12.065
Library: Continued conversation between King Madhata and Indra, elaborating on the governance of thieves and others who deviate from the path.
indra uvāca॥
Indra said:
evaṃvīryaḥ sarvadharmopapannaḥ; kṣātraḥ śreṣṭhaḥ sarvadharmeṣu dharmaḥ. pālyo yuṣmābhirlokasiṃhairudāraiḥ; viparyaye syādabhāvaḥ prajānām ॥12-65-1॥
Thus, strength endowed with all virtues; the kṣatriya's righteousness is the highest among all virtues. You, noble lions among men, must protect the people; otherwise, the people would cease to exist.
bhuvaḥ saṃskāraṃ rājasaṃskārayoga; mabhaikṣacaryāṃ pālanaṃ ca prajānām। vidyādrājā sarvabhūtānukampāṃ; dehatyāgaṃ cāhave dharmamagryam ॥12-65-2॥
The king should understand that the refinement of the earth is achieved through royal consecration, not by mendicancy, and that protecting the subjects is his duty. He should know that compassion for all beings and sacrificing his body in battle constitute the highest dharma.
tyāgaṃ śreṣṭhaṃ munayo vai vadanti; sarvaśreṣṭho yaḥ śarīraṃ tyajet. nityaṃ tyaktaṃ rājadharmeṣu sarvaṃ; pratyakṣaṃ te bhūmipālāḥ sadaite ॥12-65-3॥
The sages indeed say that renunciation is the best; the one who abandons the body is the most excellent. In royal duties, everything is always abandoned; this is evident to you, O kings, always.
bahuśrutyā guruśuśrūṣayā vā; parasya vā saṃhananād vadanti. nityaṃ dharmaṃ kṣatriyo brahmacārī; cared eko hy āśramaṃ dharmakāmaḥ ॥12-65-4॥
It is said that knowledge is gained by extensive study, by serving the teacher, or by association with others. A Kṣatriya or a celibate student, always desiring righteousness, should practice his stage of life alone.
sāmānyārthe vyavahāre pravṛtte; priyāpriye varjayanneva yatnāt. cāturvarṇyasthāpanātpālanācca; taistairyogairniyamairaurasaiśca ॥12-65-5॥
When acting in general conduct, one should diligently avoid both the pleasant and the unpleasant; and through the establishment and protection of the four varṇas, as well as by various unions, rules, and natural means.
sarvodyogair āśramaṃ dharmam āhuḥ; kṣātraṃ jyeṣṭhaṃ sarvadharmopapannam। svaṃ svaṃ dharmaṃ ye na caranti varṇā; tāṃs tān dharmān ayathāvad vadanti ॥12-65-6॥
It is said that the āśrama is duty by all efforts; the kṣātra (warrior's) is considered the highest, endowed with all duties. Those classes who do not perform their own respective duties, those duties are not properly declared for them.
nirmaryāde nityamarthe vinaṣṭā; nāhustānvai paśubhūtānmanuṣyān। yathā nītiṃ gamayatyarthalobhā; chchreyāṃstasmādāśramaḥ kṣatradharmaḥ ॥12-65-7॥
Humans who are always intent on wealth without boundaries are said to be destroyed and become like animals. Just as greed for wealth leads conduct, therefore the āśrama and the kṣatriya's duty are better.
traividyānāṃ yā gatirbrāhmaṇānāṃ; yaścaivokto'thāśramo brāhmaṇānām. etatkarma brāhmaṇasyāhuragrya; manyatkurvañśūdravacchastravadhyaḥ ॥12-65-8॥
The state attained by those who know the three Vedas, and the prescribed stage of life for Brāhmaṇas—this is considered the highest duty for a Brāhmaṇa. But if one acts like a Śūdra in this regard, he is deemed worthy of capital punishment.
cāturāśramyadharmāś ca vedadharmāś ca pārthiva। brāhmaṇenānugantavyā nānyo vidyāt kathaṃcana ॥12-65-9॥
O king, the duties of the four āśramas and those prescribed by the Vedas are to be followed by a brāhmaṇa; no one else should ever observe them.
