12.058
Pancharatra: Bhishma concludes the day's teaching by saying: break the enemy's side by both crooked and straight means; delighting the armies, constantly supervising the people, being tireless in duties, and likewise increasing the treasury - are essential; a kingdom is a vast and complex system, hard to sustain for those lacking self-mastery.
bhīṣma uvāca॥
Bhīṣma said.
etat te rājadharmāṇāṃ navanītaṃ yudhiṣṭhira। bṛhaspatir hi bhagavān nānyaṃ dharmaṃ praśaṃsati ॥12-58-1॥
O Yudhishthira, this is the essence of kingly duties for you; for Bṛhaspati, the revered one, indeed praises no other duty.
viśālākṣaś ca bhagavān kāvyaś caiva mahātapāḥ। sahasrākṣo mahendraś ca tathā prācetaso manuḥ॥12-58-2॥
Viśālākṣa, the venerable one, Kāvya (Śukra), the great ascetic, Sahasrākṣa (Indra), Mahendra, and also Manu, the son of Pracetas, were present.
bharadvājaś ca bhagavāṃs tathā gauraśirā muniḥ। rājaśāstrapraṇetāro brahmaṇyā brahmavādinaḥ ॥12-58-3॥
Bharadvāja and the venerable Gaurashira, both sages, were authors of treatises on polity, devoted to Brahman and expounders of Brahman.
rakṣāmeva praśaṁsanti dharmaṁ dharmabhṛtāṁ vara। rājñāṁ rājīvatāmrākṣa sādhanaṁ cātra vai śṛṇu ॥12-58-4॥
O lotus-copper-eyed, best of the upholders of dharma, protection and righteousness are praised as the means for kings; now listen here.
cāraś ca praṇidhiś caiva kāle dānam amatsaraḥ। yuktyā dānaṃ na ca ādānam ayogena yudhiṣṭhira ॥12-58-5॥
O Yudhishthira, a spy and an agent at the right time, giving gifts, absence of envy; giving with reason, and not taking improperly—these are to be practiced.
satāṃ saṅgrahaṇaṃ śauryaṃ dākṣyaṃ satyaṃ prajahitam। anārjavair ārjavaiś ca śatrupakṣasya bhedanam ॥12-58-6॥
Gathering the virtuous, valor, dexterity, truth, and the welfare of the people; breaking the enemy's side by both crooked and straight means.
sādhūnām aparityāgaḥ kulīnānāṃ ca dhāraṇam। nicayaś ca niceyānāṃ sevā buddhimatām api ॥12-58-7॥
Never abandon the virtuous, support the noble, accumulate and serve even the lowly, and also the wise.
balānāṃ harṣaṇaṃ nityaṃ prajānāmanvavekṣaṇam। kāryeṣvakhedaḥ kośasya tathaiva ca vivardhanam ॥12-58-8॥
Always delighting the armies, constantly supervising the people, being tireless in duties, and likewise increasing the treasury—these are essential.
puraguptirviśvāsaḥ paurasaṅghātabhedanam। ketanānāṃ ca jīrṇānāmavekṣā caiva sīdatām ॥12-58-9॥
Protection of the city, trust, breaking up of citizen assemblies, inspection of banners and of those that are worn out, and indeed care for those who are declining.
dvividhasya ca daṇḍasya prayogaḥ kālacoditaḥ। arimadhyasthamitrāṇāṃ yathāvaccānvavekṣaṇam ॥12-58-10॥
The application of the two kinds of punishment should be determined according to the time; likewise, the investigation of enemies, neutrals, and friends should be conducted as appropriate.
upajāpaś ca bhṛtyānām ātmanaḥ paradarśanāt। aviśvāsaḥ svayaṃ caiva parasyāśvāsanaṃ tathā ॥12-58-11॥
Secret instigation among one's servants by revealing oneself to others, distrust in oneself, and likewise, giving reassurance to another.
nītidharmānusaraṇaṃ nityamutthānameva ca। ripūṇāmanavajñānaṃ nityaṃ cānāryavarjanam ॥12-58-12॥
Always follow conduct and righteousness, be ever diligent, never disregard enemies, and always avoid the ignoble.
utthānaṃ hi narendrāṇāṃ bṛhaspatir abhāṣata। rājad harmasya yan mūlaṃ ślokāṃś cātra nibodha me ॥12-58-13॥
Bṛhaspati spoke thus: "The effort of kings is paramount; listen to the verses here, which are the foundation of royal duty, as I explain them to you."
utthānenāmṛtaṃ labdhamutthānenāsurā hatāḥ। utthānena mahendreṇa śraiṣṭhyaṃ prāptaṃ divīha ca ॥12-58-14॥
Through effort, the nectar of immortality was gained; through effort, the demons were destroyed; through effort, Mahendra (Indra) attained supremacy both in heaven and on earth.
utthānadhīraḥ puruṣo vāgdhīrānadhitiṣṭhati। utthānadhīraṃ vāgdhīrā ramayanta upāsate ॥12-58-15॥
A man who is steadfast in effort commands those who are wise in speech. The wise in speech delight in and honor the one who is resolute in effort.
