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युधिष्ठिर उवाच॥
Yudhiṣṭhira said:
चातुराश्रम्य उक्तोऽत्र चातुर्वर्ण्यस्तथैव च। राष्ट्रस्य यत्कृत्यतमं तन्मे ब्रूहि पितामह ॥१२-६७-१॥
The duties of the four āśramas and the four varṇas have been described here in the same way; O grandsire, tell me what is the most important duty of the kingdom.
भीष्म उवाच॥
Bhīṣma said:
राष्ट्रस्यैतत्कृत्यतमं राज्ञ एवाभिषेचनम्। अनिन्द्रमबलं राष्ट्रं दस्यवोऽभिभवन्ति च ॥१२-६७-२॥
The foremost duty of the kingdom is indeed the anointing of the king. A kingdom without a ruler and powerless is overcome by thieves.
अराजकेषु राष्ट्रेषु धर्मो न व्यवतिष्ठते। परस्परं च खादन्ति सर्वथा धिगराजकम् ॥१२-६७-३॥
Where there is no ruler in a country, righteousness does not prevail. People devour one another in every way; truly, the absence of a ruler is to be condemned.
इन्द्रमेनं प्रवृणुते यद्राजानमिति श्रुतिः। यथैवेन्द्रस्तथा राजा सम्पूज्यो भूतिमिच्छता ॥१२-६७-४॥
The scripture says, "Indra chooses him whom he makes king." Therefore, just as Indra is, so too should a king be worshipped by one who desires prosperity.
नाराजकेषु राष्ट्रेषु वस्तव्यमिति वैदिकम्। नाराजकेषु राष्ट्रेषु हव्यमग्निर्वहत्यपि ॥१२-६७-५॥
The Vedic teaching is that one should reside in countries without a king. Even in such countries, fire carries the offering.
अथ चेदभिवर्तेत राज्यार्थी बलवत्तरः। अराजकानि राष्ट्राणि हतराजानि वा पुनः ॥१२-६७-६॥
If a stronger claimant to the throne prevails, he may take over kingdoms that are without rulers or whose kings have been slain.
प्रत्युद्गम्याभिपूज्यः स्यादेतदत्र सुमन्त्रितम्। न हि पापात्पापतरमस्ति किञ्चिदराजकात् ॥१२-६७-७॥
One who is met and honored should be well-advised in this matter. Truly, there is nothing more wicked than a king who is evil.
स चेत्समनुपश्येत समग्रं कुशलं भवेत्। बलवान्हि प्रकुपितः कुर्यान्निःशेषतामपि ॥१२-६७-८॥
If he should fully consider the entire welfare, it would be good. For a strong person, when enraged, might even bring about total destruction.
भूयांसं लभते क्लेशं या गौर्भवति दुर्दुहा। सुदुहा या तु भवति नैव तां क्लेशयन्त्युत ॥१२-६७-९॥
One who has a cow that is hard to milk suffers greater trouble. But if the cow is easy to milk, they do not trouble her at all, indeed.
यदतप्तं प्रणमति न तत्सन्तापयन्त्युत। यच्च स्वयं नतं दारु न तत्संनामयन्त्यपि ॥१२-६७-१०॥
That which does not bend when not heated, they do not heat it. And wood which is already bent by itself, they do not bend it further.
एतयोपमया धीरः संनमेत बलीयसे। इन्द्राय स प्रणमते नमते यो बलीयसे ॥१२-६७-११॥
By this comparison, the wise should bow to the stronger. He bows to Indra, he bows to whoever is stronger.
तस्माद्राजैव कर्तव्यः सततं भूतिमिच्छता। न धनार्थो न दारार्थस्तेषां येषामराजकम् ॥१२-६७-१२॥
Therefore, one who desires prosperity should always establish a king; for those without a king, neither wealth nor wife is secure.
प्रीयते हि हरन्पापः परवित्तमराजके। यदास्य उद्धरन्त्यन्ये तदा राजानमिच्छति ॥१२-६७-१३॥
A sinner who steals another's wealth is happy when there is no king. But when others seize him, then he wishes for the king.