anyathā vartamānasya na sā vṛttiḥ prakalpyate। karmaṇā vyajyate dharmo yathaiva śvā tathaiva saḥ ॥12-65-10॥
Otherwise, the present conduct is not regarded as such. Dharma is revealed by action; just as a dog is known by its actions, so is he.
yo vikarmasthito vipro na sa sanmānamarhati। karmasvanupayuñjānamaviśvāsyaṃ hi taṃ viduḥ ॥12-65-11॥
A brāhmaṇa who engages in improper actions does not deserve honor; one who does not properly perform his duties is indeed considered untrustworthy.
ete dharmāḥ sarvavarṇāś ca vīraiḥ utkraṣṭavyāḥ kṣatriyaiḥ eṣa dharmaḥ। tasmāt jyeṣṭhā rājadharmā na ca anye; vīryajyeṣṭhā vīradharmā matā me ॥12-65-12॥
These duties of all classes are to be excelled by heroes; this is the duty to be excelled by kṣatriyas. Therefore, royal duties are the foremost, not others; I consider heroic duties as the foremost by valor.
māndhātovāca॥
Māndhāta said:
yavanāḥ kirātā gāndhārāś cīnāḥ śabara-barbarāḥ। śakās tuṣārāḥ kahvāś ca pahlavāś cāndhramadrakāḥ ॥12-65-13॥
The Greeks, Kirātas, Gandhāras, Chinese, Śabaras, Barbaras, Śakas, Tuṣāras, Kahvas, Pahlavas, and Āndhramadrakas (Andhra and Madraka tribes) are mentioned here as various peoples or tribes.
oḍrāḥ pulindā ramaṭhāḥ kācā mlecchāś ca sarvaśaḥ। brahmakṣatraprasūtāś ca vaiśyāḥ śūdrāś ca mānavāḥ ॥12-65-14॥
The Odras, Pulindas, Ramaṭhas, Kachas, and all Mlecchas; as well as those born from Brahmins and Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, Shudras, and all humans.
kathaṁ dharmaṁ careyus te sarve viṣayavāsinaḥ। madvidhaiś ca kathaṁ sthāpyāḥ sarve te dasyujīvinaḥ॥12-65-15॥
How can all those who dwell in sense-objects practice dharma? And by people like me, how can all those who live like bandits be brought under control?
etadicchāmyahaṃ śrotuṃ bhagavaṃstadbravīhi me। tvaṃ bandhubhūto hyasmākaṃ kṣatriyāṇāṃ sureśvara ॥12-65-16॥
O lord of the gods, I wish to hear this from you. Please tell me, for you have indeed become a kinsman to us kṣatriyas.
indra uvāca॥
Indra said:
mātāpitror hi kartavyā śuśrūṣā sarvadasyubhiḥ। ācāryaguruśuśrūṣā tathaivāśramavāsinām ॥12-65-17॥
All disciples should indeed serve their mother and father; likewise, they should serve their teachers, preceptors, and the dwellers of the hermitage.
bhūmipālānāṃ ca śuśrūṣā kartavyā sarvadasyubhiḥ। vedadharmakriyāścaiva teṣāṃ dharmo vidhīyate ॥12-65-18॥
All bandits must serve the kings; for them, performing Vedic religious duties is prescribed as their righteous conduct.
pitṛyajñās tathā kūpāḥ prapāś ca śayanāni ca। dānāni ca yathākālaṃ dvijeṣu dadyur eva te ॥12-65-19॥
They should indeed perform ancestral rites, construct wells, watering places, beds, and give gifts to the twice-born at the proper time.
ahiṁsā satyam akrodho vṛttidāyānupālanam। bharaṇaṁ putradārāṇāṁ śaucam adroha eva ca ॥12-65-20॥
Non-violence, truthfulness, absence of anger, fulfilling the duties towards the provider of livelihood, supporting one's sons and wives, purity, and complete absence of malice—these indeed are to be observed.
dakṣiṇā sarvayajñānāṃ dātavyā bhūtimicchatā। pākayajñā mahārhāś ca kartavyāḥ sarvadasyubhiḥ ॥12-65-21॥
One who desires prosperity should give offerings for all sacrifices. Cooking-sacrifices, which are very costly, should also be performed by all robbers.
