Critical Edition
युधिष्ठिर उवाच राजवृत्तान्यनेकानि त्वया प्रोक्तानि भारत पूर्वैः पूर्वनियुक्तानि राजधर्मार्थवेदिभिः
M. N. Dutt: Yudhishthira said You have, O Bharata, described the many duties of king-craft, which were observed and laid down in days of yore by persons of ancient times conversant with royal duties.
तदेव विस्तरेणोक्तं पूर्वैर्दृष्टं सतां मतम् प्रणयं राजधर्माणां प्रब्रूहि भरतर्षभ
M. N. Dutt: You have, indeed, described fully those duties as approved by the wise. Do you, however, O foremost of Bharata's race give us an abridgement of the same, so that we may keep it in memory.
भीष्म उवाच रक्षणं सर्वभूतानामिति क्षत्रे परं मतम् तद्यथा रक्षणं कुर्यात्तथा शृणु महीपते
M. N. Dutt: Bhishma said The protection of all creatures is considered the highest duty of the Kshatriya. Listen now to me, o king, as to how the duty of protection to be performed.
यथा बर्हाणि चित्राणि बिभर्ति भुजगाशनः तथा बहुविधं राजा रूपं कुर्वीत धर्मवित्
M. N. Dutt: A king conversant with his duties should put on many forms and the peacock displays plumes of various hues.
तैक्ष्ण्यं जिह्मत्वमादान्त्यं सत्यमार्जवमेव च मध्यस्थः सत्त्वमातिष्ठंस्तथा वै सुखमृच्छति
M. N. Dutt: Keenness, crookedness, truth, and sincerity, are the qualities which should be present in him. He should practise impartially the qualities of goodness if he is to acquire happiness.
यस्मिन्नर्थे हितं यत्स्यात्तद्वर्णं रूपमाविशेत् बहुरूपस्य राज्ञो हि सूक्ष्मोऽप्यर्थो न सीदति
M. N. Dutt: He must assume that particular colour or form which is beneficial for the particular object which he tries to achieve. A king who can put on various forms succeeds in achieving even the most subtile objects.
नित्यं रक्षितमन्त्रः स्याद्यथा मूकः शरच्छिखी श्लक्ष्णाक्षरतनुः श्रीमान्भवेच्छास्त्रविशारदः
M. N. Dutt: Dumb like the peacock in autumn, he should keep his counsels close. He should speak little and that little should be sweet. He should be of good features and well-read in the scriptures.
आपद्द्वारेषु यत्तः स्याज्जलप्रस्रवणेष्विव शैलवर्षोदकानीव द्विजान्सिद्धान्समाश्रयेत्
M. N. Dutt: He should always be very careful about those gates through which dangers may come and befall him, like men guarding breaks in embankments through which the waters of large tanks may rush and flood their fields and houses. He should seek the protection of Brahmanas crowned with ascetic success as men seek the refuge of powerful rivers caused by the rain-water deposited within mountain lakes. That king, who wishes to amass riches should act like religious hypocrites who keep Sikha or tuft of hair.
अर्थकामः शिखां राजा कुर्याद्धर्मध्वजोपमाम् नित्यमुद्यतदण्डः स्यादाचरेच्चाप्रमादतः लोके चायव्ययौ दृष्ट्वा वृक्षाद्वृक्षमिवाप्लवन्
AI Translation: The king, desiring wealth and pleasure, should make the crest-jewel, resembling the banner of Dharma. He should always hold the staff aloft and act with care. Seeing the rise and fall
मृजावान्स्यात्स्वयूथ्येषु भावानि चरणैः क्षिपेत् जातपक्षः परिस्पन्देद्रक्षेद्वैकल्यमात्मनः
M. N. Dutt: He should treat equitably his own subjects; cause the crops of his enemies to be crushed by the foot of his cavalry, march against enemies when his own wings have become strong; and mark all the sources of his own weakness.
दोषान्विवृणुयाच्छत्रोः परपक्षान्विधूनयेत् काननेष्विव पुष्पाणि बर्हीवार्थान्समाचरेत्
M. N. Dutt: He should announce the faults of his enemies; crush those who are their partisans; and collect riches from outside like a person plucking flowers from the forest.
