Mahābhārata · Adhyāya 12.95
हिन्दी · தமிழ் · తెలుగు · ಕನ್ನಡ · മലയാളം · বাংলা · मराठी · ગુજરાતી · ਪੰਜਾਬੀ · ଓଡ଼ିଆ · اردو · English · Español · Français · Deutsch · Português · Русский · 中文 · 日本語 · العربية · Bahasa Indonesia · ไทย
12.95.1
अथ यो विजिगीषेत क्षत्रियः क्षत्रियं युधि ।
कस्तस्य विजये धर्मो ह्येतं पृष्टो ब्रवीहि मे ॥ १२.९५.१ ॥
Now, a warrior who wishes to conquer another warrior in battle — what is the duty (dharma) in his victory? I ask this; tell me.
12.95.2
ससहायोऽसहायो वा राष्ट्रमागम्य भूमिपः ।
ब्रूयादहं यो राजेति रक्षिष्यामि च वः सदा ॥ १२.९५.२ ॥
Whether with companions or alone, a king who comes to a realm should say, "I am the king, and I will always protect you."
12.95.3
मम धर्मबलिं दत्त किंवा मां प्रतिपत्स्यथ ।
ते चोक्तमागतं तत्र घृणीयुः कुशलं भवेत् ॥ १२.९५.३ ॥
Give me the tribute of duty, or else you will meet me. If they show mercy to what has been said when it comes there, it will be well.
12.95.4
ते चेदक्षत्रियाः सन्तो विरुध्येरन्कथंचन ।
सर्वोपायैर्नियन्तव्या विकर्मस्था नराधिप ॥ १२.९५.४ ॥
If they, not being warriors, oppose in any way, O lord of men, those engaged in wrong action must be restrained by every means.
12.95.5
अशस्त्रं क्षत्रियं मत्वा शस्त्रं गृह्णात्यथापरः ।
त्राणायाप्यसमर्थं तं मन्यमानमतीव च ॥ १२.९५.५ ॥
Thinking a warrior to be unarmed, another takes up a weapon, thinking him exceedingly unable even to protect himself.
12.95.6
अथः यः क्षत्रियो राजा क्षत्रियं प्रत्युपाव्रजेत् ।
कथं संप्रतियोद्धव्यस्तन्मे ब्रूहि पितामह ॥ १२.९५.६ ॥
Now, how is one to fight a warrior-king who advances against another warrior? Tell me this, O grandsire.
12.95.7
नासन्नह्यो नाकवचो योद्धव्यः क्षत्रियो रणे ।
एक एकेन भाव्यश्च विसृजेति क्षिपामि च ॥ १२.९५.७ ॥
A warrior should not fight in battle one who is unarmored or one who wears armor. One should match one against one; saying 'Release!' I cast the challenge.
12.95.8
स चेत्सन्नद्ध आगच्छेत्सन्नद्धव्यं ततो भवेत् ।
स चेत्ससैन्य आगच्छेत्ससैन्यस्तमथाह्वयेत् ॥ १२.९५.८ ॥
If he comes armored, then one should also be armored. If he comes with an army, one should challenge him with an army.
12.95.9
स चेन्निकृत्या युध्येत निकृत्या प्रतियोधयेत् ।
अथ चेद्धर्मतो युध्येद्धर्मेणैव निवारयेत् ॥ १२.९५.९ ॥
If he fights by treachery, one should counter him by treachery. But if he fights righteously, one should ward him off by righteousness alone.
12.95.10
नाश्वेन रथिनं यायादुदियाद्रथिनं रथी ।
व्यसने न प्रहर्तव्यं न भीताय जिताय च ॥ १२.९५.१० ॥
A horseman should not attack a charioteer; a charioteer should rise against a charioteer. One should not strike one in distress, one who is afraid, or one already defeated.
12.95.11
नेषुर्लिप्तो न कर्णी स्यादसतामेतदायुधम् ।
यथार्थमेव योद्धव्यं न क्रुद्ध्येत जिघांसतः ॥ १२.९५.११ ॥
One should not use an arrow smeared with poison, nor a barbed arrow; these are the weapons of the wicked. One should fight only as is proper, and not grow angry at one who wishes to kill.
12.95.12
नास्त्येकस्य गजो युद्धे गजश्चेकस्य विद्यते ।
न पदातिर्गजं युध्येन्न गतेन पदातिनम् ॥ १२.९५.१२ ॥
For one who has no elephant there is no elephant in battle, and even one who has one does not find it. A foot soldier should not fight against an elephant, nor one who has gone forth on a chariot fight against a foot soldier.
12.95.13
हस्तिना योधयेन्नागं कदाचिच्छिक्षितो हयः ।
दिव्यास्त्रबलसंपन्नः कामं युध्येत सर्वदा।
नागे भूमौ समे चैव रथेनाश्वेन वा पुनः ॥ १२.९५.१३ ॥
A trained horse may sometimes be set to fight an elephant with an elephant; a warrior endowed with the strength of divine weapons may fight at will at all times — against an elephant, on level ground, from a chariot or even on horseback.
