Critical Edition
युधिष्ठिर उवाच अयं पितामहेनोक्तो राजधर्मः सनातनः ईश्वरश्च महादण्डो दण्डे सर्वं प्रतिष्ठितम्
M. N. Dutt: Yudhishthira said O grandfather, you have now finished your discourse upon the duties of kings. From what you have said it appears that punishment occupies a high position and is the master of everything, for everything depends upon punishment.
देवतानामृषीणां च पितॄणां च महात्मनाम् यक्षरक्षःपिशाचानां मर्त्यानां च विशेषतः
AI Translation: of the gods, the sages, and the great-souled ancestors, of the yakshas, rakshasas, pishachas, and especially of the mortals,
सर्वेषां प्राणिनां लोके तिर्यक्ष्वपि निवासिनाम् सर्वव्यापी महातेजा दण्डः श्रेयानिति प्रभो
AI Translation: For all beings in the world, even those dwelling among animals, The staff is the best, O Lord, all-pervading and of great splendor.
इत्येतदुक्तं भवता सर्वं दण्ड्यं चराचरम् दृश्यते लोकमासक्तं ससुरासुरमानुषम्
M. N. Dutt: You have said that the entire universe, mobile and immobile, including gods, Asuras, and men, depends upon punishment.
एतदिच्छाम्यहं ज्ञातुं तत्त्वेन भरतर्षभ को दण्डः कीदृशो दण्डः किंरूपः किंपरायणः
M. N. Dutt: I now wish, O foremost of Bharata's race, to know truly who punishment is. Of what kind is he? What is his form? What is his nature?
किमात्मकः कथंभूतः कतिमूर्तिः कथंप्रभुः जागर्ति स कथं दण्डः प्रजास्ववहितात्मकः
AI Translation: What is his nature? What is he like? How many forms does he have? How is he the lord? How does he watch over the people, his self being detached from them? How
कश्च पूर्वापरमिदं जागर्ति परिपालयन् कश्च विज्ञायते पूर्वं कोऽपरो दण्डसंज्ञितः किंसंस्थश्च भवेद्दण्डः का चास्य गतिरिष्यते
M. N. Dutt: Who is he that remains perpetually awake, protecting this universe? Who is he that is known to be the greatest of all things? Who, indeed, is that high person called punishment? What is that upon which Punishment depends? And what is his movement?
भीष्म उवाच शृणु कौरव्य यो दण्डो व्यवहार्यो यथा च सः यस्मिन्हि सर्वमायत्तं स दण्ड इह केवलः
M. N. Dutt: Bhishma said Listen, O scion of the Kurus, who is punishment and why is he also called Vyavahara. That upon whom all things depend is called punishment.
धर्मस्याख्या महाराज व्यवहार इतीष्यते तस्य लोपः कथं न स्याल्लोकेष्ववहितात्मनः इत्यर्थं व्यवहारस्य व्यवहारत्वमिष्यते
M. N. Dutt: Punishment is that by which righteousness is maintained. He is sometimes called Vyavahara. Punishment is called as such so that the righteousness of a king who is wide awake may not suffer extinction.
अपि चैतत्पुरा राजन्मनुना प्रोक्तमादितः सुप्रणीतेन दण्डेन प्रियाप्रियसमात्मना प्रजा रक्षति यः सम्यग्धर्म एव स केवलः
M. N. Dutt: It is, therefore, that the name Vyavahara is applied to it. In days of yore, Manu, O king, declared first of all this truth, viz.,-He who protects all creatures, the loved and the hated equally, by impartially holding the rod of punishment, is said to be the righteousness incarnate.
अथोक्तमेतद्वचनं प्रागेव मनुना पुरा जन्म चोक्तं वसिष्ठेन ब्रह्मणो वचनं महत्
M. N. Dutt: These words, that I have said, were, o king, first uttered in days of yore by Manu. They represent the great words of Brahmana.