उच्छ्रितानाश्रयेत्स्फीतान्नरेन्द्रानचलोपमान् श्रयेच्छायामविज्ञातां गुप्तं शरणमाश्रयेत्
M. N. Dutt: He should kill those foremost of kings who are puffed up with might and stand with upraised heads like mountains; by bribing the governors of the forests and by ambuscades and sudden attacks.
प्रावृषीवासितग्रीवो मज्जेत निशि निर्जने मायूरेण गुणेनैव स्त्रीभिश्चालक्षितश्चरेत् न जह्याच्च तनुत्राणं रक्षेदात्मानमात्मना
M. N. Dutt: Like the peacock in the rains, he should enter his nightly habitations alone and unseen. Indeed, he should enjoy, like the peacock, within his inner apartments, the company of his wives.
चारभूमिष्वभिगमान्पाशांश्च परिवर्जयेत् पीडयेच्चापि तां भूमिं प्रणश्येद्गहने पुनः
AI Translation: In the four regions, one should avoid going to and from the noose. And one should press down on that ground, and again it will perish in the dense forest.
Supplementary Passages:
12.120.14 After 14, D7 S (except G1; G3 missing) ins.: *278 एवं मयूरधर्मेण वर्तयन्सततं नरः
हन्यात्क्रुद्धानतिविषान्ये जिह्मगतयोऽहितान् नाश्रयेद्बालबर्हाणि सन्निवासानि वासयेत्
AI Translation: One should kill angry, very poisonous, crooked-going, harmful snakes. One should not resort to young elephants, or to places of residence.
सदा बर्हिनिभः कामं प्रसक्तिकृतमाचरेत् सर्वतश्चाददेत्प्रज्ञां पतंगान्गहनेष्विव एवं मयूरवद्राजा स्वराष्ट्रं परिपालयेत्
AI Translation: Always like a peacock, he should do what is proper, and gather wisdom from everywhere, like a moth in a forest. Thus, like a peacock, the king should protect his own kingdom.
आत्मवृद्धिकरीं नीतिं विदधीत विचक्षणः आत्मसंयमनं बुद्ध्या परबुद्ध्यावतारणम् बुद्ध्या चात्मगुणप्राप्तिरेतच्छास्त्रनिदर्शनम्
M. N. Dutt: By dint of his own intelligence, he should determine what he is to do. By consulting with others he should either leave off or conform such resolution. Helped by that intelligence which is sharpened by the scriptures, one can fix his courses of action. Herein consists the utility of the scriptures.
परं चाश्वासयेत्साम्ना स्वशक्तिं चोपलक्षयेत् आत्मनः परिमर्शेन बुद्धिं बुद्ध्या विचारयेत् सान्त्वयोगमतिः प्राज्ञः कार्याकार्यविचारकः
M. N. Dutt: By following the means of conciliation, he should create confidence in the hearts of his enemies. He should show his own strength. By judging of various courses of action in his own mind he should by dint of his own intelligence, make his decision.
निगूढबुद्धिर्धीरः स्याद्वक्तव्ये वक्ष्यते तथा संनिकृष्टां कथां प्राज्ञो यदि बुद्ध्या बृहस्पतिः स्वभावमेष्यते तप्तं कृष्णायसमिवोदके
AI Translation: One who is wise and patient should speak only when it is appropriate. If the wise Brihaspati were to tell a story that is close to him, it would become like heated iron in water.
अनुयुञ्जीत कृत्यानि सर्वाण्येव महीपतिः आगमैरुपदिष्टानि स्वस्य चैव परस्य च
AI Translation: The king should undertake all the duties prescribed in the scriptures, both for himself and for others.
क्षुद्रं क्रूरं तथा प्राज्ञं शूरं चार्थविशारदम् स्वकर्मणि नियुञ्जीत ये चान्ये वचनाधिकाः
M. N. Dutt: A king, who knows well the means of acquiring riches, should always engage in his acts such men as are mild by nature and endued with wisdom, courage and great strength.
अप्यदृष्ट्वा नियुक्तानि अनुरूपेषु कर्मसु सर्वांस्ताननुवर्तेत स्वरांस्तन्त्रीरिवायता
M. N. Dutt: Seeing his servants employed in acts for which each is fit, the king should act in unision with them like the strings of a musical instrument, set to proper tension, according with their notes.
