Critical Edition
युधिष्ठिर उवाच क्षीणस्य दीर्घसूत्रस्य सानुक्रोशस्य बन्धुषु विरक्तपौरराष्ट्रस्य निर्द्रव्यनिचयस्य च
M. N. Dutt: Yudhishthira said What, besides this, should be done by a king, who is weak and procrastinating, who does not engage in battle from anxiety for the lives of his friends, who is always stricken with fear, and who cannot keep his counsels close?
परिशङ्कितमुख्यस्य स्रुतमन्त्रस्य भारत असंभावितमित्रस्य भिन्नामात्यस्य सर्वशः
AI Translation: O descendant of Bharata, of a king who is suspected, whose secrets are known, whose friends are unreliable, whose ministers are divided.
परचक्राभियातस्य दुर्बलस्य बलीयसा आपन्नचेतसो ब्रूहि किं कार्यमवशिष्यते
AI Translation: What is to be done by one who is attacked by a powerful enemy, who is weak, and whose mind is troubled? Tell me.
भीष्म उवाच बाह्यश्चेद्विजिगीषुः स्याद्धर्मार्थकुशलः शुचिः जवेन संधिं कुर्वीत पूर्वान्पूर्वान्विमोक्षयन्
M. N. Dutt: If the attacking enemy be of pure heart and if he be a master of both virtue and profit, a king of the sort you have pointed out, should forthwith, make peace with the invader and secure the restoration of those parts of the kingdom which have already been conquered.
अधर्मविजिगीषुश्चेद्बलवान्पापनिश्चयः आत्मनः संनिरोधेन संधिं तेनाभियोजयेत्
M. N. Dutt: If, again, the invader be powerful and iniquitious and seek to acquire victory by unfair means, the king should inake peace with him, too, by leaving off a portion of his kingdom.
अपास्य राजधानीं वा तरेदन्येन वापदम् तद्भावभावे द्रव्याणि जीवन्पुनरुपार्जयेत्
M. N. Dutt: If the invader be reluctant to make peace, the king should then leave his very capital and all his properties for escaping from danger. If he can save his life he may expect to make similar acquisitions in future.
यास्तु स्युः केवलत्यागाच्छक्यास्तरितुमापदः कस्तत्राधिकमात्मानं संत्यजेदर्थधर्मवित्
M. N. Dutt: What man who knows virtue is there, who would sacrifice his own self, which is a more valuable property, for meeting that danger from which he can escape by abandoning his treasury and army?
अवरोधाज्जुगुप्सेत का सपत्नधने दया न त्वेवात्मा प्रदातव्यः शक्ये सति कथंचन
M. N. Dutt: A king should protect the ladies of his seraglio. If these fall into the hands to the enemy, he should not show any mercy. As long as he can, he should never surrender his own self to the enemy.
युधिष्ठिर उवाच आभ्यन्तरे प्रकुपिते बाह्ये चोपनिपीडिते क्षीणे कोशे स्रुते मन्त्रे किं कार्यमवशिष्यते
M. N. Dutt: What should a king do when his own people are dissatisfied with him, when he is oppressed by invaders, when his treasury is exhausted and when his counsels are given out?
भीष्म उवाच क्षिप्रं वा संधिकामः स्यात्क्षिप्रं वा तीक्ष्णविक्रमः पदापनयनं क्षिप्रमेतावत्सांपरायिकम्
M. N. Dutt: Bhishma said: A king, under such circumstances, should (if his enemy be righteous) try to make peace with him. If the enemy be vicious, he should then display his courage. He should by such means, try to cause the enemy to retire from his kingdom; or, fighting bravely, he should sacrifice his life and ascend to heaven.
अनुरक्तेन पुष्टेन हृष्टेन जगतीपते अल्पेनापि हि सैन्येन महीं जयति पार्थिवः
M. N. Dutt: A king can conquer the whole Earth with the help of even a small army if that army be loyal, contented, and devoted to his well-being.
हतो वा दिवमारोहेद्विजयी क्षितिमावसेत् युद्धे तु संत्यजन्प्राणाञ्शक्रस्यैति सलोकताम्
M. N. Dutt: If killed in battle, he is sure to ascend to heaven. If he succeed in killing (his enemies), he is sure to enjoy the Earth. By sacrificing one's life in battle, one lives with Indra himself.'
सर्वलोकागमं कृत्वा मृदुत्वं गन्तुमेव च विश्वासाद्विनयं कुर्याद्व्यवस्येद्वाप्युपानहौ
M. N. Dutt: Pleasing all people of opposition taking them in trust with humble, king should search other means to regain previous ones.
अपक्रमितुमिच्छेद्वा यथाकामं तु सान्त्वयेत् विलिङ्गमित्वा मित्रेण ततः स्वयमुपक्रमेत्
AI Translation: If he wishes to withdraw, he should appease him as he pleases. Having become a friend without a sign, he should then act on his own.