12.057
Pancharatra: Bhishma continues to instruct royal duties: a teacher, a friend, or a son who acts with evil must certainly be counteracted; should not harm the wealth of others; support those who are not maintained and oversee those who are maintained; be pleasant-faced, and speak to others with a smile; oversees the tasks with focus that have been started but not completed; in whose domain men move about fearlessly like sons in the house of their father; whose wealth is open, whose citizens and subjects are knowledgeable in right and wrong conduct; who honours knowledge; whose spies and counselors are always vigilant in both accomplished and unaccomplished matters.
bhīṣma uvāca॥
Bhīṣma said:
nityodyuktena vai rājñā bhavitavyaṃ yudhiṣṭhira। praśāmyate ca rājā hi nārīvod yamavarjitaḥ ॥12-57-1॥
O Yudhishthira, a king must always be diligent; for a king who lacks effort is subdued, just as a woman is subdued when she lacks effort.
bhagavānuśanā cāha ślokam atra viśāṃ pate। tam ihaikamanā rājan gadatas tvaṃ nibodha me॥12-57-2॥
The illustrious sage Uśanā spoke this verse here, O lord of the people. Now, O king, listen attentively as I speak it to you.
dvāvetau grasate bhūmiḥ sarpo bilaśayāniva। rājānaṃ cāviroddhāraṃ brāhmaṇaṃ cāpravāsinam ॥12-57-3॥
The earth destroys two types of people: a king without adversaries and a brāhmaṇa who does not travel, just as a serpent devours one lying in its hole.
tad etan naraśārdūla hṛdi tvaṃ kartum arhasi। sandheyān api sandhatsva virodhyāṃś ca virodhaya ॥12-57-4॥
O best of men, you should resolve this in your heart: make alliances with those fit for alliance, and oppose those who are to be opposed.
saptāṅge yaś ca te rājye vaiparītyaṃ samācaret। gurur vā yadi vā mitraṃ pratihantavya eva saḥ ॥12-57-5॥
Whoever in your kingdom, among the seven limbs, acts in opposition—be it a teacher or a friend—he must certainly be counteracted.
maruttena hi rājñāyaṃ gītaḥ ślokaḥ purātanaḥ। rājyādhikāre rājendra bṛhaspatimataḥ purā ॥12-57-6॥
O king, this ancient verse, expressing the opinion of Bṛhaspati, was indeed sung by King Marutta in former times on the subject of sovereignty.
guror apy avaliptasya kāryākāryam ajānataḥ। utpatha-pratipannasya parityāgo vidhīyate ॥12-57-7॥
Even the teacher, if arrogant and ignorant of right and wrong, and who has taken to a wrong path, is to be abandoned.
bāhoḥ putreṇa rājñā ca sagareṇeha dhīmatā। asamañjāḥ suto jyeṣṭhas tyaktaḥ paurahitaiṣiṇā ॥12-57-8॥
Here, the wise king Sagara, son of Bāhu, abandoned his eldest son Asamanja for the welfare of the citizens.
asamañjāḥ sarayvāṃ prāk-paurāṇāṃ bālakān nṛpa। nyamajjayad ataḥ pitrā nirbhartsya sa vivāsitaḥ ॥12-57-9॥
Asamanja, having previously drowned the sons of the citizens in the Sarayu river, O king, was reproached by his father and thus exiled.
ṛṣiṇoddālakena api śvetaketur mahātapāḥ। mithyā viprān upacaran santyakto dayitaḥ sutaḥ ॥12-57-10॥
Śvetaketu, the great ascetic and beloved son, was also abandoned by the sage Uddālaka because he was falsely serving the Brāhmaṇas.
lokarañjanamevātra rājñāṃ dharmaḥ sanātanaḥ। satyasya rakṣaṇaṃ caiva vyavahārasya cārjavam ॥12-57-11॥
Here, the eternal duty of kings is to please the people; also, to protect truth and to maintain straightforwardness in conduct.
na hiṁsyāt paravittāni deyaṁ kāle ca dāpayet। vikrāntaḥ satyavāk kṣānto nṛpo na calate pathaḥ ॥12-57-12॥
One should not harm the wealth of others; one should give and ensure giving at the proper time. A valiant, truthful, and forbearing king does not stray from the righteous path.
guptamantrō jitakrōdhō śāstrārthagataniścayaḥ। dharmē cārthē ca kāmē ca mōkṣē ca satataṃ rataḥ ॥12-57-13॥
He is one whose counsel is secret, who has conquered anger, whose resolve is firm in the meaning of the scriptures, and who is always devoted to dharma, artha, kāma, and mokṣa.
tray-yā saṃvṛta-randhraś ca rājā bhavitum arhati। vṛjinasya narendrāṇāṃ nānyat saṃvaraṇāt param ॥12-57-14॥
A king is worthy to become one whose faults are covered by the three Vedas. For kings, there is nothing higher than restraint from sin.