12.95.14
रामरावणयोर्युद्धे हरयो वै पदातयः ।
लक्ष्मणश्च महाभागस्तथा राजन्विभीषणः ॥ १२.९५.१४ ॥
In the battle of Rāma and Rāvaṇa the monkeys fought on foot, and likewise the greatly fortunate Lakṣmaṇa and, O king, Vibhīṣaṇa.
12.95.15
रावणस्यान्तकाले च रथेनैन्द्रेण राधवः ।
निजघान दुराचारं रावणं पापकारिणम् ॥ १२.९५.१५ ॥
At the end of Rāvaṇa's life, the scion of Raghu (Rāma), in Indra's chariot, slew Rāvaṇa, the wicked one who did evil deeds.
12.95.16
दिव्यास्त्रबलसंपन्ने सर्वमेतद्विधीयते ।
देवासुरेषु सर्वेषु दृष्टमेतत्पुरातनैः ॥ १२.९५.१६ ॥
For one endowed with the strength of divine weapons, all this is ordained; among all the gods and asuras, the ancients have seen this.
12.95.17
साधूनां तु यदा भेदात्साधुश्चेद्व्यसनी भवेत् ।
निष्प्राणो नाभिहन्तव्यो नानपत्यः कथंचन।
भग्नशस्त्रो विपन्नश्च कृत्तज्यो हतवाहनः। ॥ १२.९५.१७ ॥
But when there is a breach among the virtuous, and a virtuous man falls into misfortune, one who is lifeless or without offspring must not be struck in any way; nor one whose weapons are broken, who is in distress, whose bowstring is cut, or whose mount is slain.
12.95.18
चिकित्स्यः स्यात्स्वविषये प्राप्यो वा स्वगृहे भवेत् ।
निर्व्रणश्च स भोक्तव्य एष धर्मः सनातनः ॥ १२.९५.१८ ॥
He should be treated, and either carried to his own territory or taken to his own house; he should be cared for without wounds — this is the eternal dharma.
12.95.19
तस्माद्धर्मेण योद्धव्यमिति स्वायंभुवोऽब्रवात् ।
सत्सु नित्यः सतां धर्मस्तमास्थाय न नाशयेत् ॥ १२.९५.१९ ॥
Therefore one must fight in accordance with dharma, so said Svāyaṃbhuva (Manu). Dharma is eternal among the good; having taken refuge in it, one should not destroy it.
12.95.20
यो वै जयत्यधर्मेण क्षत्रियो धर्मसंगरः ।
आत्मानमात्मना हन्ति पापो निकृतिजीवनः ॥ १२.९५.२० ॥
The kṣatriya who conquers by adharma, in the name of a battle of dharma — that sinner who lives by deceit — slays himself by himself.
12.95.21
कर्म चैतदसाधूनां साधून्योऽसाधुना जयेत् ।
धर्मेण निधनं श्रेयो न जयः पापकर्मणा ॥ १२.९५.२१ ॥
This is the deed of the wicked: to conquer the good by wicked means. Death with dharma is better; victory by a sinful deed is no victory.
12.95.22
नाधर्मश्चरितो राजन्सद्यः फलति गौरिव ।
मूलानि च प्रशाखाश्च दहन्समधिगच्छते ॥ १२.९५.२२ ॥
O king, unrighteousness practised does not bear fruit at once; like a cow it ripens slowly. Burning even roots and branches, it spreads and takes hold.
12.95.23
पापेन कर्मणा वित्तं लब्ध्वा पापः प्रहृष्यति ।
स वर्धमानस्तेनैव पापः पापे प्रसज्जति ॥ १२.९५.२३ ॥
Having gained wealth by a sinful deed, the sinner rejoices. Growing by that very means, the sinner clings all the more to sin.
12.95.24
न धर्मोऽस्तीति मन्वानः शुचीनवहसन्निव ।
अश्रद्दधानश्च भवेद्विनाशमुपगच्छति
स बद्धो वारुणैः पाशैरमर्त्यैरवमन्यते। ॥ १२.९५.२४ ॥
Thinking 'there is no dharma,' mocking the pure as it were, lacking faith, he comes to destruction. Bound by the nooses of Varuṇa, he is despised by the immortals.
12.95.25
महादृतिरिवाध्मातः स्वकृतेनैव वर्धते ।
ततः समूलो ह्रियते नदीकूलादिव द्रुमा ॥ १२.९५.२५ ॥
Like a great leather bag swollen with air, it grows only by its own doing; then, uprooted, it is swept away like trees torn from a river bank.
12.95.26
अथैनमभिनिन्दन्ति भिन्नं कुम्भमिवाश्यानि ।
तस्माद्धर्मेण विजयं कोशं लिप्सेत भूमिपः ॥ १२.९५.२६ ॥
Then people censure him, as stones would a broken pot. Therefore a king should seek victory and treasure through dharma.