प्रागिदं वचनं प्रोक्तमतः प्राग्वचनं विदुः व्यवहारस्य चाख्यानाद्व्यवहार इहोच्यते
M. N. Dutt: And because these words were spoken first, therefore, they are known as the first. And since Punishment which stops the misappropriation of other people's wealth, therefore, Punishment has come to be called by the name of Vyavahara.
दण्डात्त्रिवर्गः सततं सुप्रणीतात्प्रवर्तते दैवं हि परमो दण्डो रूपतोऽग्निरिवोच्छिखः
M. N. Dutt: The aggregate of three objects always depends well-applied Punishment. Punishment is a great god. In form he looks like a burning fire.
नीलोत्पलदलश्यामश्चतुर्दंष्ट्रश्चतुर्भुजः अष्टपान्नैकनयनः शङ्कुकर्णोर्ध्वरोमवान्
M. N. Dutt: His complexion is dark like that of the petals of the blue lotus. He has four teeth, four arms and eight legs and many eyes. His ears are pointed like arrows and his hair stands upright. on
जटी द्विजिह्वस्ताम्रास्यो मृगराजतनुच्छदः एतद्रूपं बिभर्त्युग्रं दण्डो नित्यं दुरावरः
M. N. Dutt: He has matted locks and two tongues. His face has the colour of copper, and he is clad in a lion's skin. That irresistible god assumes such a dreadful form.
असिर्गदा धनुः शक्तिस्त्रिशूलं मुद्गरः शरः मुसलं परशुश्चक्रं प्रासो दण्डर्ष्टितोमराः
AI Translation: Sword, mace, bow, spear, trident, hammer, arrow, Pestle, axe, discus, spear, staff, arrow, and javelin.
सर्वप्रहरणीयानि सन्ति यानीह कानिचित् दण्ड एव हि सर्वात्मा लोके चरति मूर्तिमान्
AI Translation: All the weapons that there are here, The rod alone is the soul of all, moving in the world in a body.
भिन्दंश्छिन्दन्रुजन्कृन्तन्दारयन्पाटयंस्तथा घातयन्नभिधावंश्च दण्ड एव चरत्युत
M. N. Dutt: Indeed, Punishment moves on Earth, piercing and cutting and assenting and looping off and dividing and striking and killing and rushing against its victims.
असिर्विशसनो धर्मस्तीक्ष्णवर्त्मा दुरासदः श्रीगर्भो विजयः शास्ता व्यवहारः प्रजागरः
AI Translation: The sword is the destroyer, the law, the sharp path, the inaccessible. The womb of glory, the conqueror, the teacher, the practice, the watchful.
शास्त्रं ब्राह्मणमन्त्रश्च शास्ता प्राग्वचनं गतः धर्मपालोऽक्षरो देवः सत्यगो नित्यगो ग्रहः
AI Translation: The scripture, the Brahmanical mantra, the teacher, the previous statement, the protector, the protector of Dharma, the syllable, the god, the truth-goer, the eternal-goer, the planet,
असङ्गो रुद्रतनयो मनुज्येष्ठः शिवंकरः नामान्येतानि दण्डस्य कीर्तितानि युधिष्ठिर
AI Translation: The son of Rudra, the eldest of men, the bestower of welfare, the unattached one. These are the names of Danda, O Yudhishthira.
दण्डो हि भगवान्विष्णुर्यज्ञो नारायणः प्रभुः शश्वद्रूपं महद्बिभ्रन्महापुरुष उच्यते
M. N. Dutt: Punishment is the holy Vishnu. He is the powerful Narayana. And because he always puts on dreadful from, therefore he is called Mahapurusha.
यथोक्ता ब्रह्मकन्येति लक्ष्मीर्नीतिः सरस्वती दण्डनीतिर्जगद्धात्री दण्डो हि बहुविग्रहः
M. N. Dutt: His wife Morality passes by the names of Brahman's daughter, Lakshmi, Vritti, Sarasvati, and Mother of the universe. Punishment has thus many forms.