utthānahīno rājā hi buddhimān api nityaśaḥ। dharṣaṇīyo ripūṇāṃ syād bhujaṅga iva nirviṣaḥ॥12-58-16॥
Even an intelligent king who lacks initiative is always liable to be oppressed by his enemies, just as a serpent without poison is vulnerable.
na ca śatruravajñeyo durbalo'pi balīyasā। alpo'pi hi dahatyagnirviṣamalpaṃ hinasti ca ॥12-58-17॥
One should never disregard an enemy, even if he is weak, when one is strong. For even a small fire can burn, and a little poison can destroy.
ekāśvenāpi sambhūtaḥ śatrur durgasamāśritaḥ। taṃ taṃ tāpayate deśam api rājñaḥ samṛddhinaḥ॥12-58-18॥
Even a single enemy, if he arises with just one horse and takes refuge in a fortress, can trouble any country, even one that is prosperous and ruled by a king.
rājño rahasyaṃ yadvākyaṃ jayārthaṃ lokasaṅgrahaḥ। hṛdi yaccāsya jihmaṃ syātkāraṇārthaṃ ca yadbhavet ॥12-58-19॥
The king's secret words, whether for victory, for the welfare of the people, or whatever may be hidden in his heart or spoken for a particular reason, should be understood accordingly.
yaccāsya kāryaṃ vṛjinamārjavenaiva dhāryate। dambhanārthāya lokasya dharmiṣṭhām ācaret kriyām॥12-58-20॥
Whatever action of his that is sinful is borne only with honesty. For the sake of impressing people, one should perform the most righteous act.
rājyaṃ hi sumahattantraṃ durdhāryamakṛtātmabhiḥ। na śakyaṃ mṛdunā voḍhumāghātasthānamuttamam ॥12-58-21॥
Indeed, a kingdom is a vast and complex system, hard to sustain for those lacking self-mastery; the highest position, which is subject to many challenges, cannot be borne by the weak.
rājyaṃ sarvāmiṣaṃ nityam ārjavena iha dhāryate। tasmān miśreṇa satataṃ vartitavyaṃ yudhiṣṭhira ॥12-58-22॥
O Yudhishthira, a kingdom and all its desires are always sustained here by honesty. Therefore, one should always act with a mixture (of qualities or means).
yadyapy asya vipattiḥ syād rakṣamāṇasya vai prajāḥ। so'py asya vipulo dharma evaṁvṛttā hi bhūmipāḥ॥12-58-23॥
Even if a protector's subjects face calamity, his righteousness is still great; for kings of such conduct, this is indeed the case.
eṣa te rājadharmāṇāṃ leśaḥ samanuvarṇitaḥ। bhūyas te yatra saṃdehas tad brūhi vadatāṃ vara ॥12-58-24॥
This is a portion of the royal duties described to you. If you have any further doubt, tell me, O best of speakers.
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaiśampāyana said.
tato vyāsaś ca bhagavān devasthāno'śmanā saha। vāsudevaḥ kṛpaś caiva sātyakiḥ sañjayas tathā ॥12-58-25॥
Then Vyāsa, the venerable Devasthāna with Aśman, Vāsudeva, Kṛpa, Sātyaki, and Sañjaya were also present.
sādhu sādhviti saṁhṛṣṭāḥ puṣyamāṇairivānanaiḥ। astuvaṁste naravyāghraṁ bhīṣmaṁ dharmabhṛtāṁ varam ॥12-58-26॥
Delighted, their faces shining as if prospering, they exclaimed "Well done, well done!" and praised Bhishma, the tiger among men, the foremost among the upholders of dharma.
tato dīnamanā bhīṣmam uvāca kurusattamaḥ। netrābhyām aśrupūrṇābhyāṃ pādau tasya śanaiḥ spṛśan ॥12-58-27॥
Then, with a sorrowful heart, the foremost of the Kurus spoke to Bhishma, his eyes brimming with tears, as he gently touched his feet.
śva idānīṃ svasandehaṃ prakṣyāmi tvaṃ pitāmaha। upaiti savitāpy astaṃ rasam āpīya pārthivam ॥12-58-28॥
O grandsire, tomorrow I will ask you my own doubt. Now the Sun also approaches its setting, having drunk the essence of the earth.
tato dvijātīn abhivādya keśavaḥ; kṛpaś ca te caiva yudhiṣṭhirādayaḥ. pradakṣiṇīkṛtya mahānadīsutaṃ; tato rathān āruhur mudā yutāḥ ॥12-58-29॥
Then, after saluting the twice-born, Keśava, Kṛpa, and Yudhiṣṭhira and the others, circumambulated the son of the great river and then, filled with joy, ascended their chariots.
dṛṣadvatīṃ cāpyavagāhya suvratāḥ; kṛtodakāryāḥ kṛtajapyamaṅgalāḥ। upāsya sandhyāṃ vidhivatparantapā; tataḥ puraṃ te viviśurgajāhvayam ॥12-58-30॥
The well-vowed ones, having bathed in the Dṛṣadvatī, performed the water-rites and completed auspicious mutterings. Having duly worshipped the twilight, those scorcher of foes then entered the city of Gajāhvaya (Hastināpura).
