Mahābhārata · Adhyāya 15.8
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15.8.1
सन्धिविग्रहमप्यत्र पश्येथा राजसत्तम ।
द्वियोनिं विविधोपायं बहुकल्पं युधिष्ठिर ॥ १५.८.१ ॥
O best of kings, Yudhiṣṭhira, here you should consider both peace and war, which have two sources, various means and many alternatives.
15.8.2
कौरव्य पर्युपासीथाः स्थित्वा द्वैविध्यमात्मनः ।
तुष्टपुष्टजनः शत्रुरर्थवानिति च स्मरेत् ॥ १५.८.२ ॥
O descendant of Kuru, standing in your dual posture you should wait, and remember that the enemy has a contented and well-nourished people and is wealthy.
15.8.3
पर्युपासनकाले तु विपरीतं विधीयते ।
आमर्दकाले राजेन्द्र व्यवसायस्ततोऽपरः ॥ १५.८.३ ॥
O lord of kings, at the time of waiting the opposite is prescribed; at the time of attack, after that, a different course of action is taken.
15.8.4
व्यसनं भेदनं चैव शत्रूणां कारयेत्ततः ।
कर्षणं भीषणं चैव युद्धे चैव बहुक्षयम् ॥ १५.८.४ ॥
Then one should bring about calamity and division among the enemies, and cause terrifying harassment and great destruction in battle.
15.8.5
प्रयास्यमानो नृपतिस्त्रिविधं परिचिन्तयेत् ।
आत्मनश्चैव शत्रोश्च शक्तिं शास्त्रविशारदः ॥ १५.८.५ ॥
A king about to march out should carefully consider threefold: the strength of himself and of the enemy; a king skilled in the treatises should do so.
15.8.6
उत्साहप्रभुशक्तिभ्यां मन्त्रशक्त्या च भारत ।
उपपन्नो नृपो यायाद्विपरीतं च वर्जयेत् ॥ १५.८.६ ॥
O descendant of Bharata, a king endowed with energy, the power of sovereignty and the power of counsel should march out, and avoid the opposite.
15.8.7
आददीत बलं राजा मौलं मित्रबलं तथा ।
अटवीबलं भृतं चैव तता श्रेणीबलं प्रभो ॥ १५.८.७ ॥
The king should take the strength of hereditary troops, of allies, likewise of forest troops and hired troops, and, O lord, of guild troops.
15.8.8
मित्रामित्रबलं राजन्न्यायाद्वृद्ध्युदये धृतः ।
तत्र मित्रबलं राजन्मौलं चैव विशिष्यते।
श्रेणीबलं भृतं चैव तुल्ये एवेति मे मतिः ॥ १५.८.८ ॥
O king, in the time of growth and rise, the strength of friends and enemies is held to be according to principle. O king, among these, the strength of allies and of hereditary troops is especially distinguished, and the strength of guild troops and of hired troops are equal—such is my opinion.
15.8.9
तथाऽऽचारबलं चैव परस्परसमं नृप ।
विज्ञेयं बलकालेषु राज्ञा काल उपस्थिते ॥ १५.८.९ ॥
Likewise, the strength of conduct is equal among them, O king. At the times for using strength, when the moment has come, the king must understand this.
15.8.10
आपदश्चापि बोद्धव्या बहुरूपा नराधिप ।
भवन्ति राज्ञा कौरव्य यास्ताः पृथगतः शृणु ॥ १५.८.१० ॥
O lord of men, calamities too are to be understood as manifold in form. O descendant of Kuru, listen to those that befall a king, one by one.
15.8.11
विकल्पा बहुधा राजन्नापदां पाण्डुनन्दन ।
सामादिभिरुपन्यस्य गमयेत्तान्नृपः सदा ॥ १५.८.११ ॥
O king, the remedies for calamities are many, O son of Pāṇḍu. Having applied conciliation and the other means, the king should always bring them to an end.
15.8.12
यात्रां गच्छेद्बलैर्युक्तो राजा षड्भिः परंतप ।
युक्तश्च देशकालाभ्यां बलैरात्मगुणैस्तथा ॥ १५.८.१२ ॥
O tormentor of foes, the king should set out on campaign, endowed with the six forces; and, suited to place and time, endowed also with his forces and his own qualities.