cāturvarṇyasya dharmāś ca rakṣitavyā mahīkṣitā | dharmasaṅkararakṣā hi rājñāṃ dharmaḥ sanātanaḥ ||12-57-15||
O kings, the duties of the four varṇas must be protected; indeed, it is the eternal duty of kings to prevent the confusion of duties.
na viśvasecca nṛpatirna cātyarthaṃ na viśvaset। ṣāḍguṇyaguṇadoṣāṃśca nityaṃ buddhyāvalokayet ॥12-57-16॥
A king should not trust anyone, nor should he trust excessively. He should always observe the merits and faults of the six policies with intelligence.
dviṭ-chidra-darśī nṛpatir nityam eva praśasyate। trivarga-vidita-arthaś ca yukta-cāra-upadhiś ca yaḥ ॥12-57-17॥
A king who is vigilant about two kinds of flaws, is always praised; who understands the meaning of the three aims of life, and is endowed with proper conduct and strategy.
kośasyopārjanaratiryamavaiśravaṇopamaḥ। vettā ca daśavargasya sthānavṛddhikṣayātmanaḥ ॥12-57-18॥
He is devoted to acquiring the treasury, comparable to Yama and Vaiśravaṇa; and he knows by nature the positions, increases, and decreases of the ten divisions.
abhṛtānāṃ bhavedbhartā bhṛtānāṃ cānvavekṣakaḥ। nṛpatiḥ sumukhaśca syātsmitapūrvābhibhāṣitā ॥12-57-19॥
The king should support those who are not maintained, oversee those who are maintained, be pleasant-faced, and speak to others with a smile.
upāsitā ca vṛddhānāṃ jitatandrīralolupaḥ। satāṃ vṛtte sthitamatih santo hyācāradarśinaḥ ॥12-57-20॥
He served and attended to elders, was free from lethargy, not greedy, steadfast in the conduct of the virtuous; truly, good people are those who observe proper conduct.
na cādadīta vittāni satāṃ hastātkadācana। asadbhyaḥtu samādad-yātsadbhyaḥ sampratipādayet ॥12-57-21॥
One should never take wealth from the hands of the virtuous; but if wealth is taken from the unvirtuous, it should be given to the virtuous.
svayaṃ prahartādātā ca vaśyātmā vaśyasādhanaḥ। kāle dātā ca bhoktā ca śuddhācāras tathaiva ca ॥12-57-22॥
He is himself the initiator, the giver, self-controlled, and one who attains mastery; at the right time, he is both the giver and the enjoyer, and is always of pure conduct.
śūrān bhaktān asaṃhāryān kule jātān aroginaḥ | śiṣṭān śiṣṭābhisambandhān māninaḥ na avamāninaḥ ॥12-57-23॥
Valiant, devoted, and indomitable individuals, born in the family and free from disease; noble and connected with the noble, self-respecting and not disrespectful.
vidyāvido lokavidaḥ paralokānvavekṣakān। dharmeṣu niratānsādhūnacalānacalāniva ॥12-57-24॥
They are knowers of knowledge, knowers of the world, those who examine the other world, steadfast in dharma, virtuous, and unwavering, like the immovable.
sahāyān satataṃ kuryād rājā bhūti-puraskṛtaḥ। taiḥ tulyaś ca bhavet bhogaiḥ chatra-mātra-ājñayā adhikaḥ॥12-57-25॥
A king, always endowed with prosperity, should appoint helpers; he should be equal to them in enjoyments and superior only by virtue of royal authority (symbolized by the umbrella).
pratyakṣā ca parokṣā ca vṛttiś cāsya bhavet sadā। evaṃ kṛtvā narendro hi na khedam iha vindati ॥12-57-26॥
Direct and indirect perception, as well as his state, should always be maintained in this way; thus, when the king acts accordingly, he does not experience distress here.
sarvātiśaṅkī nṛpatir yaś ca sarvaharo bhavet। sa kṣipram anṛjur lubdhaḥ svajanenaiva bādhyate ॥12-57-27॥
A king who is suspicious of everyone and seizes everything, quickly becomes crooked and greedy, and is troubled by his own people.
