12.067
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca॥
Yudhiṣṭhira said:
cāturāśramya ukto'tra cāturvarṇyas tathaiva ca। rāṣṭrasya yat kṛtyatamaṃ tan me brūhi pitāmaha ॥12-67-1॥
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.
bhīṣma uvāca॥
Bhīṣma said:
rāṣṭrasyaitatkṛtyatamaṃ rājña evābhiṣecanam। anindramabalaṃ rāṣṭraṃ dasyavo'bhibhavanti ca ॥12-67-2॥
The foremost duty of the kingdom is indeed the anointing of the king. A kingdom without a ruler and powerless is overcome by thieves.
arājakeṣu rāṣṭreṣu dharmo na vyavatiṣṭhate। parasparaṃ ca khādanti sarvathā dhigarājakam ॥12-67-3॥
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.
indram enaṃ pravṛṇute yad rājānam iti śrutiḥ। yathaiva indraḥ tathā rājā sampūjyaḥ bhūtim icchatā ॥12-67-4॥
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.
nārājakeṣu rāṣṭreṣu vastavyam iti vaidikam। nārājakṣu rāṣṭreṣu havyam agniḥ vahati api ॥12-67-5॥
The Vedic teaching is that one should reside in countries without a king. Even in such countries, fire carries the offering.
atha ced abhivarteta rājyārthī balavattaraḥ। arājakāni rāṣṭrāṇi hatarājāni vā punaḥ ॥12-67-6॥
If a stronger claimant to the throne prevails, he may take over kingdoms that are without rulers or whose kings have been slain.
pratyudgamyābhipūjyaḥ syādetadatra sumantritam। na hi pāpātpāpataramasti kiñcidrājakāt ॥12-67-7॥
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.
sa cet sam-anupaśyet samagraṃ kuśalaṃ bhavet। balavān hi prakupitaḥ kuryān niḥśeṣatām api ॥12-67-8॥
If he should fully consider the entire welfare, it would be good. For a strong person, when enraged, might even bring about total destruction.
bhūyāṁsaṁ labhate kleśaṁ yā gaurbhavati durduhā। suduhā yā tu bhavati naiva tāṁ kleśayantyuta ॥12-67-9॥
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.
yadataptaṃ praṇamati na tatsantāpayantyuta। yacca svayaṃ nataṃ dāru na tatsaṃnāmayantyapi ॥12-67-10॥
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.
etayopamayā dhīraḥ saṁnameta balīyase। indrāya sa praṇamate namate yo balīyase ॥12-67-11॥
By this comparison, the wise should bow to the stronger. He bows to Indra, he bows to whoever is stronger.
tasmādrājaiva kartavyaḥ satataṃ bhūtimicchatā। na dhanārtho na dārārthasteṣāṃ yeṣāmarājakam ॥12-67-12॥
Therefore, one who desires prosperity should always establish a king; for those without a king, neither wealth nor wife is secure.
prīyate hi haran pāpaḥ paravittam arājake। yadā asya uddharanti anye tadā rājānam icchati ॥12-67-13॥
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.
pāpā api tadā kṣemaṃ na labhante kadācana। ekasya hi dvau harato dvayośca bahavo'pare ॥12-67-14॥
Even evil ones do not ever attain well-being. Of one, indeed, two take away, and of two, many others.
adāsaḥ kriyate dāso hriyante ca balātstriyaḥ। etasmātkāraṇāddevāḥ prajāpālānpṛcakrire ॥12-67-15॥
When a free man is made a slave and women are abducted by force, for this reason the gods appointed protectors of beings.
rājā cen na bhavel loke pṛthivyāṃ daṇḍadhārakaḥ। śūle matsyān ivāpakṣyan durbalān balavattarāḥ ॥12-67-16॥
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.
arājakāḥ prajāḥ pūrvaṃ vineśur iti naḥ śrutam। parasparaṃ bhakṣayanto matsyā iva jale kṛśān॥12-67-17॥
We have heard that in former times, subjects without rulers perished; like fishes in water, the weak were eaten by the stronger.
tāḥ sametya tataś cakruḥ samayān iti naḥ śrutam। vākkrūro daṇḍapuruṣo yaś ca syāt pārādārikaḥ॥ yaś ca na svam athādadyāt tyājyā nas tādṛśā iti॥12-67-18॥
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:
viśvāsanārthaṃ varṇānāṃ sarveṣām aviśeṣataḥ। tās tathā samayaṃ kṛtvā samaye nāvatasthire ॥12-67-19॥
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.
sahitās tās tadā jagmur asukhārtāḥ pitāmaham। anīśvarā vinaśyāmo bhagavan nīśvaraṃ diśa ॥12-67-20॥
Together, those women then went to the grandsire, distressed by unhappiness. Powerless, we are perishing. O Lord, show us the Lord.