अर्थानर्थौ सुखं दुःखं धर्माधर्मौ बलाबले दौर्भाग्यं भागधेयं च पुण्यापुण्ये गुणागुणौ
AI Translation: Wealth and poverty, happiness and suffering, virtue and vice, strength and weakness, Bad luck and good fortune, merit and demerit, virtue and vice,
कामाकामावृतुर्मासः शर्वरी दिवसः क्षणः अप्रसादः प्रसादश्च हर्षः क्रोधः शमो दमः
AI Translation: Desire and non-desire are the seasons, the night is the day, the moment is the instant. Displeasure, pleasure, joy, anger, peace, self-control,
दैवं पुरुषकारश्च मोक्षामोक्षौ भयाभये हिंसाहिंसे तपो यज्ञः संयमोऽथ विषाविषम्
AI Translation: Destiny and human effort, liberation and non-liberation, fear and fearlessness, Violence and non-violence, austerity and sacrifice, restraint and poison and non-poison,
अन्तश्चादिश्च मध्यं च कृत्यानां च प्रपञ्चनम् मदः प्रमादो दर्पश्च दम्भो धैर्यं नयानयौ
AI Translation: The beginning, the end, and the middle, and the elaboration of the rites, Pride, carelessness, arrogance, deceit, courage, policy and non-policy,
अशक्तिः शक्तिरित्येव मानस्तम्भौ व्ययाव्ययौ विनयश्च विसर्गश्च कालाकालौ च भारत
AI Translation: Impotence is power, pride and modesty are the same, expenditure and non-expenditure are the same, Humility and abandonment are the same, time and non-time are the same, O descendant of Bharata.
अनृतं ज्ञाज्ञता सत्यं श्रद्धाश्रद्धे तथैव च क्लीबता व्यवसायश्च लाभालाभौ जयाजयौ
AI Translation: Falsehood, knowledge and ignorance, faith and lack of faith, Impotence, determination, gain and loss, victory and defeat,
तीक्ष्णता मृदुता मृत्युरागमानागमौ तथा विराद्धिश्चैव राद्धिश्च कार्याकार्ये बलाबले
AI Translation: Sharpness, softness, death, coming and going, Disappointment and success, duty and non-duty, strength and weakness,
असूया चानसूया च धर्माधर्मौ तथैव च अपत्रपानपत्रपे ह्रीश्च संपद्विपच्च ह
AI Translation: Jealousy and non-jealousy, and likewise Dharma and Adharma, Shamelessness and non-shamelessness, and modesty and prosperity and adversity,
तेजः कर्मणि पाण्डित्यं वाक्शक्तिस्तत्त्वबुद्धिता एवं दण्डस्य कौरव्य लोकेऽस्मिन्बहुरूपता
AI Translation: The power of knowledge in action, the power of speech, the power of understanding the truth. Thus, O son of Kuru, the rod has many forms in this world.
न स्याद्यदीह दण्डो वै प्रमथेयुः परस्परम् भयाद्दण्डस्य चान्योन्यं घ्नन्ति नैव युधिष्ठिर
M. N. Dutt: If punishment had not existed, all creatures would have struck one another. Through fear of punishment, O Yudhishthira, living creatures do not kill one another.
दण्डेन रक्ष्यमाणा हि राजन्नहरहः प्रजाः राजानं वर्धयन्तीह तस्माद्दण्डः परायणम्
M. N. Dutt: O king, always protected by punishment, the subjects, increase the might of their ruler. It is for this that punishment is regarded as the highest refuge of all.
व्यवस्थापयति क्षिप्रमिमं लोकं नरेश्वर सत्ये व्यवस्थितो धर्मो ब्राह्मणेष्ववतिष्ठते
M. N. Dutt: Punishment, o king, quickly sets the world on the path of righteousness. Depend upon truth, righteousness exits in Brahmanas.
