Mahābhārata · Adhyāya 12.87
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12.87.1
राष्ट्रगुप्तिं च मे राजन्राष्ट्रस्यैव तु संग्रहम् ।
सम्यग्जिज्ञासमानाय प्रब्रूहि भरतर्षभ ॥ १२.८७.१ ॥
O king, bull of the Bharatas, tell me well of the protection of the realm and of the gathering together of the realm, to me who desire to know.
12.87.2
राष्ट्रगुप्तिं च ते सम्यग्राष्ट्रस्यैव तु संग्रहम् ।
हन्त सर्वं प्रवक्ष्यामि तत्त्वमेकमनाः शृणु ॥ १२.८७.२ ॥
I will tell you well of the protection of the realm and of the gathering together of the realm; now I shall declare everything as truth, listen with one-pointed mind.
12.87.3
ग्रामस्याधिपतिः कार्यो दशग्रामपतिस्तथा ।
विंशतित्रिंशतीशं च सहस्रस्य च कारयेत् ॥ १२.८७.३ ॥
A headman should be appointed for a village, likewise a lord of ten villages; a lord of twenty or thirty, and one should appoint one over a thousand.
12.87.4
ग्रामेयान्ग्रामदोषांश्च ग्रामिकः प्रतिभावेयेत् ।
तानाचक्षीत दशिने दशिको विंशिने पुनः ॥ १२.८७.४ ॥
The village headman should make known the village matters and village faults; he should report them to the lord of ten, and the lord of ten again to the lord of twenty.
12.87.5
विंशाधिपस्तु तत्सर्वं वृत्तं जानपदे जने ।
ग्रामाणां शतपालाय सर्वमेव निवेदयेत् ॥ १२.८७.५ ॥
The lord of twenty should know all the conduct of the people of the country, and report everything about the villages fully to the lord of a hundred.
12.87.6
यानि ग्राम्याणि भोज्यानि ग्रामिकस्तान्युपाश्निया ।
दशपस्तेन भर्तव्यस्तेनापि द्विगुणाधिपः ॥ १२.८७.६ ॥
The village headman should properly enjoy the goods produced in the village; by that the lord of ten should be maintained, and by that also the lord of double the portion.
12.87.7
ग्रामं ग्रामशताध्यक्षो भोक्तुमर्हति सत्कुरः ।
महान्तं भरतश्रेष्ठ सुस्फीतं जनसंकुलम्।
तत्र ह्यनेकपायत्तं राज्ञो भवति भारत ॥ १२.८७.७ ॥
The overseer of a hundred villages, honored, deserves to enjoy a great, prosperous, crowded village, best of the Bharatas. There, what is there belongs to the king and is held in the charge of many protectors.
12.87.8
शाखानगरमर्हस्तु सहस्रपतिरुत्तमः ।
धान्यहैरण्यभोगेन भोक्तुं राष्ट्रीयसंगतः ॥ १२.८७.८ ॥
The lord of a thousand, the excellent one, deserves a branch-town; joined with the realm's officers, he deserves to enjoy it through the enjoyment of grain and gold.
12.87.9
तेषां संग्रामकृत्यं स्याद्वामकृत्यं च तेषु यत् ।
धर्मज्ञः सचिवः कश्चित्तत्तत्पश्येदतन्द्रितः ॥ १२.८७.९ ॥
The business of war among them, and the business of peace among them, whatever it is—some minister who knows dharma should attend to each of these without sloth.
12.87.10
नगरेनगरे वा स्यादेकः सर्वार्थचिन्तकः ।
उच्चैः स्थाने घोररूपो नक्षत्राणामिव ग्रहः ॥ १२.८७.१० ॥
In each town, or in some one, there should be one who attends to all affairs—placed high, fearsome in appearance, like a planet among the stars.
12.87.11
भवेत्स तान्परिक्रामेत्सर्वानेव सभासदः ।
तेषां वृत्तिं परिणयेत्कश्चिद्राष्ट्रेषु तच्चरः ॥ १२.८७.११ ॥
He should go round to all those members of the assembly, and some spy of his in the realms should regulate their livelihood.
12.87.12
जिघांसवः पापकामाः परस्वादायिनः शठाः ।
रक्षाभ्यधिकृता नाम तेभ्यो रक्षेदिमाः प्रजाः ॥ १२.८७.१२ ॥
Those who desire to harm, who are evil-minded, who seize others' wealth, who are deceitful—even if appointed to protection by name—from them one should protect these subjects.
12.87.13
विक्रयं क्रयमध्वानं भक्तं च सपरिव्ययम् ।
योगक्षेमं च संप्रेक्ष्य वणिजां कारयेत्करान् ॥ १२.८७.१३ ॥
Having considered sales, purchases, road-tolls, provisions and their expenditure, and having regard to the gain and security of the merchants, he should have taxes levied upon the traders.
