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yudhiṣṭhira uvāca॥
Yudhiṣṭhira said:
daṇḍanītiś ca rājā ca samastau tāv ubhāv api। kasya kiṃ kurvataḥ siddhyai tan me brūhi pitāmaha ॥12-70-1॥
O grandsire, tell me, for whose success and by doing what, do both the science of punishment and the king together achieve success?
bhīṣma uvāca॥
Bhīṣma said:
mahābhāgyaṃ daṇḍanītyāḥ siddhaiḥ śabdaiḥ sahetukaiḥ। śṛṇu me śaṃsato rājanyathāvad iha bhārata ॥12-70-2॥
O Bhārata, O king, listen to me as I properly speak here about the great fortune of the science of punishment, explained by accomplished words with reasons.
daṇḍanītiḥ svadharmebhyaś cāturvarṇyaṃ niyacchati। prayuktā svāminā samyag adharmebhyaś ca yacchati ॥12-70-3॥
The policy of punishment keeps the four social classes to their own duties; when properly enforced by the ruler, it also prevents them from engaging in unrighteous acts.
cāturvarṇye svadharmasthe maryādānāmasaṅkare. daṇḍanītikṛte kṣeme prajānāmakutobhaye ॥12-70-4॥
When the fourfold social order is established in its own duties and the boundaries are not confused, and when the policy of punishment is properly maintained, the subjects live in security and are free from all fear.
some prayatnaṃ kurvanti trayo varṇā yathāvidhi। tasmāddevamanuṣyāṇāṃ sukhaṃ viddhi samāhitam ॥12-70-5॥
The three classes make effort in Soma according to proper rule; therefore, know that the happiness of gods and humans is firmly established.
kālo vā kāraṇaṃ rājño rājā vā kālakāraṇam। iti te saṃśayo mā bhūdrājā kālasya kāraṇam ॥12-70-6॥
Whether time is the cause of the king, or the king is the cause of time—let there be no doubt about this: the king is the cause of time.
daṇḍanītyā yadā rājā samyakkārtsnyena vartate। tadā kṛtayugaṃ nāma kālaḥ śreṣṭhaḥ pravartate ॥12-70-7॥
When the king governs entirely in accordance with the science of punishment, then the excellent age known as Kṛta Yuga prevails.
bhavet kṛtayuge dharmo nādharmo vidyate kvacit। sarveṣām eva varṇānāṃ nādharme ramate manaḥ ॥12-70-8॥
In the Kṛta Yuga, only righteousness prevails; unrighteousness is found nowhere. The minds of all castes do not take pleasure in unrighteousness.
yogakṣemāḥ pravartante prajānāṃ nātra saṃśayaḥ। vaidikāni ca karmāṇi bhavantyaviguṇānyuta ॥12-70-9॥
Union and welfare are established for beings; there is no doubt about this. Vedic actions too indeed become flawless.
ṛtavaś ca sukhāḥ sarve bhavanty uta nirāmayāḥ। prasīdanti narāṇāṃ ca svaravarṇamanāṃsi ca ॥12-70-10॥
All the seasons become pleasant and free from disease; the voices, complexions, and minds of men are also gladdened.
vyādhayo na bhavanty atra nālpayur dṛśyate naraḥ। vidhavā na bhavanty atra nṛśaṃso nābhijāyate ॥12-70-11॥
Here, there are no diseases, no one is seen with a short life, there are no widows, and no cruel person is born.
akṛṣṭapacyā pṛthivī bhavantyoṣadhayastathā। tvakpatraphalamūlāni vīryavanti bhavanti ca ॥12-70-12॥
The earth that is not ploughed produces herbs; likewise, bark, leaves, fruits, and roots also become potent.
nādharmo vidyate tatra dharma eva tu kevalaḥ। iti kārtayugānetānguṇānviddhi yudhiṣṭhira ॥12-70-13॥
O Yudhiṣṭhira, know that in the Kṛta Yuga, there is no unrighteousness; only righteousness exists. These are the qualities.
daṇḍanītyā yadā rājā trīnaṃśān anuvartate। caturtham aṃśam utsṛjya tadā tretā pravartate ॥12-70-14॥
When, by the policy of punishment, the king follows three parts and abandons the fourth, then the Tretā age begins.
aśubhasya caturthāṃśas trīnaṃśān anuvartate। kṛṣṭapacyaiva pṛthivī bhavantyoṣadhayas tathā ॥12-70-15॥
One fourth of the inauspicious follows the three parts; thus, for both cultivated and uncultivated earth, the plants also become so.
ardhaṃ tyaktvā yadā rājā nītyardhamanuvartate। tatastu dvāparaṃ nāma sa kālaḥ sampravartate ॥12-70-16॥
When the king abandons half and follows only half of righteousness, then the period called Dvāpara begins.