धर्माणामविरोधेन सर्वेषां प्रियमाचरेत् ममायमिति राजा यः स पर्वत इवाचलः
M. N. Dutt: The king should do good to all persons without violating the injunctions of Righteousness. That king stands firm as a rock whom everybody regards-He is mine.
व्यवसायं समाधाय सूर्यो रश्मिमिवायताम् धर्ममेवाभिरक्षेत कृत्वा तुल्ये प्रियाप्रिये
M. N. Dutt: While settling the claims of litigants, the king, without making any difference between persons who are liked and those who are disliked by him, should preserve justice.
कुलप्रकृतिदेशानां धर्मज्ञान्मृदुभाषिणः मध्ये वयसि निर्दोषान्हिते युक्ताञ्जितेन्द्रियान्
AI Translation: One who is learned in the nature of families, countries, and the Dharma, who speaks gently, In the prime of life, free from faults, devoted to the good, with senses controlled,
अलुब्धाञ्शिक्षितान्दान्तान्धर्मेषु परिनिष्ठितान् स्थापयेत्सर्वकार्येषु राजा धर्मार्थरक्षिणः
AI Translation: He should appoint those who are not greedy, who are trained, who are disciplined, who are devoted to the Dharma, in all affairs, the king should appoint those who protect the Dharma and the purpose.
एतेनैव प्रकारेण कृत्यानामागतिं गतिम् युक्तः समनुतिष्ठेत तुष्टश्चारैरुपस्कृतः
M. N. Dutt: In this way, having determined the course of actions and their final ends, the king should accomplish them carefully; and instructed in all matters by his spies, he may live happily.
अमोघक्रोधहर्षस्य स्वयं कृत्यान्ववेक्षिणः आत्मप्रत्ययकोशस्य वसुधैव वसुंधरा
M. N. Dutt: That king, who never yields to anger and joy without sufficient cause, who looks after all his acts himself, and who superintends his income and expenditure with his own eyes, succeeds in acquiring great wealth from the Earth.
व्यक्तश्चानुग्रहो यस्य यथार्थश्चापि निग्रहः गुप्तात्मा गुप्तराष्ट्रश्च स राजा राजधर्मवित्
M. N. Dutt: That king is a master of his royal duties who rewards his officers and subjects publicly, who punishes those who deserve punishment, who protects his own self, and who protects his kingdom from very evil.
नित्यं राष्ट्रमवेक्षेत गोभिः सूर्य इवोत्पतन् चारांश्च नचरान्विद्यात्तथा बुद्ध्या न संज्वरेत्
M. N. Dutt: Like the Sun shedding his rays upon everything underneath, the king should always look after his kingdom himself, and helped by his intelligence, be should supervise all his spies and officers.
कालप्राप्तमुपादद्यान्नार्थं राजा प्रसूचयेत् अहन्यहनि संदुह्यान्महीं गामिव बुद्धिमान्
M. N. Dutt: The king should collect wealth from his subjects at the proper time. He should never announce what he does. Like an intelligent person milking his cow every day, the king should milk his kingdom everyday.
यथा क्रमेण पुष्पेभ्यश्चिनोति मधु षट्पदः तथा द्रव्यमुपादाय राजा कुर्वीत संचयम्
M. N. Dutt: As the bee gathers honey from flowers gradually, the king should collect wealth gradually from his kingdom for keeping it in store.
यद्धि गुप्तावशिष्टं स्यात्तद्धितं धर्मकामयोः संचयानुविसर्गी स्याद्राजा शास्त्रविदात्मवान्
M. N. Dutt: Having kept apart a sufficient portion, he should with the remaining portion, acquire religious merit and gratify his desires for pleasure. That king, who is acquainted with duties and who is gifted with intelligence, would never squander what has been stored.
नाल्पमर्थं परिभवेन्नावमन्येत शात्रवान् बुद्ध्यावबुध्येदात्मानं न चाबुद्धिषु विश्वसेत्
M. N. Dutt: The king should never disregard any wealth, however little it may be; he should never belittle his foes for their powerlessness; he should by his own intelligence, examine his ownself; he should never place confidence in ignorant persons.
धृतिर्दाक्ष्यं संयमो बुद्धिरग्र्या; धैर्यं शौर्यं देशकालोऽप्रमादः स्वल्पस्य वा महतो वापि वृद्धौ; धनस्यैतान्यष्ट समिन्धनानि
AI Translation: Patience, skill, self-restraint, superior intelligence, courage, heroism, time and place, and non-negligence - These eight are the fuels for the growth of wealth, whether small or great.