15.8.13
हृष्टपुष्टबलो गच्छेद्राजा वृद्ध्युदये रतः ।
अकृशश्चाप्यथो यायादनृतावपि पाण्डव ॥ १५.८.१३ ॥
O son of Pāṇḍu, a king who is joyful, well-nourished and strong, intent on the rising of prosperity, should march; not weakened, he may march even out of season.
15.8.14
तूणाश्मानं वाजिरथप्रवाहां ।
ध्वजद्रुमैः संवृतकूलरोधसम्।
पदातिनागैर्बहुकर्दमां नदीं ।
सपत्नानाशे नृपतिः प्रयोजयेत् ॥ १५.८.१४ ॥
For the hope of defeating his enemies, the king should employ that river, which has boats and stones, a flow of horses and chariots, banners like trees, banks covered by them, is full of foot soldiers and elephants, and very muddy.
15.8.15
अथोपपत्त्या शकटं पद्मवज्रं च भारत ।
उशना वेद यच्छास्त्रं तत्रैतद्विहितं विभो ॥ १५.८.१५ ॥
O descendant of Bharata, now by reasoning there are also the cart and lotus-thunderbolt formations; this is prescribed in the treatise that Uśanas knows, O mighty one.
15.8.16
चारयित्वा परबलं कृत्वा स्वबलदर्शनम् ।
स्वभूमौ योजयेद्युद्धं परभूमौ तथैव च ॥ १५.८.१६ ॥
Having sent out spies to assess the enemy's army and having shown his own army's strength, he should engage in battle on his own ground, and likewise on enemy ground.
15.8.17
बलं प्रसादयेद्राजा निक्षिपेद्बलनो नरान् ।
ज्ञात्वा स्वविषयं तत्र सामादिभिरुपक्रमेत् ॥ १५.८.१७ ॥
The king should win over his army and place strong men there; knowing his own domain, he should begin there with conciliation and the other expedients.
15.8.18
सर्वथैव महाराज शरीरं धारयेदिह ।
प्रेत्य चेह च कर्तव्यमात्मनिःश्रेयसं परम् ॥ १५.८.१८ ॥
O great king, in every way one must maintain the body here; after death and here too, one must do what is one's supreme welfare.
15.8.19
एवं कुर्वञ्शुभा वाचो लोकेऽस्मिञ्शृणु ते नृप ।
प्रेत्य स्वर्गमवाप्नोति प्रजा धर्मेणि पालयन् ॥ १५.८.१९ ॥
Doing thus, O king, hear in this world: one who protects his subjects by dharma attains heaven after death.
15.8.20
एवं त्वया कुरुश्रेष्ठ वर्तितव्यं प्रजासु वै ।
उभयोर्लोकयोस्तात प्राप्तये नित्यमेव हि ॥ १५.८.२० ॥
Thus, best of the Kurus, you should conduct yourself among your subjects, dear son; for attaining both worlds, this alone is always the way.
15.8.21
भीष्मेण सर्वमुक्तोसि कृष्णेन विदुरेण च ।
मयाऽप्यवश्यं वक्तव्यं प्रीत्या ते नृपसत्तम ॥ १५.८.२१ ॥
Bhīṣma, Kṛṣṇa and Vidura have told you everything; yet, best of kings, out of affection I too must surely say something to you.
15.8.22
एतत्सर्वं यथान्यायं कुर्वीथा भूरिदक्षिण ।
प्रियस्तथा प्रजानां त्वं स्वर्गे सुखमवाप्स्यसि ॥ १५.८.२२ ॥
O giver of abundant gifts, do all this rightly; thus you will be dear to your subjects and attain happiness in heaven.
15.8.23
अश्वमेधसहस्रेण यो यजेत्पृथिवीपतिः ।
पालयेद्वाऽपि धर्मेणि प्रजास्तुल्यं फलं लभेत् ॥ १५.८.२३ ॥
A lord of the earth who performs a thousand horse sacrifices, or who protects his subjects by dharma, obtains an equal fruit.