12.87.14
उत्पत्तिं दानवृत्तिं च शिल्पं संप्रेक्ष्य चासकृत् ।
शिल्पं प्रति करानेवं शिल्पिनः प्रति कारयेत् ॥ १२.८७.१४ ॥
Having repeatedly considered production, livelihood by wages and craft, he should have taxes levied from the artisans in accordance with each craft.
12.87.15
उच्चावचकरन्यायाः पूर्वराज्ञां युधिष्ठिर ।
यथायथा न सीदेरंस्तथा कुर्यान्महीपतिः ॥ १२.८७.१५ ॥
O Yudhiṣṭhira, as the high and low tax-rules of the former kings were, so should the king act, that the people may not suffer.
12.87.16
फलं कर्म च संप्रेक्ष्य ततः सर्वं प्रकल्पयेत् ।
फलं कर्म च निर्हेतु न कश्चित्संप्रवर्तते ॥ १२.८७.१६ ॥
Having considered the yield and the labour, one should then arrange everything; for no one takes up fruit or action without a cause.
12.87.17
यथा राजा च कर्ता च स्यातां कर्मणि भागिनौ ।
संवेक्ष्य तु तथा राज्ञा प्रणेयाः सततं कराः ॥ १२.८७.१७ ॥
Having carefully considered how the king and the doer may both be sharers in the work, the king should always have taxes collected.
12.87.18
नोच्छिद्याहात्मनो मूलं परेषां चापि तृष्णया ।
ईहाद्वाराणि संरुध्य राजा संवृतदर्शनः ॥ १२.८७.१८ ॥
Let him not uproot his own foundation, nor that of others, through greed; the king, having shut the gates of desire-pursuit, should keep himself out of sight.
12.87.19
प्रद्विषन्ति परिख्यातं राजानमतिखादिनम् ।
प्रद्विष्टस्य कुतः श्रेयो संवृतो लभते श्रियम् ॥ १२.८७.१९ ॥
People hate a famous king who devours too much. How can good fortune come to one who is hated? Only the one who keeps himself concealed obtains prosperity.
12.87.20
वत्सौपम्येन दोग्धव्यं राष्ट्रमक्षीणबुद्धिना ।
भृतो वत्सो जातबलः षीडां सहति भारत ॥ १२.८७.२० ॥
A wise king should milk the kingdom in the manner of a calf. A calf, well nourished and grown strong, bears the pain of milking, O Bhārata.
12.87.21
न कर्म कुरुते वत्सो भृशं दुग्धो युधिष्ठिर ।
राष्ट्रमप्यातिदुग्धं हि न कर्म कुरुते महत् ॥ १२.८७.२१ ॥
The calf that is milked too hard, O Yudhiṣṭhira, does no great work; a kingdom that is over-milked likewise does no great work.
12.87.22
यो राष्ट्रमनुगृह्णाति परिरक्षन्स्वयं नृपः ।
संजातमुपजीवन्स लभते सुमहत्फलम् ॥ १२.८७.२२ ॥
The king who, protecting the kingdom himself, shows it favour and lives upon what has grown from it, obtains a very great reward.
12.87.23
आपदर्थं च निचयात्राजानो हि चिचिन्वते ।
राष्ट्रं च कोशभूतं स्यात्कोशो वेश्मगतस्तथा ॥ १२.८७.२३ ॥
For the sake of calamity, kings gather wealth by hoarding. The kingdom itself should be the treasury, and the treasury should be kept safe within the house.
12.87.24
पौरजानपदान्सर्वान्संश्रितोषाश्रितांस्तथा ।
यथाशक्त्यनुकम्पेत सर्वान्स्वल्पधनानपि ॥ १२.८७.२४ ॥
The king should show compassion, according to his ability, to all the people of the city and countryside, both those who depend on him and those who do not, even to those who have little wealth.
12.87.25
बाह्यं जनं भेदयित्वा भोक्तव्यो मध्यमः सुखम् ।
एवं नास्य प्रकुप्यन्ति जनाः सुखितदुः खिताः ॥ १२.८७.२५ ॥
Dividing the outer people, the middle one should enjoy in comfort. In this way the people, both happy and unhappy, do not grow angry at him.
12.87.26
प्रामेव तु धनादानमनुभाष्य ततः पुनः ।
सन्निपत्य स्वविषये भयं राष्ट्रे प्रदर्शयेत् ॥ १२.८७.२६ ॥
Having first announced the collection of wealth from the villages, then assembling again, one should display fear throughout one's own realm.
