them the means of maintenance. He should treat the ascetics living in the kingdoms of enemies in the forests in the same way as those that live in his own kingdom.
ते कस्यांचिदवस्थायां शरणं शरणार्थिने राज्ञे दद्युर्यथाकामं तापसाः संशितव्रताः
M. N. Dutt: Engaged in penances and of rigid vows, they would, if calamity befalls the king and if he prays for protection, grant him what he wants.
एष ते लक्षणोद्देशः संक्षेपेण प्रकीर्तितः यादृशं नगरं राजा स्वयमावस्तुमर्हति
M. N. Dutt: I have now told you briefly the characteristics of the city in which the king should live.