12.032
Core and Pancharatra: Sage Kṛṣṇa Dvaipāyana advises Yudhishthira on the eternal duty of a king to protect dharma. Also how he was only instrumental in the destruction caused by the war.
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaiśampāyana said:
tūṣṇīṃbhūtaṃ tu rājānaṃ śocamānaṃ yudhiṣṭhiram। tapasvī dharmatattvajñaḥ kṛṣṇadvaipāyano'bravīt ॥12-32-1॥
But when the king Yudhiṣṭhira became silent and was grieving, the ascetic and knower of the essence of dharma, Kṛṣṇa Dvaipāyana, spoke.
prajānāṃ pālanaṃ dharmo rājñāṃ rājīvalocana। dharmaḥ pramāṇaṃ lokasya nityaṃ dharmānuvartanam ॥12-32-2॥
O lotus-eyed one, it is the duty of kings to protect their subjects. Dharma is always the standard for the world, and following dharma is perpetual.
anutiṣṭhasva vai rājan pitṛpaitāmahaṃ padam। brāhmaṇeṣu ca yo dharmaḥ sa nityo vedaniścitaḥ ॥12-32-3॥
O king, you must indeed follow the ancestral path; and among Brāhmaṇas, that eternal duty which is established by the Veda.
tat-pramāṇaṃ pramāṇānāṃ śāśvataṃ bharatarṣabha। tasya dharmasya kṛtsnasya kṣatriyaḥ parirakṣitā ॥12-32-4॥
O best of the Bharatas, that is the eternal standard among standards. Of the entire dharma, the kṣatriya is its protector.
tathā yaḥ pratihantyasya śāsanaṃ viṣaye naraḥ। sa bāhubhyāṃ vinigrāhyo lokayātrāvighātakaḥ ॥12-32-5॥
Thus, any man who opposes his command within the domain, being an obstructor of worldly order, should be restrained by force.
pramāṇam-apramāṇaṃ yaḥ kuryān mohavaśaṃ gataḥ। bhṛtyo vā yadi vā putras tapasvī vāpi kaścana॥ pāpān sarvair upāyaiḥ tān niyacched ghātayet vā॥ 12-32-6॥
Whoever, whether a servant, son, ascetic, or anyone else, acts under the influence of delusion on valid or invalid evidence, such evildoers should be restrained or even killed by all possible means.
ato'nyathā vartamāno rājā prāpnoti kilbiṣam। dharmaṃ vinaśyamānaṃ hi yo na rakṣet sa dharmahā ॥12-32-7॥
Therefore, if a king acts otherwise, he incurs sin. Indeed, he who does not protect dharma when it is being destroyed is a destroyer of dharma.
te tvayā dharmahantāro nihatāḥ sapadānugāḥ। svadharme vartamānastvaṃ kiṃ nu śocasi pāṇḍava ॥ rājā hi hanyāddadyācca prajā rakṣeccca dharmataḥ ॥12-32-8॥
Those destroyers of dharma, along with their followers, have been slain by you. Since you abide in your own dharma, why do you grieve, O Pāṇḍava? A king must indeed slay, give, and protect his subjects according to dharma.
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca॥
Yudhishthira said:
na te'bhisaṅke vacanaṃ yadbravīṣi tapodhana। aparokṣo hi te dharmaḥ sarvadharmabhṛtāṃ vara ॥12-32-9॥
O Tapodhana, I do not doubt the statement you speak; your dharma is indeed directly perceived, O best among all upholders of dharma.
mayā hyavadhyā bahavo ghātitā rājyakāraṇāt। tānyakāryāṇi me brahman dahanti ca tapanti ca ॥12-32-10॥
O Brāhmaṇa, for the sake of the kingdom, I have slain many who should not have been killed. Those improper acts now burn and torment me.
vyāsa uvāca॥
Vyāsa said:
īśvaro vā bhavetkartā puruṣo vāpi bhārata। haṭho vā vartate loke karmajaṃ vā phalaṃ smṛtam ॥12-32-11॥
O Bhārata, it is said that either the Lord is the doer, or the person is, or it happens by force in the world, or the fruit is considered to be born of action.