aśubhasya tadā ardhaṃ dvāvaṃśāvanuvartate। kṛṣṭapacyaiva pṛthivī bhavatyalpaphalā tathā ॥12-70-17॥
At that time, half and then two parts of inauspiciousness prevail. The earth, whether cultivated or uncultivated, thus yields little fruit.
daṇḍanītiṃ parityajya yadā kārtsnyena bhūmipaḥ। prajāḥ kliśnātyayogena praviśyati tadā kaliḥ ॥12-70-18॥
When the king completely abandons the policy of punishment and afflicts his subjects improperly, then the age of Kali begins.
kalāvadhamo bhūyiṣṭhaṃ dharmo bhavati tu kvacit। sarveṣāmeva varṇānāṃ svadharmāccyavate manaḥ ॥12-70-19॥
In the Kali age, unrighteousness prevails and righteousness is only occasionally found. The minds of people of all castes stray from their own duties.
śūdrā bhaikṣeṇa jīvanti brāhmaṇāḥ paricaryayā। yogakṣemasya nāśaś ca vartate varṇasaṅkaraḥ ॥12-70-20॥
Śūdras live by alms, Brāhmaṇas by service. The destruction of sustenance and security, and the intermixture of castes, occurs.
vaidikāni ca karmāṇi bhavanti viguṇānyuta। ṛtavo nasukhāḥ sarve bhavantyāmayinastathā ॥12-70-21॥
Even Vedic actions become devoid of merit; likewise, all the seasons become unpleasant and afflicted with disease.
hrasanti ca manuṣyāṇāṃ svaravarṇamanāṃsyuta। vyādhayaś ca bhavanty atra mriyante cāgatāyuṣaḥ ॥12-70-22॥
The voices, complexions, and minds of men diminish; diseases arise here, and those whose life-span has ended die.
vidhavāś ca bhavanty atra nṛśaṁsā jāyate prajā। kvacid varṣati parjanyaḥ kvacit sasyaṁ prarohati ॥12-70-23॥
Here, widows are found, cruelty arises among people. Sometimes the cloud rains, sometimes the crop sprouts.
rasāḥ sarve kṣayaṃ yānti yadā neccchati bhūmipaḥ। prajāḥ saṃrakṣituṃ samyagdaṇḍanītisamāhitaḥ ॥12-70-24॥
When the king, engaged in the policy of punishment, does not wish to properly protect his subjects, all essences are destroyed.
rājā kṛtayugasraṣṭā tretāyā dvāparasya ca। yugasya ca caturthasya rājā bhavati kāraṇam ॥12-70-25॥
The king is the creator of the Kṛta, Tretā, and Dvāpara Yugas; and in the fourth Yuga, the king is the cause of its nature.
kṛtasya karaṇādrājā svargamatyantamaśnute। tretāyāḥ karaṇādrājā svargaṃ nātyantamaśnute ॥12-70-26॥
In the Kṛta age, by performing his duties, the king attains complete access to heaven; in the Tretā age, by performing his duties, the king does not attain complete access to heaven.
pravartanāddvāparasya yathābhāgamupāśnute। kaleḥ pravartanādrājā pāpam atyantam aśnute ॥12-70-27॥
As Dvāpara begins, one receives his due share; but with the onset of Kali, the king accrues the greatest sin.
tato vasati duṣkarmā narake śāśvatīḥ samāḥ। prajānāṃ kalmaṣe magno'kīrtiṃ pāpaṃ ca vindati ॥12-70-28॥
Then the evil-doer resides in hell for countless years, submerged in the sins of beings, and attains both infamy and sin.
daṇḍanītiṃ puraskṛtya vijānan kṣatriyaḥ sadā| anavāptaṃ ca lipseta labdhaṃ ca paripālayet ||12-70-29||
A kṣatriya, always aware and guided by the science of punishment, should seek what has not yet been attained and protect what has already been acquired.
lokasya sīmantakarī maryādā lokabhāvanī। samyaṅnītā daṇḍanītiryathā mātā yathā pitā ॥12-70-30॥
The law that establishes the boundaries of society and nurtures its people is like a well-guided science of punishment, just as a mother and a father care for their children.
yasyāṃ bhavanti bhūtāni tadviddhi bharatarṣabha। eṣa eva paro dharmo yadrājā daṇḍanītimān ॥12-70-31॥
O best of the Bharatas, know that wherever beings exist, that is the supreme dharma, where the king upholds the science of punishment (law and order).
tasmāt kauravya dharmeṇa prajāḥ pālaya nītimān। evaṃvṛttaḥ prajā rakṣan svargaṃ jetāsi durjayam ॥12-70-32॥
Therefore, O Kauravya, protect your subjects with righteousness and wisdom in conduct. By acting in this way and safeguarding your people, you will attain even the unconquerable heaven.
