Mahābhārata · Adhyāya 12.85
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12.85.1
कथंस्विदिह राजेन्द्र पालयन्पार्थिवः प्रजाः ।
प्रैति धर्मं विशेषेण कीर्तिमाप्नोति शाश्वतीम् ॥ १२.८५.१ ॥
O lord of kings, how does a king, protecting his subjects in this world, especially attain dharma and obtain lasting fame?
12.85.2
व्यवहारेण शुद्धेन प्रजापालनतत्परः ।
प्राप्य धर्मं च कीर्ति च लोकानाप्नोत्यसौ शुचिः ॥ १२.८५.२ ॥
That pure king, intent on protecting his subjects through pure conduct, obtains dharma and fame and attains the worlds.
12.85.3
कीदृशव्यवहारं तु कैश्च व्यवहरेन्नृपः ।
एतत्पृष्टो महाप्राज्ञ यथावद्वक्तुमर्हसि ॥ १२.८५.३ ॥
What kind of conduct should a king practice, and with whom should he deal? O greatly wise one, asked this, you ought to explain it duly.
12.85.4
ये चैव पूर्वकथिता गुणास्ते पुरुषं प्रति ।
नैकस्मिन्पुरुषे ह्येते विद्यन्त इति मे मतिः ॥ १२.८५.४ ॥
The qualities spoken of earlier, as they apply to a person, I think are not found together in any one man.
12.85.5
एवमेतन्महाप्राज्ञ यथा वदसि बुद्धिमन् ।
दुर्लभः पुरुषः कश्चिदेभिर्युक्तो गुणैः शुभैः ॥ १२.८५.५ ॥
So it is, O greatly wise and intelligent one, as you say: a man endowed with these auspicious qualities is rare.
12.85.6
किंतु संक्षेपतः शीलं प्रयत्नेनेह दुर्लभम् ।
वक्ष्यामि तु यथाऽमात्यान्यादृशांश्च करिष्यसि ॥ १२.८५.६ ॥
But briefly, I will speak of character, which is rare here even with effort, so that you may make your ministers such as they should be.
12.85.7
चतुरो ब्राह्मणान्वैद्यान्प्रगल्भान्स्नातकाञ्शुचीन् ।
क्षत्रियान्दश चाष्टौ च बलिनः शस्त्रपाणिनः ॥ १२.८५.७ ॥
Four brahmins, physicians, bold and accomplished, graduates of study, pure; ten and eight strong kṣatriyas, bearing weapons in hand.
12.85.8
वैश्यान्वित्तेन संपन्नानेकविंशतिसङ्ख्यया ।
त्रींश्च शूद्रान्विनीतांश्च शुचीन्कर्मणि पूर्वके ॥ १२.८५.८ ॥
Twenty-one vaiśyas endowed with wealth; and three śūdras, disciplined and pure in their former duties.
12.85.9
अष्टाभिश्च गुणैर्युक्तं सूतं पौराणिकं तथा ।
पञ्चाशद्वर्षवयसं प्रगल्भमनसूयकम् ॥ १२.८५.९ ॥
A sūta endowed with eight qualities, also a reciter of the Purāṇas, fifty years of age, bold and free from envy.
12.85.10
श्रुतिस्मृतिसमायुक्तं विनीतं समदर्शिनम् ।
कार्ये विवदमानानां शक्तमर्थेष्वलोलुपम् ॥ १२.८५.१० ॥
Versed in śruti and smṛti, disciplined, even-minded, capable among those disputing over affairs, free from greed for wealth.
12.85.11
वर्जितं चैव व्यसनैः सुघोरैः सप्तभिर्भृशम् ।
अष्टानां मन्त्रिणां मध्ये मन्त्रं राजोपधारयेत् ॥ १२.८५.११ ॥
Wholly free from seven terrible vices; among the eight ministers the king should take counsel in confidence.
12.85.12
ततः संप्रेषयेद्राष्ट्रे राष्ट्रीयाय च दर्शयेत् ।
अनेन व्यवहारेण द्रष्टव्यास्ते प्रजाः सदा ॥ १२.८५.१२ ॥
Then he should send them out into the realm and show their work to the people of the realm; by this conduct the subjects should always be watched over.