īśvareṇa niyuktā hi sādhvasādhu ca pārthiva। kurvanti puruṣāḥ karma phalam īśvaragāmi tat ॥12-32-12॥
O king, men perform both good and bad actions as appointed by the Lord; the result of those actions goes to the Lord.
yathā hi puruṣaś chindyād vṛkṣaṃ paraśunā vane। chettur eva bhavet pāpaṃ paraśoḥ na kathañcana॥12-32-13॥
Just as when a man cuts a tree with an axe in the forest, only the cutter incurs sin, never the axe in any way.
atha vā tad-upādānāt prāpnuyuḥ karmaṇaḥ phalam। daṇḍa-śastra-kṛtaṃ pāpaṃ puruṣe tan na vidyate ॥12-32-14॥
Alternatively, if one appropriates that, they may obtain the result of the action. However, the sin committed through punishment or by weapon does not remain in the person; it does not exist there.
na caitadiṣṭaṃ kaunteya yadanyena phalaṃ kṛtam। prāpnuyāditi tasmācca īśvare tanniveśaya ॥12-32-15॥
O son of Kunti, it is not desired that one should obtain the fruit of an action done by another; therefore, place that (action) in the Lord.
atha vā puruṣaḥ kartā karmaṇoḥ śubhapāpayoḥ। na paraṃ vidyate tasmādevamanyacchubhaṃ kuru ॥12-32-16॥
Alternatively, the person is the agent of actions, both meritorious and sinful. There is nothing else beyond this; therefore, act in this way and perform other good deeds.
na hi kaścit kvacid rājan diṣṭāt pratinivartate। daṇḍaśastrakṛtaṃ pāpaṃ puruṣe tan na vidyate॥12-32-17॥
O king, no one anywhere can escape what is destined. The sin committed by punishment or weapon does not attach to the person.
yadi vā manyase rājan haṭhe lokaṃ pratiṣṭhitam। evam apyaśubhaṃ karma na bhūtaṃ na bhaviṣyati ॥12-32-18॥
O king, if you think by obstinacy that the world is established thus, even then, unrighteous action has not been and will not be.
athābhipattirlokasya kartavyā śubhapāpayoḥ। abhipannatamaṃ loke rājñāmudyatadaṇḍanam ॥12-32-19॥
Now, the way the world acts regarding good and evil deeds is that the greatest consequence in society is the punishment imposed by kings.
athāpi loke karmāṇi samāvartanta bhārata। śubhāśubhapalaṃ ceme prāpnuvantīti me matiḥ ॥12-32-20॥
O Bhārata, in this world, actions continue to revolve; it is my opinion that these attain both auspicious and inauspicious results.
evaṃ satyaṃ śubhādeśaṃ karmaṇas tatphalaṃ dhruvam। tyaja tadrājaśārdūla maivaṃ śoke manaḥ kṛthāḥ ॥12-32-21॥
Thus, O tiger among kings, it is certain that the fruit of auspicious instruction and action is true. Abandon that (grief); do not let your mind be thus in sorrow.
svadharme vartamānasya sāpapāde'pi bhārata। evamātmaparityāgastava rājanna śobhanaḥ ॥12-32-22॥
O Bhārata, even if there is reproach, for one abiding in one's own duty, thus, abandonment of yourself is not commendable, O king.
vihitāniha kaunteya prāyaścittāni karmaṇām। śarīravāṃstāni kuryādaśarīraḥ parābhavet ॥12-32-23॥
O son of Kunti, here the expiations prescribed for those who act should be performed by those possessing a body; one without a body would be overcome.
tad rājan jīva-mānas tvaṃ prāyaścittaṃ cariṣyasi। prāyaścittam akṛtvā tu pretya taptāsi bhārata ॥12-32-24॥
O king, while you are alive, you must perform expiation. If you do not do expiation and die, O Bhārata, you will be tormented after death.
