Critical Edition
भीष्म उवाच अत्र कर्मान्तवचनं कीर्तयन्ति पुराविदः प्रत्यक्षावेव धर्मार्थौ क्षत्रियस्य विजानतः तत्र न व्यवधातव्यं परोक्षा धर्मयापना
M. N. Dutt: Bhishma said 'Regarding it, persons well read in the scriptures declare this text about duty, viz., for a learned and intelligent Kshatriya, (the acquisition) of religious merit and wealth is his obvious duty. By ingenuous discussions on duty and about the future world, he should not, abstain from performing those two duties.
Supplementary Passages:
12.132.1 After the ref., D7 T1 G1.2.5 ins.: *302 अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम्
अधर्मो धर्म इत्येतद्यथा वृकपदं तथा धर्माधर्मफले जातु न ददर्शेह कश्चन
M. N. Dutt: As it is useless, upon seeing certain footprints on the ground, to argue, whether they are the wolf's or not, is all discussion regarding the nature of righteousness and unrighteousness. Nobody in this world ever witnesses the fruits of righteousness and unrighteousness.
बुभूषेद्बलवानेव सर्वं बलवतो वशे श्रियं बलममात्यांश्च बलवानिह विन्दति
M. N. Dutt: A Kshatriya, therefore, should try to acquire power. A powerful person is master of everything. Wealth secures the possession of an army. He, who is powerful, gets intelligent advisers.
यो ह्यनाढ्यः स पतितस्तदुच्छिष्टं यदल्पकम् बह्वपथ्यं बलवति न किंचित्त्रायते भयात्
M. N. Dutt: He is truly degraded who has no wealth. A little is considered as the filthy residue of a feast. If a strong men commits even many bed deeds, nobody, through fear, speaks ill of him. If Righteousness and Power be associated with Truth, they can save men from great dangers.
उभौ सत्याधिकारौ तौ त्रायेते महतो भयात् अति धर्माद्बलं मन्ये बलाद्धर्मः प्रवर्तते
AI Translation: Both of them are the authority of truth, they protect from great fear. I think that Dharma is greater than strength, and from strength Dharma proceeds.
बले प्रतिष्ठितो धर्मो धरण्यामिव जङ्गमः धूमो वायोरिव वशं बलं धर्मोऽनुवर्तते
AI Translation: Virtue is established in strength, as the moving (world) is in the earth. Virtue follows strength, as smoke follows the wind.
अनीश्वरे बलं धर्मो द्रुमं वल्लीव संश्रिता वश्यो बलवतां धर्मः सुखं भोगवतामिव नास्त्यसाध्यं बलवतां सर्वं बलवतां शुचि
M. N. Dutt: Righteousness depends on the powerful does as pleasure on the pleasure hunters. There is nothing which powerful men cannot do. Everything is pure with the powerful.
दुराचारः क्षीणबलः परिमाणं नियच्छति अथ तस्मादुद्विजते सर्वो लोको वृकादिव
M. N. Dutt: By committing evil acts, a powerless men, can never escape. Men fear his conduct even as they are alarmed on seeing a wolf.
अपध्वस्तो ह्यवमतो दुःखं जीवति जीवितम् जीवितं यदवक्षिप्तं यथैव मरणं तथा
M. N. Dutt: One becoming poor after being rich leads a life of humiliation and sorrow. A life of humiliation and censure is like death itself.
यदेनमाहुः पापेन चारित्रेण विनिक्षतम् स भृशं तप्यतेऽनेन वाक्शल्येन परिक्षतः
M. N. Dutt: The learned have said that when on account of one's sinful deeds he is forsaken by friends and companions, he is cut again and again by the wordy arrows of others and has to burn with grief on that account.
अत्रैतदाहुराचार्याः पापस्य परिमोक्षणे त्रयीं विद्यां निषेवेत तथोपासीत स द्विजान्
AI Translation: Herein, the teachers say this: "One should practice the three Vedas and worship the twice-born ones for the sake of being released from sin."
प्रसादयेन्मधुरया वाचाप्यथ च कर्मणा महामनाश्चैव भवेद्विवहेच्च महाकुले
AI Translation: He should please with sweet words and also with deeds. And he should be magnanimous and marry in a great family.
इत्यस्मीति वदेदेवं परेषां कीर्तयन्गुणान् जपेदुदकशीलः स्यात्पेशलो नातिजल्पनः
AI Translation: Thus, speaking "I am" and praising the qualities of others, One should recite and be of good conduct, gentle, not speaking too much.
ब्रह्मक्षत्रं संप्रविशेद्बहु कृत्वा सुदुष्करम् उच्यमानोऽपि लोकेन बहु तत्तदचिन्तयन्
AI Translation: Having done many difficult things, he entered the world of Brahmins and Kshatriyas. Though addressed by the world, he thought about many things.
अपापो ह्येवमाचारः क्षिप्रं बहुमतो भवेत् सुखं वित्तं च भुञ्जीत वृत्तेनैतेन गोपयेत् लोके च लभते पूजां परत्र च महत्फलम्
M. N. Dutt: By behaving thus, one is soon purged off of all his sins and wins the esteem of the world. Indeed, one acquires great respect in this world and meed in the next, and enjoys various sorts of happiness here by behaving thus and by sharing his riches with others.'
Supplementary Passages:
12.132.15 After 15cd, D7 T G1.2.5 ins. (=[var.] 12.133.6c-7b): *303 अपि तेभ्यो मृगान्हत्वा नयेच्च सततं वने यस्मिन्न प्रतिगृह्णन्ति दस्युभोजनशङ्कया