12.85.13
न चापि गूढं द्रव्यं ते ग्राह्यं कार्योपघातकम् ।
कार्ये खलु विपन्ने त्वां यो धर्मस्तं च पीडयेत् ॥ १२.८५.१३ ॥
Nor should you ever take hidden wealth that harms the undertaking. When the affair has indeed failed, the duty that binds you will torment you.
12.85.14
विद्रवेच्चैव राष्ट्रं ते श्येनात्पक्षिगणा इव ।
परिस्रवेच्च सततं नौर्विशीर्णेव सागरे ॥ १२.८५.१४ ॥
Your realm will scatter like flocks of birds fleeing a hawk, and it will leak away constantly like a broken boat in the ocean.
12.85.15
प्रजाः पालयतोऽसम्यगधर्मेणेह भूपतेः ।
हार्दं भयं संभवति स्वर्गश्चस्य विरुध्यते ॥ १२.८५.१५ ॥
For a king who protects his subjects here improperly and through unrighteousness, fear arises in his heart, and his heaven is obstructed.
12.85.16
अथ यो धर्मतः पाति राजाऽमात्योऽथवाऽऽत्मजः ।
धर्मासने सन्नियुक्तो धर्ममूले नरर्षभ ॥ १२.८५.१६ ॥
Now, the king, minister, or son who protects according to dharma, appointed to the seat of dharma and standing at the root of dharma, O best of men:
12.85.17
स्वर्गं याति महीपालो नियुक्तैः सचिवैः सह ।
कार्येष्वधिकृताः सम्यगकुर्वन्तो नृपानुगाः।
आत्मानं पुरतः कृत्वा यान्त्यधः सह पार्थिवाः ॥ १२.८५.१७ ॥
A king goes to heaven together with the ministers appointed to him. But those entrusted with affairs who do not act properly, and who, as followers of the king, put themselves first, fall downward together with the kings.
12.85.18
बलात्कृतानां वलिभिः कृपणं बहुजल्पताम् ।
नाथो वै भूमिपो नित्यमनाथानां नृणां भवेत् ॥ १२.८५.१८ ॥
For men who are oppressed by force by the strong, who lament piteously and at length, and who are without a protector, the king should always be their protector.
12.85.19
ततः साक्षिबलं साधु द्वैधवादकृतं भवेत् ।
असाक्षिकमनाथं वा परीक्ष्यं तद्विशेषतः ॥ १२.८५.१९ ॥
Then the strength of witnesses, settled in a dispute between two sides, should be proper; a case without witnesses or without protector must be examined with special care.
12.85.20
अपराधानुरूपं च दण्डं पापेषु धारयेत् ।
वियोजयेद्धनैर्ऋद्धानधनानथ बन्धनैः ॥ १२.८५.२० ॥
A punishment proportionate to the offence should be imposed on the wicked; he should separate the prosperous by wealth and the poor by bonds.
12.85.21
विनयेच्चापि दुर्वृत्तान्प्रहारैरपि पार्थिवः ।
सान्त्वेनोपप्रदानेन शिष्टांश्च परिपालयेत् ॥ १२.८५.२१ ॥
The king should discipline the ill-conducted even by blows, and protect the well-behaved by conciliation and gifts.
12.85.22
राज्ञो वधं चिकीर्षेद्यस्तस्य चित्रो वधो भवेत् ।
आदीपकस्य स्तेनस्य वर्णसंकरिकस्य च ॥ १२.८५.२२ ॥
For one who desires to kill the king, the death should be an unusual one; so also for an incendiary, a thief, and one who causes the mixing of castes.
12.85.23
सम्यक्प्रणयतो दण्डं भूमिपस्य विशांपते ।
युक्तस्य वा नास्त्यधर्मो धर्म एव हि शाश्वतः ॥ १२.८५.२३ ॥
O lord of men, when a king administers punishment rightly, or one engaged in it does so, there is no unrighteousness; that is indeed eternal dharma.