etānyevamprakārāṇi vihitāni purānagha। sarvalokasya karmāṇi kartavyānīha pārthiva ॥12-65-22॥
O king, these various kinds of actions were enjoined in ancient times, O sinless one. Here, the actions of all beings are to be performed.
māndhātovāca॥
Māndhāta said:
dṛśyante mānavā loke sarvavarṇeṣu dasyavaḥ। liṅgāntare vartamānā āśrameṣu caturṣvapi ॥12-65-23॥
Thieves are found among people of all castes in the world; they exist in different forms, even within all four āśramas.
indra uvāca॥
Indra said:
vinaṣṭāyāṃ daṇḍanītau rājadharme nirākṛte। sampramuhyanti bhūtāni rājadaurātmyato nṛpa ॥12-65-24॥
O king, when the policy of punishment is destroyed and the king's duty is neglected, all beings become utterly confused because of the king's wickedness.
asaṅkhyātā bhaviṣyanti bhikṣavo liṅginastathā। āśramāṇāṃ vikalpāśca nivṛtte'smin kṛte yuge ॥12-65-25॥
When the Kṛta age ends, there will be innumerable mendicants and ascetics, and various alternatives to the āśramas will arise.
aśṛṇvānāḥ purāṇānāṃ dharmāṇāṃ pravarā gatīḥ। utpathaṃ pratipatsyante kāma-manyusamīritāḥ ॥12-65-26॥
Those who do not listen to the excellent ways of dharma taught in the ancient texts, driven by desire and anger, will go astray.
yadā nivartyate pāpo daṇḍanītyā mahātmabhiḥ। tadā dharmo na calate sadbhūtaḥ śāśvataḥ paraḥ ॥12-65-27॥
When the great-souled turn away sin through the policy of punishment, then righteousness, which is truly existent, eternal, and supreme, remains unshaken.
paralokaguruṃ caiva rājānaṃ yo'vamanyate। na tasya dattaṃ na hutaṃ na śrāddhaṃ phalati kvacit ॥12-65-28॥
Whoever disrespects the spiritual teacher and the king, none of his offerings, oblations, or śrāddha rituals yield any result anywhere.
mānuṣāṇām-adhipatiṃ deva-bhūtaṃ sanātanam। devāś-ca bahu manyante dharma-kāmaṃ nareśvaram ॥12-65-29॥
The gods highly regard the lord of men, who has become divine and is eternal, as one who desires righteousness.
prajāpatiḥ hi bhagavān yaḥ sarvam asṛjat jagat। sa pravṛtti-nivṛtti-artham dharmāṇām kṣatram icchati ॥12-65-30॥
Indeed, the divine Prajāpati, who created the entire world, established the kṣatriya order for the regulation and cessation of dharmas.
pravṛttasya hi dharmasya buddhyā yaḥ smarate gatim। sa me mānyaś ca pūjyaś ca tatra kṣatraṃ pratiṣṭhitam ॥12-65-31॥
He who, being engaged in dharma, remembers its path with intellect, is to me worthy of honor and worship; there, the kṣatriya order is established.
bhīṣma uvāca॥
Bhīṣma said:
evam-uktvā sa bhagavān marud-gaṇa-vṛtaḥ prabhuḥ। jagāma bhavanaṃ viṣṇoḥ akṣaram paramaṃ padam ॥12-65-32॥
Having thus spoken, the illustrious lord, surrounded by the hosts of Maruts, went to the abode of Viṣṇu, the imperishable and supreme state.
evaṃ pravartite dharme purā sucarite'nagha। kaḥ kṣatramavamanyeta cetanāvān bahuśrutaḥ ॥12-65-33॥
O sinless one, in former times when dharma was thus established and well-practiced, who that is conscious and learned would look down upon the kṣatriya order?
anyāyena pravṛttāni nivṛttāni tathaiva ca। antarā vilayaṃ yānti yathā pathi vicakṣuṣaḥ ॥12-65-34॥
Whatever is begun or ended by unjust means perishes in the interim, just as things on the path of the wise disappear along the way.
ādau pravartite cakre tathaivādiparāyaṇe। vartasva puruṣavyāghra saṃvijānāmi te'nagha ॥12-65-35॥
O tiger among men, in the beginning the wheel was set in motion in the original path; in the same way, you should proceed. O sinless one, I understand your intention.
