Mahābhārata · Adhyāya 12.62

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12.62.1

ज्याकर्षणं शत्रुनिवर्हणं च ।
कृपिर्वणिज्या पशुपालनं च।
शुश्रूषणं चापि तथाऽर्थहेतो ।
रकार्यमेतत्परमं द्विजस्य ॥ १२.६२.१ ॥

Drawing the bowstring and slaying enemies, farming, trade, tending cattle, and service for the sake of wealth — this is the supreme royal work for a twice-born man.

12.62.2

सेव्यं तु ब्रह्म षट्कर्म गृहस्थेन मनीषिणा ।
कृतकृत्यस्य चारण्ये वासो विप्रस्य शस्यते ॥ १२.६२.२ ॥

The wise householder should practice the Veda and the six duties; for a brahmin who has done what must be done, dwelling in the forest is praised.

12.62.3

राजप्रेष्यं कृषिधनं जीवनं च वणिज्यया ।
कौटिल्यं कौलटेयं च ब्राह्मणस्य विगर्हितम् ॥ १२.६२.३ ॥

Service to a king, wealth from farming, livelihood through trade, crookedness, and low-born conduct are condemned for a brahmin.

12.62.4

शूद्रो राजन्भवति ब्रह्मबन्धु ।
र्दुश्चारित्रो यश्च धर्मादपेतः।
वृपलीपतिः पिशुनो नर्तनश्च ।
ग्रामप्रेष्यो यश्च भवेद्विकर्मा ॥ १२.६२.४ ॥

O king, one who is a brahmin in name only, of bad conduct, fallen from dharma, husband of a śūdra woman, a slanderer, a dancer, a village servant, or one who does forbidden acts, becomes a śūdra.

12.62.5

राजन्नेतान्वर्जयेद्देवकृत्ये ॥ १२.६२.५ ॥

O king, these should be excluded from rites for the gods.

12.62.6

निर्मर्यादे वाक्छठे क्रूरवृत्तौ ।
हिंसाकामे त्यक्तवृत्तस्वधर्मो।
हव्यं कव्यं यानि चान्यानि राजन् ।
देयान्यदेयानि भवन्ति तस्मिन् ॥ १२.६२.६ ॥

For one without restraint, deceitful in speech, of cruel conduct, desiring violence, who has abandoned his conduct and his own dharma — O king, oblations to the gods, offerings to the ancestors, and other gifts to be given become not-to-be-given to him.

12.62.7

तस्माद्धर्मो विहितो ब्राह्मणस्य ।
दमः शौचं चार्जवं चापि राजन्।
तथा विप्रस्याश्रमाः सर्व एव ।
पुरा राजन्ब्रह्मणा संनिसृष्टाः ॥ १२.६२.७ ॥

Therefore, for the brahmin, dharma is prescribed: self-restraint, purity, and uprightness as well. O king, likewise all the stages of life of the brahmin were ordained of old by Brahmā.

12.62.8

यः स्याद्दान्तः सोमपाश्चार्यशीलः ।
सानुक्रोशः सर्वसहो निराशीः।
ऋजुर्मृदुरनृशंसः क्षमावान् ।
स वै विप्रो नेतरः पापकर्मा ॥ १२.६२.८ ॥

He who is self-controlled, a drinker of soma, of virtuous conduct, compassionate, enduring all, free from desire for reward, upright, gentle, not cruel, and forbearing — he alone is a brahmin, not another, a doer of evil deeds.

12.62.9

विप्रं वैश्यं राजपुत्रं च राजन् ।
लोकाः सर्वे संश्रिता धर्मकामाः।
तस्माद्वर्णाञ्जातिधर्मेषु सक्ता ।
ञ्जेतुं विष्णुर्नेच्छति पाण्डुपुत्र ॥ १२.६२.९ ॥

O king, all the worlds of those desiring dharma rest upon the brahmin, the vaiśya, and the kṣatriya. Therefore, O son of Pāṇḍu, Viṣṇu does not wish to conquer those who are attached to the classes and the duties of birth.

12.62.10

लोकश्चायं सर्वलोकस्य न स्या ।
च्चातुर्वर्ण्यं वेदवादाश्च न स्युः।
सर्वाश्चेज्याः सर्वलोकक्रियाश्च ।
सद्यः सर्वे चाश्रमाश्चैव न स्युः ॥ १२.६२.१० ॥

This world would not be for the whole world; the fourfold order would not exist, nor the Vedic doctrines; all sacrifices and all worldly rites would not be; and at once all the stages of life would cease to be.

12.62.11

यच्च त्रयाणां वर्णानामिच्छेदाश्रमसेवनम् ।
कर्तुमाश्रमदृष्टांश्च धर्मास्ताञ्शृणु पाण्डव ॥ १२.६२.११ ॥

Whichever of the three classes wishes to practise the stages of life and perform the duties prescribed for those stages, hear those duties, O Pāṇḍava.

