Mahābhārata · Adhyāya 12.96
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12.96.1
नाधर्मेण महीं जेतुं लिप्सेत जगतीपतिः ।
अधर्मविजयं लब्ध्वा को नु मन्येत भूमिपः ॥ १२.९६.१ ॥
A king should not desire to conquer the earth through unrighteousness. Having obtained victory through unrighteousness, what ruler would think it good?
12.96.2
अधर्मयुक्तो विजयो ह्यध्रुवोऽस्वर्ग्य एव च ।
पातयत्येव राजानं महीं च भरतर्षभ ॥ १२.९६.२ ॥
Victory joined with unrighteousness is unstable and does not lead to heaven. O bull of the Bharatas, it indeed casts down the king and the earth as well.
12.96.3
विशीर्णकवचं चैव तवास्मीति च वादिनम् ।
कृताञ्जलिं न्यस्तशस्त्रं गृहीत्वा न विहिंसयेत् ॥ १२.९६.३ ॥
Even having seized one whose armour is broken, who says 'I am yours,' who stands with folded hands and has laid down his weapons, one should not harm him.
12.96.4
बलेन विजितो यश्च न तं युध्येत भूमिपः ।
संवत्सरं विप्रणयेत्तस्माज्जातः पुनर्भवेत् ॥ १२.९६.४ ॥
A king should not fight again with one who has been conquered by force. He should keep him with himself for a year; then that man is, as it were, born again.
12.96.5
नार्वाक्संवत्सरात्कन्या प्रष्टव्या विक्रमाहृता ।
एवमेव धनं सर्वं यच्चान्यत्सहसा हृतम् ॥ १२.९६.५ ॥
Before a year has passed, a maiden seized by force should not be questioned; and likewise all wealth and other things that have been suddenly taken away.
12.96.6
न तु वध्ये धनं तिष्ठेत्पिबेयुर्ब्राह्मणाः पयः ।
युञ्जीरन्नप्यनडुहः क्षन्तव्यं वा पुनर्भवेत् ॥ १२.९६.६ ॥
But wealth should not remain where there has been slaughter. Let the brahmins drink milk, and let oxen be yoked; or else forgiveness should be given, so that it may come about again.
12.96.7
राज्ञा राजैव योद्धव्यस्तथा धर्मो विधीयते ।
नान्यो राजानमभ्यस्येदराजन्यः कथंचन ॥ १२.९६.७ ॥
A king should fight only against a king; so the rule of duty is prescribed. No one who is not of the warrior class should in any way strike at a king.
12.96.8
अनीकयोः संहतयोर्यदीयाद्ब्राह्मणोऽन्तरा ।
शान्तिमिच्छन्नुभयतो न योद्धव्यं तदा भवेत् ॥ १२.९६.८ ॥
When two armies stand drawn up in array, if a brahmin, desiring peace, comes between them, then no fighting should take place on either side at that time.
12.96.9
मर्यादां शाश्वतीं भिन्द्याद्ब्राह्मणं योऽभिलङ्घयेत् ।
अथ चेल्लङ्घयेदेव मर्यादां क्षत्रियब्रुवः।
असङ्ख्येपतदूर्ध्वं स्यादनादेयश्च संसदि ॥ १२.९६.९ ॥
He who transgresses against a brahmin breaks the eternal boundary. And if one who claims to be a kṣatriya transgresses this boundary, then he falls into countless degradation and becomes unacceptable in the assembly.
12.96.10
यस्तु धर्मविलोपेन मर्यादाभेदनेन च ।
तां वृत्तिं नानुवर्तेत विजिगीषुर्महीपतिः ॥ १२.९६.१० ॥
But a king who desires conquest should not follow that conduct which is by the destruction of dharma and the breaking of boundaries.
12.96.11
धर्मलब्धाद्धि विजयाल्लाभः कोऽभ्यधिको भवेत् ॥ १२.९६.११ ॥
For what greater gain could there be than victory won through dharma?
12.96.12
सहसा न्याय्यभूतानि क्षिप्रमेव प्रसादयेत् ।
सान्त्वेन भोगदानेन स राज्ञां परमो नयः ॥ १२.९६.१२ ॥
Those who are rightfully due should not be angered hastily but quickly placated; to appease them with conciliation and the gift of enjoyments, that is the supreme policy of kings.