पापा अपि तदा क्षेमं न लभन्ते कदाचन। एकस्य हि द्वौ हरतो द्वयोश्च बहवोऽपरे ॥१२-६७-१४॥
Even evil ones do not ever attain well-being. Of one, indeed, two take away, and of two, many others.
अदासः क्रियते दासो ह्रियन्ते च बलात्स्त्रियः। एतस्मात्कारणाद्देवाः प्रजापालान्प्रचक्रिरे ॥१२-६७-१५॥
When a free man is made a slave and women are abducted by force, for this reason the gods appointed protectors of beings.
राजा चेन्न भवेल्लोके पृथिव्यां दण्डधारकः। शूले मत्स्यानिवापक्ष्यन्दुर्बलान्बलवत्तराः ॥१२-६७-१६॥
If there were no king, no upholder of law in the world, the strong would devour the weak, just as bigger fish eat the smaller ones.
अराजकाः प्रजाः पूर्वं विनेशुरिति नः श्रुतम्। परस्परं भक्षयन्तो मत्स्या इव जले कृशान् ॥१२-६७-१७॥
We have heard that in former times, subjects without rulers perished; like fishes in water, the weak were eaten by the stronger.
ताः समेत्य ततश्चक्रुः समयानिति नः श्रुतम्। वाक्क्रूरो दण्डपुरुषो यश्च स्यात्पारदारिकः ॥ यश्च न स्वमथादद्यात्त्याज्या नस्तादृशा इति ॥१२-६७-१८॥
Those women, having gathered, made agreements—so we have heard. A person who is harsh in speech, who punishes, who is an adulterer, or who does not take his own share—such people are to be abandoned by us—thus it is said:
विश्वासनार्थं वर्णानां सर्वेषामविशेषतः। तास्तथा समयं कृत्वा समये नावतस्थिरे ॥१२-६७-१९॥
For the sake of trust among all classes without distinction, they made an agreement, but at the appointed time, they did not keep to it.
सहितास्तास्तदा जग्मुरसुखार्ताः पितामहम्। अनीश्वरा विनश्यामो भगवन्नीश्वरं दिश ॥१२-६७-२०॥
Together, those women then went to the grandsire, distressed by unhappiness. Powerless, we are perishing. O Lord, show us the Lord.
यं पूजयेम सम्भूय यश्च नः परिपालयेत्। ताभ्यो मनुं व्यादिदेश मनुर्नाभिननन्द ताः ॥१२-६७-२१॥
After assembling, those whom we should worship and who should protect us—Manu instructed them, but Manu did not welcome them.
मनुरुवाच॥
Manu said:
बिभेमि कर्मणः क्रूराद्राज्यं हि भृशदुष्करम्। विशेषतो मनुष्येषु मिथ्यावृत्तिषु नित्यदा ॥१२-६७-२२॥
I am afraid of the actions of a cruel kingdom, for they are very difficult to bear; especially always among men of false conduct.
भीष्म उवाच॥
Bhīṣma said:
तमब्रुवन्प्रजा मा भैः कर्मणैनो गमिष्यति। पशूनामधिपञ्चाशद्धिरण्यस्य तथैव च ॥ धान्यस्य दशमं भागं दास्यामः कोशवर्धनम् ॥१२-६७-२३॥
The subjects said to him: "Do not be afraid; the sin will be removed by action." The lord of cattle will take his share, likewise of gold; of grain, we will give a tenth part for the increase of the treasury.
मुख्येन शस्त्रपत्रेण ये मनुष्याः प्रधानतः। भवन्तं तेऽनुयास्यन्ति महेन्द्रमिव देवताः ॥१२-६७-२४॥
Those men, led by the chief weapon, will primarily follow you, just as the gods follow Mahendra (Indra).
स त्वं जातबलो राजन्दुष्प्रधर्षः प्रतापवान्। सुखे धास्यसि नः सर्वान्कुबेर इव नैरृतान् ॥१२-६७-२५॥
O king, you, whose strength is innate, unconquerable and glorious, will keep all of us in happiness, just as Kubera keeps the beings of Nairṛta.