अग्निस्तोको वर्धते ह्याज्यसिक्तो; बीजं चैकं बहुसाहस्रमेति क्षयोदयौ विपुलौ संनिशाम्य; तस्मादल्पं नावमन्येत विद्वान्
AI Translation: The fire, when sprinkled with ghee, grows; and a single seed becomes many thousands. Seeing the great increase and decrease, the wise one should not despise the small.
बालोऽबालः स्थविरो वा रिपुर्यः; सदा प्रमत्तं पुरुषं निहन्यात् कालेनान्यस्तस्य मूलं हरेत; कालज्ञाता पार्थिवानां वरिष्ठः
M. N. Dutt: An enemy, whether he be a child, a young man, or an aged one, succeeds in killing a careless person. An insignificant enemy, when he becomes powerful, may root out a king. A king, therefore, who is conversant with the requirements of time is the greatest of all kings.
हरेत्कीर्तिं धर्ममस्योपरुन्ध्या;दर्थे दीर्घं वीर्यमस्योपहन्यात् रिपुर्द्वेष्टा दुर्बलो वा बली वा; तस्माच्छत्रौ नैव हेडेद्यतात्मा
M. N. Dutt: An enemy, strong or weak, impelled by malice, may very soon destroy the fame of a king, impede the acquisition of religious merit by him; and deprive him of even his energy. Therefore, a king, who is of a controlled mind, should never be careless when he has an enemy.
क्षयं शत्रोः संचयं पालनं चा;प्युभौ चार्थौ सहितौ धर्मकामौ अतश्चान्यन्मतिमान्संदधीत; तस्माद्राजा बुद्धिमन्तं श्रयेत
M. N. Dutt: If an intelligent king desires for riches and victory, he should after knowing his expenditure, income, savings, and administration, make either peace or war. For this reason the king should seek the help of an intelligent minister.
बुद्धिर्दीप्ता बलवन्तं हिनस्ति; बलं बुद्ध्या वर्धते पाल्यमानम् शत्रुर्बुद्ध्या सीदते वर्धमानो; बुद्धेः पश्चात्कर्म यत्तत्प्रशस्तम्
M. N. Dutt: even a ever Brilliant intelligence weakens powerful person; by intelligence the growing power may be protected; a growing enemy is weakened by the help of intelligence; therefore, work which is undertaken with intelligence is deserving of praise.
सर्वान्कामान्कामयानो हि धीरः; सत्त्वेनाल्पेनाप्लुते हीनदेहः यथात्मानं प्रार्थयतेऽर्थमानैः; श्रेयःपात्रं पूरयते ह्यनल्पम्
M. N. Dutt: A king, who is patient and without any fault, may, if he likes, obtain the fruition of all his wishes, with the help of even a small force. That king, however, who wishes to be encircled by a number of self-seeking flatterers, can never derive the smallest benefit.
तस्माद्राजा प्रगृहीतः परेषु; मूलं लक्ष्म्याः सर्वतोऽभ्याददीत दीर्घं कालमपि संपीड्यमानो; विद्युत्संपातमिव मानोर्जितः स्यात्
M. N. Dutt: For these reasons, the king, should mildly colleci wealth from his subjects. If a king continually oppresses his people, he is destroyed like a flash of lighting that shines only for a second.
विद्या तपो वा विपुलं धनं वा; सर्वमेतद्व्यवसायेन शक्यम् ब्रह्म यत्तं निवसति देहवत्सु; तस्माद्विद्याद्व्यवसायं प्रभूतम्
M. N. Dutt: Learning, penances, immense wealth, indeed, everything, can be acquired by exertion. Exertion of embodied creatures is governed by intelligence. Exertion, therefore, is the greatest of all things.
यत्रासते मतिमन्तो मनस्विनः; शक्रो विष्णुर्यत्र सरस्वती च वसन्ति भूतानि च यत्र नित्यं; तस्माद्विद्वान्नावमन्येत देहम्
M. N. Dutt: The human body is the habitation of many intelligent, and energetic creatures, of Shakra, of Vishnu, of Sarasvati and of other brings. A learned men, therefore, should never disregard the body.