धर्मयुक्ता द्विजाः श्रेष्ठा वेदयुक्ता भवन्ति च बभूव यज्ञो वेदेभ्यो यज्ञः प्रीणाति देवताः
M. N. Dutt: Filled with righteousness, leading Brahmanas take to the study of the Vedas. From the Vedas the sacrifices originate. Sacrifices please the gods.
प्रीताश्च देवता नित्यमिन्द्रे परिददत्युत अन्नं ददाति शक्रश्चाप्यनुगृह्णन्निमाः प्रजाः
M. N. Dutt: The gods being gratified, commend the dwellers of the Earth to Indra. For benefiting the inhabitants of the Earth, Indra gives them food.
प्राणाश्च सर्वभूतानां नित्यमन्ने प्रतिष्ठिताः तस्मात्प्रजाः प्रतिष्ठन्ते दण्डो जागर्ति तासु च
M. N. Dutt: The life of all creatures depends upon food. From food creatures derive their support and growth. Punishment in the shape of king remains wakeful amongst them.
एवंप्रयोजनश्चैव दण्डः क्षत्रियतां गतः रक्षन्प्रजाः प्रजागर्ति नित्यं सुविहितोऽक्षरः
M. N. Dutt: For serving this object, punishment assumes the form of a Kshatriya among men. Protecting men he remains awake, always careful and never decaying.
ईश्वरः पुरुषः प्राणः सत्त्वं वित्तं प्रजापतिः भूतात्मा जीव इत्येव नामभिः प्रोच्यतेऽष्टभिः
M. N. Dutt: Punishment has again these other eight names, viz., God, Men, Life, Power, Heart, the Lord of all creatures, the Soul of all things, and the Living creature.
अददद्दण्ड एवास्मै ध्रुवमैश्वर्यमेव च बले नयश्च संयुक्तः सदा पञ्चविधात्मकः
M. N. Dutt: God gave both prosperity and the rod of punishment to the king who is possessed of strength and who is a combination of five expedients.
कुलबाहुधनामात्याः प्रज्ञा चोक्ता बलानि च आहार्यं चाष्टकैर्द्रव्यैर्बलमन्यद्युधिष्ठिर
M. N. Dutt: Nobility of blood, rich ministers, knowledge, the various kinds of forces with the eight objects mentioned below, and the other forces, should be sought for by the king, o Yudhishthira.
हस्तिनोऽश्वा रथाः पत्तिर्नावो विष्टिस्तथैव च दैशिकाश्चारकाश्चैव तदष्टाङ्गं बलं स्मृतम्
M. N. Dutt: a Those eight objects are elephants, horses, cars, infantry, boats, impressed labourers, increase of population, and cattle such as sheep, etc.
अष्टाङ्गस्य तु युक्तस्य हस्तिनो हस्तियायिनः अश्वारोहाः पदाताश्च मन्त्रिणो रसदाश्च ये
M. N. Dutt: Well-armed soldiers car-warriors, elephantwarriors, cavalry, infantry officers and surgeons form the limbs.
भिक्षुकाः प्राड्विवाकाश्च मौहूर्ता दैवचिन्तकाः कोशो मित्राणि धान्यं च सर्वोपकरणानि च
AI Translation: Monks, judges, astrologers, and diviners, treasury, friends, grain, and all utensils,
सप्तप्रकृति चाष्टाङ्गं शरीरमिह यद्विदुः राज्यस्य दण्ड एवाङ्गं दण्डः प्रभव एव च
AI Translation: The body is known to have seven constituents and eight limbs. The rod is the limb of the kingdom, and the rod is the source.
ईश्वरेण प्रयत्नेन धारणे क्षत्रियस्य हि दण्डो दत्तः समानात्मा दण्डो हीदं सनातनम् राज्ञां पूज्यतमो नान्यो यथाधर्मप्रदर्शनः
M. N. Dutt: God himself has, with great care, sent Punishment for the use of the Kshatriya. This eternal universe is impartial Punishment's self.