yaṃ pūjayema sambhūya yaś ca naḥ paripālayet। tābhyo manuṃ vyādideśa manur nābhinananda tāḥ ॥12-67-21॥
After assembling, those whom we should worship and who should protect us—Manu instructed them, but Manu did not welcome them.
manuruvāca॥
Manu said:
bibhemi karmaṇaḥ krūrādrājyaṃ hi bhṛśaduṣkaram। viśeṣato manuṣyeṣu mithyāvṛttiṣu nityadā ॥12-67-22॥
I am afraid of the actions of a cruel kingdom, for they are very difficult to bear; especially always among men of false conduct.
bhīṣma uvāca॥
Bhīṣma said:
tam abruvan prajā mā bhaiḥ karmaṇā enaḥ gamiṣyati। paśūnām adhipaṃ cāśad dhiraṇyasya tathaiva ca ॥ dhānyasya daśamaṃ bhāgaṃ dāsyāmaḥ kośavardhanam ॥12-67-23॥
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.
mukhyena śastrapatreṇa ye manuṣyāḥ pradhānataḥ। bhavantaṃ te'nu yāsyanti mahendram iva devatāḥ ॥12-67-24॥
Those men, led by the chief weapon, will primarily follow you, just as the gods follow Mahendra (Indra).
sa tvaṃ jātabalo rājan duṣpradharṣaḥ pratāpavān। sukhe dhāsyasi naḥ sarvān kubera iva nairṛtān ॥12-67-25॥
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.
yaṃ ca dharmaṃ cariṣyanti prajā rājñā surakṣitāḥ। caturthaṃ tasya dharmasya tvatsaṃsthaṃ no bhaviṣyati ॥12-67-26॥
Whatever duty the subjects protected by the king practice, a fourth part of that duty established by you will accrue to us.
tena dharmeṇa mahatā sukhalabdhena bhāvitaḥ। pāhyasmānsarvato rājan devāniva śatakratuḥ॥12-67-27॥
O king, being nourished by that great dharma and the happiness obtained from it, protect us from all sides like Indra protects the gods.
vijayāyāśu niryāhi pratapanraśmimāniva। mānaṃ vidhama śatrūṇāṃ dharmo jayatu naḥ sadā ॥12-67-28॥
Go forth swiftly for victory like the sun with scorching rays; destroy the pride of the enemies; may our dharma always prevail.
sa niryyayau mahātejā balena mahatā vṛtaḥ। mahābhijanasampannastejasā prajvalanniva ॥12-67-29॥
He, endowed with great brilliance and noble lineage, departed surrounded by mighty strength, blazing with splendor as if aflame.
tasya tāṃ mahimāṃ dṛṣṭvā mahendrasyeva devatāḥ। apatatrasure sarve svadharme ca dadhurmanaḥ ॥12-67-30॥
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.
tato mahīṃ pariyayau parjanya iva vṛṣṭimān। śamayansarvataḥ pāpān svakarmasu ca yojayan ॥12-67-31॥
Then he moved about the earth like a rain-filled cloud, dispelling sins everywhere and engaging people in their own duties.
evaṃ ye bhūtim iccheyuḥ pṛthivyāṃ mānavāḥ kvacit। kuryu rājanam evāgre prajānugrahakāraṇāt ॥12-67-32॥
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.
namasyeyuś ca taṃ bhaktyā śiṣyā iva guruṃ sadā। devā iva sahasrākṣaṃ prajā rājānam antike ॥12-67-33॥
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.
satkṛtaṃ svajaneneha paro'pi bahu manyate। svajanena tvavajñātaṃ pare paribhavantyuta ॥12-67-34॥
If someone is respected by their own people here, even outsiders value them highly. But if disregarded by their own, others certainly insult them.
rājñaḥ paraiḥ paribhavaḥ sarveṣāmasukhāvahaḥ। tasmācchatraṃ ca patraṃ ca vāsāṃsyābharaṇāni ca ॥12-67-35॥
When a king is insulted by others, it brings unhappiness to everyone; therefore, the umbrella, fan, garments, and ornaments should be provided.
bhojanānyatha pānāni rājñe dadyurgr̥hāṇi ca| āsanāni ca śayyāśca sarvopakaraṇāni ca ॥12-67-36॥
They should provide the king with food, drinks, houses, seats, beds, and all necessary implements.
guptātmā syād durādharṣaḥ smitapūrvābhibhāṣitā। ābhāṣitaś ca madhuraṃ pratibhāṣeta mānavān ॥12-67-37॥
A person should guard his inner self, be difficult to overcome, speak with a smile, and when addressed, respond sweetly to others.
kṛtajño dṛḍhabhaktiḥ syātsaṃvibhāgī jitendriyaḥ। īkṣitaḥ prativīkṣeta mṛdu carju ca valgu ca ॥12-67-38॥
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.