लुब्धं हन्यात्संप्रदानेन नित्यं; लुब्धस्तृप्तिं परवित्तस्य नैति सर्वो लुब्धः कर्मगुणोपभोगे; योऽर्थैर्हीनो धर्मकामौ जहाति
M. N. Dutt: A covetous man should be brought under control by continued presents. He that covetous is never satiated with taking other people's riches, Every one, however, becomes covetous of happiness. If a person, therefore, becomes destitute of wealth, he becomes shorn of virtue and pleasure.
धनं भोज्यं पुत्रदारं समृद्धिं; सर्वो लुब्धः प्रार्थयते परेषाम् लुब्धे दोषाः संभवन्तीह सर्वे; तस्माद्राजा न प्रगृह्णीत लुब्धान्
M. N. Dutt: A covetous man seeks to take to himself the riches, the enjoyments, the sons and daughters, and the affluence of others. Every kind of fault is seen in covetous men. The king, therefore, should never appoint a covetous man as his minister or officer.
संदर्शने सत्पुरुषं जघन्यमपि चोदयेत् आरम्भान्द्विषतां प्राज्ञः सर्वानर्थांस्तु सूदयेत्
M. N. Dutt: A king should even sent a low person to ascertain the disposition and doings of his enemies. A wise king should frustrate all the attempts and objects of his enemies.
धर्मान्वितेषु विज्ञातो मन्त्री गुप्तश्च पाण्डव आप्तो राजन्कुलीनश्च पर्याप्तो राज्यसंग्रहे
M. N. Dutt: That confident and high-born king who seeks instruction from learned and pious Brahmanas and who is protected by his ministers, can keep all his tributary chiefs under proper control.
विधिप्रवृत्तान्नरदेवधर्मा;नुक्तान्समासेन निबोध बुद्ध्या इमान्विदध्याद्व्यनुसृत्य यो वै; राजा महीं पालयितुं स शक्तः
M. N. Dutt: O king, I have briefly described to you of all the duties laid down in the scriptures. Attend to them, helped by your intelligence. That king, who, in obeying his protector, attends to these, succeeds in ruling the whole Earth.
अनीतिजं यद्यविधानजं सुखं; हठप्रणीतं विविधं प्रदृश्यते न विद्यते तस्य गतिर्महीपते;र्न विद्यते राष्ट्रजमुत्तमं सुखम्
M. N. Dutt: That king, who neglects the happiness which policy yields and seeks for that which chance may bring, never succeeds in enjoying the happiness of sovereignty or in acquiring blissful regions hereafter.
धनैर्विशिष्टान्मतिशीलपूजिता;न्गुणोपपन्नान्युधि दृष्टविक्रमान् गुणेषु दृष्टानचिरादिहात्मवा;न्सतोऽभिसंधाय निहन्ति शात्रवान्
M. N. Dutt: By properly looking to the requirements of war and peace, a careful king, succeeds in killing even such foes as are highly rich, adored for intelligence and good conduct, endued with accomplishments, brave in battle, and ready for work.
पश्येदुपायान्विविधैः क्रियापथै;र्न चानुपायेन मतिं निवेशयेत् श्रियं विशिष्टां विपुलं यशो धनं; न दोषदर्शी पुरुषः समश्नुते
M. N. Dutt: The king should find out those means which are supplied by different kinds of acts and measures. He should never depend upon destiny. One who sees faults in innocent persons, never succeeds in acquiring prosperity and fame.
प्रीतिप्रवृत्तौ विनिवर्तने तथा; सुहृत्सु विज्ञाय निवृत्य चोभयोः यदेव मित्रं गुरुभारमावहे;त्तदेव सुस्निग्धमुदाहरेद्बुधः
M. N. Dutt: When two friends engage in doing one and the same act, a wise man always praises him among the two who undertakes the heavier share of work.
एतान्मयोक्तांस्तव राजधर्मा;न्नृणां च गुप्तौ मतिमादधत्स्व अवाप्स्यसे पुण्यफलं सुखेन; सर्वो हि लोकोत्तमधर्ममूलः
M. N. Dutt: Do you practise these duties of kings that I have described to you. Be ready to perform the duty of protecting men. You may then easily acquire the need of virtue. All the regions of happiness hereafter depend upon merit.'