ब्रह्मणा लोकरक्षार्थं स्वधर्मस्थापनाय च भर्तृप्रत्यय उत्पन्नो व्यवहारस्तथापरः तस्माद्यः सहितो दृष्टो भर्तृप्रत्ययलक्षणः
M. N. Dutt: There is another kind of Vyavahara (Law) originating from the disputes of litigants which also has sprung from Brahman. Principally marked by a belief in either of the two parties, that Vyavahara, (Law) yields great good.
व्यवहारस्तु वेदात्मा वेदप्रत्यय उच्यते मौलश्च नरशार्दूल शास्त्रोक्तश्च तथापरः
M. N. Dutt: There is another kind of Vyavahara which has the Veda for its soul. It also originates from the Veda. There is, O foremost of kings, a third kind of Vyavahara (Law) which is connected with family customs but which is quite of a piece with the scriptures.
उक्तो यश्चापि दण्डोऽसौ भर्तृप्रत्ययलक्षणः ज्ञेयो न स नरेन्द्रस्थो दण्डप्रत्यय एव च
M. N. Dutt: That Vyavahara (Law) which has, as above, been said to be marked by a belief in either of two litigant parties, should be known by us as being inherent in the king. It should be also known by the name of Punishment, as also by the name of Evidence.
दण्डप्रत्ययदृष्टोऽपि व्यवहारात्मकः स्मृतः व्यवहारः स्मृतो यश्च स वेदविषयात्मकः
M. N. Dutt: Although Punishment is regulated by Evidence, yet it depends upon Law. Vyavahara (law) is really based upon Vedic precepts.
यश्च वेदप्रसूतात्मा स धर्मो गुणदर्शकः धर्मप्रत्यय उत्पन्नो यथाधर्मः कृतात्मभिः
M. N. Dutt: That Vyavahara (Law), which originates from the Vedas, is Morality or duty. It yields good to persons believing in duty and morality; men of purified souls have spoken of that Vyavahara (Law) as they have done of ordinary law.
व्यवहारः प्रजागोप्ता ब्रह्मदिष्टो युधिष्ठिर त्रीन्धारयति लोकान्वै सत्यात्मा भूतिवर्धनः
M. N. Dutt: The third kind of Vyavahara is also a protector of men, and it also originates from the Veda, O Yudhishthira! It keeps up the three worlds. It has Truth for its soul and yields prosperity.
यश्च दण्डः स दृष्टो नो व्यवहारः सनातनः व्यवहारश्च यो दृष्टः स धर्म इति नः श्रुतः यश्च वेदः स वै धर्मो यश्च धर्मः स सत्पथः
AI Translation: And that which is the rod is seen by us as the eternal law. And that which is the law is seen by us as the Veda. And that which is the Veda is the law, and that which is the law is the right path.
ब्रह्मा प्रजापतिः पूर्वं बभूवाथ पितामहः लोकानां स हि सर्वेषां ससुरासुररक्षसाम् समनुष्योरगवतां कर्ता चैव स भूतकृत्
M. N. Dutt: Brahman is the Creator of the entire universe with the gods and Asuras and Rakshasas and human beings and snakes, and of every other things.
ततो नो व्यवहारोऽयं भर्तृप्रत्ययलक्षणः तस्मादिदमवोचाम व्यवहारनिदर्शनम्
M. N. Dutt: Hence that law which is characterised by a belief in either of two litigant parties has also originated from him. Therefore, he has laid down the following regarding Vyavahara.
माता पिता च भ्राता च भार्या चाथ पुरोहितः नादण्ड्यो विद्यते राज्ञां यः स्वधर्मे न तिष्ठति
M. N. Dutt: Neither mother, nor father, nor brother, nor wife, nor priest, is unpunishable with that king who governs agreeable to his duty.'