12.85.24
कामकारेण दण्डं तु यः कुर्यादविचक्षणः ।
स इहाकीर्तिसंयुक्तो मृतो नरकमृच्छति ॥ १२.८५.२४ ॥
He who, unwise, inflicts punishment at his own whim, is here joined to infamy, and dead, goes to hell.
12.85.25
न परस्य प्रवादेन परेषां दण्डमर्पयेत् ।
आगमानुगमं कृत्वा बध्नीयान्मोक्षयीत वा ॥ १२.८५.२५ ॥
Not by another's accusation should one inflict punishment on others. Having examined the coming and going (of the matter), let him bind or release.
12.85.26
न तु हन्यान्नृपो जातु दूतं कस्यांचिदापदि ।
दूतस्य हन्ता निरयमाविशेत्सचिवैः सह ॥ १२.८५.२६ ॥
Yet a king, in no calamity whatever, should ever slay an envoy; the slayer of an envoy enters hell together with his counsellors.
12.85.27
यथोक्तवादिनं दूतं क्षत्रधर्मरतो नृपः ।
यो हन्यात्पितरस्तस्य भ्रूणहत्यामवाप्नुयुः ॥ १२.८५.२७ ॥
If a king, devoted to the duty of the warrior, slays an envoy who speaks exactly as instructed, his ancestors would incur the guilt of killing an embryo.
12.85.28
कुलीनः शीलसंपन्नो वाग्मी दक्षः प्रियंवदः ।
यथोक्तवादीस्मृतिमान्दूतः स्यात्सप्तभिर्गुणैः ॥ १२.८५.२८ ॥
Of noble birth, endowed with good conduct, eloquent, skilful, pleasant of speech, speaking exactly as instructed, and possessed of memory — one with these seven qualities should be an envoy.
12.85.29
एतैरेव गुणैर्युक्तः प्रतीहारोऽस्य रक्षिता ।
शिरोरक्षश्च भवति गुणैरेतैः समन्वितः ॥ १२.८५.२९ ॥
Endowed with these very qualities, one becomes the chamberlain and the king's protector; endowed with these same qualities, one also becomes the guard of the head.
12.85.30
धर्मशास्त्रार्थतत्त्वज्ञः सांधिविग्रहिको भवेत् ।
मतिमान्धृतिमान्ह्रीमान्रहस्यविनिगूहिता ॥ १२.८५.३० ॥
One who knows the essence of the dharma-scriptures and of policy should be the minister of peace and war; he should be intelligent, steadfast, modest, and one who keeps secrets hidden.
12.85.31
कुलीनः सत्वसंपन्नः शुक्लोऽमात्यः प्रशस्यते ।
एतैरेव गुणैर्युक्तस्तथा सेनापतिर्भवेत् ॥ १२.८५.३१ ॥
A minister of good family, endowed with integrity and of pure conduct, is praised; one who possesses these same qualities should also be the commander of the army.
12.85.32
व्यूहयन्त्रायुधानां च तत्त्वज्ञो विक्रमान्वितः ।
वर्षशीतोष्णवातानां सहिष्णुः पररन्ध्रवित् ॥ १२.८५.३२ ॥
One who knows the essentials of battle formations, machines and weapons, who is valiant, who can endure rain, cold, heat and wind, and who knows the weak points of the enemy.
12.85.33
विश्वासयेत्परांश्चैव विश्वसेच्च न कस्यचित् ।
पुत्रेष्वपि हि राजेन्द्र विश्वासो न प्रशस्यते ॥ १२.८५.३३ ॥
One should inspire trust in others, yet trust no one oneself. O lord of kings, even in sons, trust is not praised.
12.85.34
एतच्छास्त्रार्थतत्त्वं तु मयाऽऽख्यातं तवानघ ।
अविश्वासो नरेन्द्राणां गुह्यं परममुच्यते ॥ १२.८५.३४ ॥
O sinless one, I have declared to you this essence of the meaning of the treatises; distrust is called the supreme secret of kings.