यं च धर्मं चरिष्यन्ति प्रजा राज्ञा सुरक्षिताः। चतुर्थं तस्य धर्मस्य त्वत्संस्थं नो भविष्यति ॥१२-६७-२६॥
Whatever duty the subjects protected by the king practice, a fourth part of that duty established by you will accrue to us.
तेन धर्मेण महता सुखलब्धेन भावितः। पाह्यस्मान्सर्वतो राजन्देवानिव शतक्रतुः ॥१२-६७-२७॥
O king, being nourished by that great dharma and the happiness obtained from it, protect us from all sides like Indra protects the gods.
विजयायाशु निर्याहि प्रतपन्रश्मिमानिव। मानं विधम शत्रूणां धर्मो जयतु नः सदा ॥१२-६७-२८॥
Go forth swiftly for victory like the sun with scorching rays; destroy the pride of the enemies; may our dharma always prevail.
स निर्ययौ महातेजा बलेन महता वृतः। महाभिजनसम्पन्नस्तेजसा प्रज्वलन्निव ॥१२-६७-२९॥
He, endowed with great brilliance and noble lineage, departed surrounded by mighty strength, blazing with splendor as if aflame.
तस्य तां महिमां दृष्ट्वा महेन्द्रस्येव देवताः। अपतत्रसिरे सर्वे स्वधर्मे च दधुर्मनः ॥१२-६७-३०॥
When the gods saw that greatness of his, just as they would with Mahendra, they all became afraid and fixed their minds on their own duties.
ततो महीं परिययौ पर्जन्य इव वृष्टिमान्। शमयन्सर्वतः पापान्स्वकर्मसु च योजयन् ॥१२-६७-३१॥
Then he moved about the earth like a rain-filled cloud, dispelling sins everywhere and engaging people in their own duties.
एवं ये भूतिमिच्छेयुः पृथिव्यां मानवाः क्वचित्। कुर्यू राजानमेवाग्रे प्रजानुग्रहकारणात् ॥१२-६७-३२॥
Therefore, whoever among humans on earth desires prosperity at any time should appoint the king alone at the forefront for the sake of the people's welfare.
नमस्येयुश्च तं भक्त्या शिष्या इव गुरुं सदा। देवा इव सहस्राक्षं प्रजा राजानमन्तिके ॥१२-६७-३३॥
And they would always bow to him with devotion, just as disciples do to a teacher, and as the gods do to the thousand-eyed Indra; so too did the subjects in the presence of the king.
सत्कृतं स्वजनेनेह परोऽपि बहु मन्यते। स्वजनेन त्ववज्ञातं परे परिभवन्त्युत ॥१२-६७-३४॥
If someone is respected by their own people here, even outsiders value them highly. But if disregarded by their own, others certainly insult them.
राज्ञः परैः परिभवः सर्वेषामसुखावहः। तस्माच्छत्रं च पत्रं च वासांस्याभरणानि च ॥१२-६७-३५॥
When a king is insulted by others, it brings unhappiness to everyone; therefore, the umbrella, fan, garments, and ornaments should be provided.
भोजनान्यथ पानानि राज्ञे दद्युर्गृहाणि च। आसनानि च शय्याश्च सर्वोपकरणानि च ॥१२-६७-३६॥
They should provide the king with food, drinks, houses, seats, beds, and all necessary implements.
गुप्तात्मा स्याद्दुराधर्षः स्मितपूर्वाभिभाषिता। आभाषितश्च मधुरं प्रतिभाषेत मानवान् ॥१२-६७-३७॥
A person should guard his inner self, be difficult to overcome, speak with a smile, and when addressed, respond sweetly to others.
कृतज्ञो दृढभक्तिः स्यात्संविभागी जितेन्द्रियः। ईक्षितः प्रतिवीक्षेत मृदु चर्जु च वल्गु च ॥१२-६७-३८॥
He should be grateful, steadfast in devotion, generous, self-controlled; when someone looks at him, he should return the gaze; he should be gentle, honest, and charming.
