Critical Edition
धृतराष्ट्र उवाच मण्डलानि च बुध्येथाः परेषामात्मनस्तथा उदासीनगुणानां च मध्यमानां तथैव च
M. N. Dutt: Dhritarashtra said You should always ascertain the Mandalas which belong to you, to your enemies, to neutrals, and to those who are disposed equally towards you and your eneinies, O Bharata.
चतुर्णां शत्रुजातानां सर्वेषामाततायिनाम् मित्रं चामित्रमित्रं च बोद्धव्यं तेऽरिकर्शन
M. N. Dutt: The Mandalas also of the four kinds of enemies, of those called Atatayins, and of allies, and the allies of enemies, should be distinguished by you, O crusher of enemies.
तथामात्या जनपदा दुर्गाणि विषमाणि च बलानि च कुरुश्रेष्ठ भवन्त्येषां यथेच्छकम्
M. N. Dutt: You should sec that the ministers of state, the pcople of the provinces, the garrisons of forts, and the forces, O foremost one of Kuru's race, are not tampered with.
ते च द्वादश कौन्तेय राज्ञां वै विविधात्मकाः मन्त्रिप्रधानाश्च गुणाः षष्टिर्द्वादश च प्रभो
M. N. Dutt: The twelve (enumerated above), O son of Kunti, form the principal concerns of kings. These twelve, as also the sixty, having Ministers for their foremost, should be looked after by the king.
एतन्मण्डलमित्याहुराचार्या नीतिकोविदाः अत्र षाड्गुण्यमायत्तं युधिष्ठिर निबोध तत्
M. N. Dutt: Politicians call these by the name of Mandala. Understand, O Yudhishthira, that the six incidents (of peace, war, march, halt, sowing dissension's, and conciliation) depend upon these.
वृद्धिक्षयौ च विज्ञेयौ स्थानं च कुरुनन्दन द्विसप्तत्या महाबाहो ततः षाड्गुण्यचारिणः
M. N. Dutt: Growth and diminution should also be understood, as also the condition of being stationary. The attributes of the six fold incidents, O you of mighty arms, as resting on the seventy-two (already enumerated), should also be, carefully understood.
यदा स्वपक्षो बलवान्परपक्षस्तथाबलः विगृह्य शत्रून्कौन्तेय यायात्क्षितिपतिस्तदा यदा स्वपक्षोऽबलवांस्तदा संधिं समाश्रयेत्
M. N. Dutt: When one's own side has vecome strong and the side of the enemy has become weak, it is them, O son of Kunti, that the king should fight against the enemy and try to acquire victory.
Supplementary Passages:
15.11.7 After 7e, K4 B Dn D1-3.7.9 ins.: *27 स्वपक्षश्चैव दुर्बलः सार्धं विद्वांस्तदा क्षीणः
द्रव्याणां संचयश्चैव कर्तव्यः स्यान्महांस्तथा यदा समर्थो यानाय नचिरेणैव भारत
M. N. Dutt: The king should collect a large quantity of articles (for his commissariat). When able to march out, he should on no account make a delay, O Bharata.
तदा सर्वं विधेयं स्यात्स्थानं च न विभाजयेत् भूमिरल्पफला देया विपरीतस्य भारत
M. N. Dutt: Besides, he should on that occasion set his men to work for which they are fit, without being moved by many other consideration. He should, (when obliged to part with a portion of his territories), give his enemy such land as are not productive of a plentiful harvest.
हिरण्यं कुप्यभूयिष्ठं मित्रं क्षीणमकोशवत् विपरीतान्न गृह्णीयात्स्वयं संधिविशारदः
M. N. Dutt: (When obliged to pay coins), he should give gold containing much base metal. (When obliged to surrender a portion of his army), he should give such men as are not noted for strength. One who is skilled in treatics should, when taking land or gold or men from the enemy, take what is possessed of attributes the reverse of this.
संध्यर्थं राजपुत्रं च लिप्सेथा भरतर्षभ विपरीतस्तु तेऽदेयः पुत्र कस्यांचिदापदि तस्य प्रमोक्षे यत्नं च कुर्याः सोपायमन्त्रवित्
M. N. Dutt: In making treaties of peace, the son of the king should be demanded as a hostage, O chief of the Bharatas. A contrary course of conduct would not be wholesome, O son. If a calamity come over the king, he should, with knowledge of means and counsels, try to liberate himself from it. The king, O foremost of kings, should maintain the cheerless and the destitute among his people.
प्रकृतीनां च कौन्तेय राजा दीनां विभावयेत् क्रमेण युगपद्द्वंद्वं व्यसनानां बलाबलम्
AI Translation: O son of Kunti, the king should consider the condition of the poor. The strength and weakness of the vices should be known in order and simultaneously.
पीडनं स्तम्भनं चैव कोशभङ्गस्तथैव च कार्यं यत्नेन शत्रूणां स्वराष्ट्रं रक्षता स्वयम्
AI Translation: Oppressing, paralyzing, and breaking the treasury, One should protect one's own country by making an effort to accomplish these tasks against the enemies.
न च हिंस्योऽभ्युपगतः सामन्तो वृद्धिमिच्छता कौन्तेय तं न हिंसेत यो महीं विजिगीषते
AI Translation: One who desires to grow should not harm a neighboring king who has been accepted as an ally. O son of Kunti, one who desires to conquer the earth should not harm him.
गणानां भेदने योगं गच्छेथाः सह मन्त्रिभिः साधुसंग्रहणाच्चैव पापनिग्रहणात्तथा
AI Translation: You should go to the division of the Gaṇas together with the ministers. And by the collection of the good and the suppression of evil.
दुर्बलाश्चापि सततं नावष्टभ्या बलीयसा तिष्ठेथा राजशार्दूल वैतसीं वृत्तिमास्थितः
AI Translation: And the weak are always oppressed by the strong. You should stand, O best of kings, having resorted to the Vaitasi conduct.
यद्येवमभियायाच्च दुर्बलं बलवान्नृपः सामादिभिरुपायैस्तं क्रमेण विनिवर्तयेत्
AI Translation: If the king is strong and the enemy is weak, he should attack. He should gradually turn him back by means of conciliation and other means.
अशक्नुवंस्तु युद्धाय निष्पतेत्सह मन्त्रिभिः कोशेन पौरैर्दण्डेन ये चान्ये प्रियकारिणः
AI Translation: But those who were unable to fight, fled with the ministers, with the treasury, the citizens, the army, and others who were well-wishers,
असंभवे तु सर्वस्य यथामुख्येन निष्पतेत् क्रमेणानेन मोक्षः स्याच्छरीरमपि केवलम्
M. N. Dutt: If the issue of the battle turns against him, he should, then, fall, sacrificing all his resources one after another, renouncing his life in this way, he will acquire freedom from all sorrow.