12.62.12

शुश्रूषोः कृतकार्यस्य कृतसंतानकर्मणः ।
अभ्यनुज्ञाप्य राजानं शूद्रस्य जगतीपते ॥ १२.६२.१२ ॥

O lord of the earth, for a śūdra who has finished his service, accomplished his duties and performed the duties of begetting offspring, the king's permission having been obtained (he may take up an ashrama).

12.62.13

अल्पान्तरगतस्यापि देशधर्मगतस्य वा ।
आश्रमा विहिताः सर्वे वर्जयित्वा निराशिषम् ॥ १२.६२.१३ ॥

For one who has gone even a little way along the stages of life, or who is established in the custom of his country, all the stages of life are prescribed, except the one without desire for reward.

12.62.14

भैक्षचर्यां नचैवाहुस्तस्य तद्धर्मवादिनः ।
तथा वैश्यस्य राजेन्द्र राजपुत्रस्य चैव हि ॥ १२.६२.१४ ॥

O foremost of kings, those who teach the law do not prescribe the life of begging alms for him; likewise not for a vaiśya, nor for a king's son.

12.62.15

कृतकृत्यो वयोतीतो राज्ञः कृतपरिश्रमः ।
वैश्यो गच्छेदनुज्ञातो नृपेणाश्रमसंश्रयम् ॥ १२.६२.१५ ॥

A vaiśya who has accomplished his duties, is past his years, and has laboured for the king, having been permitted by the king, should go to take refuge in an ashrama.

12.62.16

वेदानधीत्य धर्मेण राजशास्त्राणि चानघ ।
संतानादीनि कर्माणि कृत्वा सोमं निषेव्य च ॥ १२.६२.१६ ॥

O sinless one, having studied the Vedas and the treatises on kingship in accordance with dharma, having performed the rites of begetting offspring and the like, and having partaken of soma, (one becomes fit for an ashrama).

12.62.17

पालयित्वा प्रजाः सर्वा धर्मेण वदतांवर ।
राजसूयाश्वमेधादीन्मखानन्यांस्तथैव च ॥ १२.६२.१७ ॥

O best of speakers, having protected all subjects righteously, and having performed the Rājasūya, the Aśvamedha and the like, and the other sacrifices as well, (one becomes fit for an ashrama).

12.62.18

आनयित्वा यथान्यायं विप्रेभ्यो दत्तदक्षिणः ।
संग्रामे विजयं प्राप्य तथाऽल्पं यदि वा बहु ॥ १२.६२.१८ ॥

Having performed the sacrifices rightly, having given the sacrificial fee to the brahmins, and having obtained victory in battle — whether it be small or great.

12.62.19

स्थापयित्वा प्रजापालं पुत्रं राज्ये च पाण्डव ।
अन्यगोत्रं प्रशस्तं वा क्षत्रियं क्षत्रियर्षभ ॥ १२.६२.१९ ॥

Having installed a son who protects the subjects upon the kingdom, or a praiseworthy kṣatriya of another lineage — O Pāṇḍava, O bull among kṣatriyas.

12.62.20

अर्चयित्वा पितॄञ्श्राद्धैः पितृयज्ञैर्यथाविधि ।
देवान्यज्ञैर्ऋषीन्वेदैरर्चयित्वा तु यत्नतः ॥ १२.६२.२० ॥

Having honoured the ancestors with śrāddha rites and ancestor sacrifices according to rule, having honoured the gods with sacrifices, and having honoured the seers with the Vedas, carefully.

12.62.21

अन्तकाले च संप्राप्ते य इच्छेदाश्रमान्तरम् ।
सोनुपूर्व्याश्रमान्राजन्गत्वा सिद्धिमवाप्नुयात् ॥ १२.६२.२१ ॥

And when the time of death has come, he who wishes to enter another stage of life, O king, having passed through the stages of life in due order, should attain perfection.

12.62.22

राजर्षित्वेन राजेन्द्र भैक्ष्यचर्याद्यसेवया ।
अपेतगृहधर्मापि चरेज्जीवितकाम्यया ॥ १२.६२.२२ ॥

O best of kings, even though one is a royal sage and has not practised begging and the like, having abandoned the householder's duties, one may act thus out of desire for life.

12.62.23

न चैतन्नैष्ठिकं कर्म त्रयाणां भूरिदक्षिण ।
चतुर्णां राजशार्दूल प्राहुराश्रमवासिनाम् ॥ १२.६२.२३ ॥

O giver of abundant fees, this is not the fixed duty of the three; O tiger among kings, they say it is for those dwelling in the four stages of life.

12.62.24

बाह्वायत्तं क्षत्रियैर्मानवानां ।
लोकश्रेष्ठं धर्ममासेवमानैः।
सर्वे धर्माः सोपधर्मास्त्रयाणां ।
राज्ञो धर्मं नीतिशास्त्रे शृणोमि ॥ १२.६२.२४ ॥

For those who practise that foremost duty of the world, practised by the kṣatriyas among men and resting on the strength of the arm, all the duties and subsidiary duties of the three (classes) exist; I hear the duty of the king in the science of polity.