śucis tu pṛthivīpālo loka-citta-grahe rataḥ। na pataty aribhir grastaḥ patitaś cāvatiṣṭhate ॥12-57-28॥
But a pure king, who is intent on winning the hearts of his people, does not fall even when beset by enemies; even if he falls, he stands firm.
akrodhano'thāvyasanī mṛdudaṇḍo jitendriyaḥ। rājā bhavati bhūtānāṃ viśvāsyo himavāniva॥12-57-29॥
A king who is not angry, free from vices, gentle in punishment, and has conquered his senses becomes as trustworthy to his subjects as the Himalaya.
prājño nyāyaguṇopetaḥ pararandhreṣu tatparaḥ। sudarśaḥ sarvavarṇānāṃ nayāpanayavittathā ॥12-57-30॥
A wise person endowed with the virtue of justice, who is intent on finding the faults of others, is discerning and knows both the policy and removal concerning all classes, likewise.
kṣiprakārī jitakrodhaḥ suprasādo mahāmanāḥ। arogaprakṛtir yuktaḥ kriyāvān avikatthanaḥ ॥12-57-31॥
He acts swiftly, has mastered his anger, is gracious, great-minded, healthy by nature, self-controlled, active, and never boastful.
ārabdhānyeva kāryāṇi na paryavasitāni ca। yasya rājñaḥ pradṛśyante sa rājā rājasattamaḥ ॥12-57-32॥
He is the best among kings in whose case only the tasks that have been started but not completed are seen.
putrā iva piturgehe viṣaye yasya mānavāḥ। nirbhayā vicariṣyanti sa rājā rājasattamaḥ ॥12-57-33॥
He is the best among kings, that king in whose domain men move about fearlessly like sons in the house of their father.
agūḍhavibhavā yasya paurā rāṣṭranivāsinaḥ। nayāpanayavettāraḥ sa rājā rājasattamaḥ ॥12-57-34॥
He is called the best among kings whose wealth is open, whose citizens and subjects are knowledgeable in right and wrong conduct.
svakarmaniratā yasya janā viṣayavāsinaḥ। asaṅghātaratā dāntāḥ pālyamānā yathāvidhi ॥12-57-35॥
Whose people, engaged in their own duties and residing in the territory, are self-controlled, not prone to quarrels, and are protected according to proper rules.
vaśyā neyā vinītāś ca na ca saṅgharṣaśīlinaḥ। viṣaye dānarucayo narā yasya sa pārthivaḥ॥12-57-36॥
He is a king whose men are submissive, easily guided, humble, not prone to conflict, and fond of giving in their affairs.
na yasya kūṭakapaṭaṃ na māyā na ca matsaraḥ। viṣaye bhūmipālasya tasya dharmaḥ sanātanaḥ ॥12-57-37॥
The king whose domain is free from deceit, illusion, and envy, his dharma is eternal.
yaḥ satkaroti jñānāni neyaḥ paurahite rataḥ। satāṃ dharmānugastyāgī sa rājā rājyamarhati॥12-57-38॥
He who honours knowledge, is devoted to the welfare of the people, follows the dharma of the virtuous, and is selfless—such a king deserves to rule the kingdom.
yasya cāraś ca mantraś ca nityaṃ caiva kṛtākṛte। na jñāyate hi ripubhiḥ sa rājā rājyam arhati ॥12-57-39॥
A king whose spies and counselors are always vigilant in both accomplished and unaccomplished matters, and whose actions are not known by enemies, he alone deserves to rule the kingdom.
ślokaś cāyaṃ purā gīto bhārgaveṇa mahātmanā। ākhyāte rāmacarite nṛpatiṃ prati bhārata ॥12-57-40॥
O Bhārata, this verse too was once sung by the great-souled Bhārgava and narrated in the story of Rāma to the king.
rājānaṃ prathamaṃ vindettato bhāryāṃ tato dhanam। rājanyasati lokasya kuto bhāryā kuto dhanam ॥12-57-41॥
First, one should secure the king, then a wife, and then wealth. If there is no king for the people, how can there be a wife or wealth?
tad rājan rājasiṃhānāṃ nānyo dharmaḥ sanātanaḥ। ṛte rakṣāṃ suvispaṣṭāṃ rakṣā lokasya dhāraṇam ॥12-57-42॥
O king, for rulers, there is no eternal duty other than the clear and manifest protection and support of the world.
prācetasena manunā ślokau cemāvudāhṛtau। rājadharmeṣu rājendra tāvihaikamanāḥ śṛṇu ॥12-57-43॥
O king of kings, these two verses, cited by Manu, the son of Pracetas, concerning the duties of kings, listen to them here with full attention.
ṣaḍ etān puruṣaḥ jahyāt bhinnāṃ nāvam iva arṇave। apravaktāram ācāryam anadhīyānam ṛtvijam॥12-57-44॥
A person should give up these six, just as one would abandon a broken boat in the ocean: a teacher who does not instruct, and a priest who does not study.
arakṣitāraṃ rājānaṃ bhāryāṃ cāpriyavādinīm। grāmakāmaṃ ca gopālaṃ vanakāmaṃ ca nāpitam ॥12-57-45॥
Do not trust a king who does not protect, a wife who speaks unpleasantly, a cowherd who desires the village, or a barber who desires the forest.
