Critical Edition
युधिष्ठिर उवाच पितामह महाप्राज्ञ संशयो मे महानयम् स च्छेत्तव्यस्त्वया राजन्भवान्कुलकरो हि नः
M. N. Dutt: Yudhishthira said O grandfather, O you of great wisdom, I have one great doubt which perplexes me! You should, O king, remove it! You are a promoter of our family.
पुरुषाणामयं तात दुर्वृत्तानां दुरात्मनाम् कथितो वाक्यसंचारस्ततो विज्ञापयामि ते
M. N. Dutt: You have described to us the slanderous speeches uttered by wicked men of bad conduct. I desire, however, to question you further.
यद्धितं राज्यतन्त्रस्य कुलस्य च सुखोदयम् आयत्यां च तदात्वे च क्षेमवृद्धिकरं च यत्
AI Translation: What is beneficial to the state and the family, leading to happiness, And which brings about increase of welfare in the future and in the present.
पुत्रपौत्राभिरामं च राष्ट्रवृद्धिकरं च यत् अन्नपाने शरीरे च हितं यत्तद्ब्रवीहि मे
AI Translation: Which is delightful to sons and grandsons, and which increases the kingdom, And which is beneficial to food, drink, and the body, tell me that.
अभिषिक्तो हि यो राजा राज्यस्थो मित्रसंवृतः असुहृत्समुपेतो वा स कथं रञ्जयेत्प्रजाः
M. N. Dutt: How should a king, who has been put on the throne occupy it, surrounded by friends, ministers and servants, please his subjects?
यो ह्यसत्प्रग्रहरतिः स्नेहरागबलात्कृतः इन्द्रियाणामनीशत्वादसज्जनबुभूषकः
AI Translation: One who is under the control of the false, who is overpowered by the force of attachment and passion, Who is not in control of the senses, who desires to be with the wicked,
तस्य भृत्या विगुणतां यान्ति सर्वे कुलोद्गताः न च भृत्यफलैरर्थैः स राजा संप्रयुज्यते
AI Translation: All his servants, though born in good families, become devoid of good qualities. And the king does not obtain the fruits of his servants.
एतान्मे संशयस्थस्य राजधर्मान्सुदुर्लभान् बृहस्पतिसमो बुद्ध्या भवाञ्शंसितुमर्हति
M. N. Dutt: You, who are equal to Brihaspati himself in intelligence, should describe to me these duties of kings which are difficult to be ascertained and thereby resolve my doubt.
शंसिता पुरुषव्याघ्र त्वं नः कुलहिते रतः क्षत्ता चैव पटुप्रज्ञो यो नः शंसति सर्वदा
M. N. Dutt: You, O foremost of men, are ever engaged in encompassing the good of our family. For this reason you always describe to us on the duties of the kings. Endued with great wisdom, Vidura also gives always valuable instruction.
त्वत्तः कुलहितं वाक्यं श्रुत्वा राज्यहितोदयम् अमृतस्याव्ययस्येव तृप्तः स्वप्स्याम्यहं सुखम्
M. N. Dutt: Hearing instructions from you which are productive of good to our family and kingdom, I shall be able to live happily like a person pleased with having drunk the immortal nectar.
कीदृषाः संनिकर्षस्था भृत्याः स्युर्वा गुणान्विताः कीदृशैः किंकुलीनैर्वा सह यात्रा विधीयते
M. N. Dutt: What classes of servants are to be considered as inferior and what as possessing all accomplishments? Helped by what class of servants or by servants of what kind of birth, should a king rule?
न ह्येको भृत्यरहितो राजा भवति रक्षिता राज्यं चेदं जनः सर्वस्तत्कुलीनोऽभिशंसति
M. N. Dutt: If the king choose to act alone and without servants, he can never protect his people. All persons, however, of high birth wish for the acquisition of sovereignty? us
न हि प्रशास्तुं राज्यं हि शक्यमेकेन भारत असहायवता तात नैवार्थाः केचिदप्युत लब्धुं लब्ध्वा चापि सदा रक्षितुं भरतर्षभ
M. N. Dutt: Bhishma said The king, O Bharata, cannot along govern his kingdom. Without servants to help him, he cannot accomplish any object. Even if he gains any object, he cannot retain it.
भीष्म उवाच यस्य भृत्यजनः सर्वो ज्ञानविज्ञानकोविदः हितैषी कुलजः स्निग्धः स राज्यफलमश्नुते
M. N. Dutt: That king, whose servants are all gifted with knowledge and wisdom, who always seek the well being of their master, and who are of high birth and quiet disposition, enjoys the happiness of sovereignty.
मन्त्रिणो यस्य कुलजा असंहार्याः सहोषिताः नृपतेर्मतिदाः सन्ति संबन्धज्ञानकोविदाः
AI Translation: The ministers of that king are born in noble families, are inseparable, and have grown up together. They are wise and know the knowledge of relationships.
अनागतविधातारः कालज्ञानविशारदाः अतिक्रान्तमशोचन्तः स राज्यफलमश्नुते
AI Translation: Those who are the creators of the future, skilled in knowing time, Not grieving over the past, he attains the fruit of the kingdom.
समदुःखसुखा यस्य सहायाः सत्यकारिणः अर्थचिन्तापरा यस्य स राज्यफलमश्नुते
M. N. Dutt: That king, whose servants partake of his sorrows and joys, who always do what he likes, who always try to accomplish their maser's objects, and all of whom are faithful, enjoys the happiness of sovereignty.
यस्य नार्तो जनपदः संनिकर्षगतः सदा अक्षुद्रः सत्पथालम्बी स राज्यफलभाग्भवेत्
M. N. Dutt: That king, whose subjects are always happy and magnanimous, and who always went to path of the righteous, enjoys the happiness of sovereignty.
कोशाक्षपटलं यस्य कोशवृद्धिकरैर्जनैः आप्तैस्तुष्टैश्च सततं धार्यते स नृपोत्तमः
M. N. Dutt: He is the best of kings, the various sources of whose revenue are managed and supervised by contented and trustworthy men who know fully the means of multiplying the finances.
कोष्ठागारमसंहार्यैराप्तैः संचयतत्परैः पात्रभूतैरलुब्धैश्च पाल्यमानं गुणीभवेत्
M. N. Dutt: That king acquires great riches and merit whose repositories and barns are looked after by trustworthy, devoted, and uncovetous and scrupulous servants always always bent upon gathering.
व्यवहारश्च नगरे यस्य कर्मफलोदयः दृश्यते शङ्खलिखितः स धर्मफलभाग्भवेत्
M. N. Dutt: That king in whose city justice is administered properly which leads to the fining the plaintiff or the defendant, if his case is untrue, and in which criminal laws are administered after the manner of Shankha and Likhita, acquires the merit of sovereignty.
संगृहीतमनुष्यश्च यो राजा राजधर्मवित् षड्वर्गं प्रतिगृह्णन्स धर्मात्फलमुपाश्नुते
M. N. Dutt: That king, who wins over subjects by kindness, who is master of the duties of kings, and who is mindful of six cardinal objects, acquires the merit of sovereignty.