12.96.13
भुज्यमाना ह्यभोगेन स्वराष्ट्रादभितापिताः ।
अमित्रान्पर्युपासीरन्व्यसनौघप्रतीक्षिणः ॥ १२.९६.१३ ॥
Those harassed by want in their own kingdom, tormented, waiting for a flood of calamities, will attend upon enemies.
12.96.14
अमित्रोपग्रहं चास्य ते कुर्युः क्षिप्रमापदि ।
संतुष्टाः सर्वतो राजन्राजव्यसनकाङ्क्षिणः ॥ १२.९६.१४ ॥
O king, those who desire the king's misfortune on every side, being content, will quickly take that enemy into their favour in distress.
12.96.15
नामित्रो विनिकर्तव्यो नातिच्छेद्यः कथंचन ।
जीवितं ह्यप्यतिच्छिन्नः संत्यजेदेकदा नरः ॥ १२.९६.१५ ॥
An enemy should not be cut down entirely, nor cut off excessively in any way; for a man utterly cut off may at once give up his life.
12.96.16
अल्पेनापि च संयुक्तस्तुष्यते नापराधितः ।
शुद्धं जीवितमेवापि तादृशो बहुमन्यते ॥ १२.९६.१६ ॥
Though endowed with little, he is content and does not become an offender; such a man regards even a pure life as much.
12.96.17
यस्य स्फीतो जनपदः संपन्नः प्रियराजकः ।
संतुष्टभृत्यसचिवो दृढमूलः स पार्थिवः ॥ १२.९६.१७ ॥
That king whose realm is flourishing and prosperous, whose royal officers are beloved, whose servants and ministers are content, is firmly rooted.
12.96.18
ऋत्विक्पुरोहिताचार्या ये चान्ये श्रुतसत्तमाः ।
पूजार्हाः पूजिता यस्य स वै लोकविदुच्यते ॥ १२.९६.१८ ॥
Those who are worthy of honour — the sacrificial priests, household priests and teachers, and the other most learned men — and by whom they are honoured, he indeed is called one who knows the world.
12.96.19
एतेनैव च वृत्तेन महीं प्राप सुरोत्तमः ।
अन्येऽपि चैव विजयं विजिगीषन्ति पार्थिवाः ॥ १२.९६.१९ ॥
By this very conduct the best of gods obtained the earth; other kings too, desiring victory, act in this way.
12.96.20
भूमिवर्जं धनं राजा जित्वा राजन्महाहवे ।
अपि चान्नोषधीः शश्वदाजहार प्रतर्दनः ॥ १२.९६.२० ॥
O king, having conquered in the great battle, a king took wealth apart from the land; and Pratardana constantly took food and herbs as well.
12.96.21
अग्रिहोत्राग्निशेषं च हविर्भोजनमेव च ।
आजहार दिवोदासस्ततो विप्रकृतोऽभवत् ॥ १२.९६.२१ ॥
Divodāsa took also the remnant of the Agnihotra fire and the food of the oblation, and thereupon became one who had wronged the brahmins.
12.96.22
सराजकानि राष्ट्राणि नाभागो दक्षिणां ददौ ।
अन्यत्र श्रोत्रियस्वाच्च तापसार्थाच्च भारत ॥ १२.९६.२२ ॥
Nābhāga gave away realms together with their kings as dakṣiṇā, O Bhārata, except the property of learned brahmins and that which belongs to ascetics.
12.96.23
उच्चावचानि वित्तानि धर्मज्ञानां युधिष्ठिर ।
आसन्राज्ञां पुराणानां सर्वं तन्मम रोचते ॥ १२.९६.२३ ॥
O Yudhiṣṭhira, the ancient kings who knew dharma had wealth of every kind, high and low; all that pleases me.
12.96.24
सर्वविद्यातिरेकेण जयमिच्छेन्महीपतिः ।
न मायया न दम्भेन य इच्छेद्भूतिमात्मनः ॥ १२.९६.२४ ॥
A king who desires victory should surpass all knowledge, not by illusion or by hypocrisy; whoever desires prosperity for himself should act thus.