12.87.27
इयमापत्समुत्पन्ना परचक्रभयं महत् ।
अपि चान्ताय कल्पन्ते वेणोरिव फलागमाः ॥ १२.८७.२७ ॥
This calamity has arisen, the great fear of an enemy army. Just as the bearing of fruit leads to the destruction of the bamboo, so these may lead to ruin.
12.87.28
अरयो मे समुत्थाय बहुभिर्दस्युभिः सह ।
इदमात्मवधायैव राष्ट्रमिच्छन्ति बाधितुम्। ॥ १२.८७.२८ ॥
My enemies have risen up together with many robbers, and they wish to harass this realm — which will be for their own self-destruction.
12.87.29
अस्यामापदि घोरायां संप्राप्ते दारुणे भये ।
परित्राणाय भवतः प्रार्थयिष्ये धनानि वः ॥ १२.८७.२९ ॥
In this terrible calamity, when dreadful fear has come upon us, I will ask you for wealth for your own protection.
12.87.30
प्रतिदास्ये च भवतां सर्वं चाहं भयक्षये ।
नारयः प्रतिदास्यन्ति यद्धरेयुर्बलादितः ॥ १२.८७.३० ॥
When the fear is ended, I will return everything to you all. What enemies would seize from here by force, they will not return.
12.87.31
कलत्रमादितः कृत्वा सर्वं वो विनशेदिति ।
शरीरपुत्रदारार्थमर्थसंचय इष्यते ॥ १२.८७.३१ ॥
Keeping his wife at the head of all, lest all of you perish, accumulation of wealth is desired for the sake of body, sons and wives.
12.87.32
नन्दामि वः प्रभावेण पुत्राणामिव चोदये ।
यखाशक्त्युपगृह्णामि राष्ट्रस्यापीडया च वः ॥ १२.८७.३२ ॥
I rejoice in your power, as though you were my sons; according to your ability I receive, and without harassing the realm.
12.87.33
आपत्स्वेव निवोढव्यं भवद्भिः संगतैरिह ।
न वः प्रियतरं कार्यं धनं कस्यांचिदापदि ॥ १२.८७.३३ ॥
Amid calamities alone must you, united here, bear them together; in no calamity should wealth be your dearest concern.
12.87.34
इति वाचा मधुरया श्लक्ष्णया सोपचारया ।
स्वरश्मीनभ्यवसृजेद्योगमाधाय कालवित् ॥ १२.८७.३४ ॥
With such sweet, gentle and courteous speech, the one who knows the time should, by applying skill, release his rays (the people's gain).
12.87.35
प्रचारं भृत्यभरणं व्ययं संग्रामतो भयम् ।
योगक्षेणं च संप्रेक्ष्य गोमिनः कारयेत्करम् ॥ १२.८७.३५ ॥
Having considered trade, the maintenance of servants, expenses, the danger of war, and security and welfare, one should have the landowners pay the tax.
12.87.36
उपेक्षिता हि नश्येयुर्गोमिनोऽरण्यवासिनः ।
तस्मात्तेषु विशेषेण मृदुपूर्वं समाचरेत् ॥ १२.८७.३६ ॥
For if neglected, the landowners and forest-dwellers would perish; therefore toward them especially one should first act gently.
12.87.37
सान्त्वनं रक्षणं दानमवस्था चाप्यभीक्ष्णशः ।
गोमिनां पार्थ कर्तव्यः संविभागः प्रियाणि च ॥ १२.८७.३७ ॥
O Pārtha, one must always show consolation, protection, gifts and care to the owners of cattle; one must also share with them and give them what is dear to them.
12.87.38
अजस्रमुपयोक्तव्यं फलं गोमिषु भारत ।
प्रभावयन्ति राष्ट्रं च व्यवहारं कृषिं तथा ॥ १२.८७.३८ ॥
O descendant of Bharata, the fruit that comes from the owners of cattle must be enjoyed without cease; they make the realm, trade and agriculture flourish.
12.87.39
तस्माद्गोमिषु यत्नेन प्रीतिं कुर्याद्विचक्षणः ।
दयावानप्रमत्तश्च करान्संप्रणयन्मृदून् ॥ १२.८७.३९ ॥
Therefore the wise man should show goodwill to the owners of cattle with care; compassionate and vigilant, he should collect taxes gently.
12.87.40
सर्वत्र क्षेमचरणं सुलभं नाम गोमिषु ।
न ह्यतः सदृशं किंचिद्धनमस्ति युधिष्ठिर ॥ १२.८७.४० ॥
Among the owners of cattle, a secure way of life is easy to obtain everywhere; O Yudhiṣṭhira, there is no wealth equal to this.