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भीष्म उवाच॥
Bhīṣma said:
य एव तु सतो रक्षेदसतश्च निबर्हयेत्। स एव राज्ञा कर्तव्यो राजन्राजपुरोहितः ॥१२-७३-१॥
O king, the one who protects the good and restrains the wicked should alone be appointed by the king as the royal priest.
अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम्। पुरूरवस ऐलस्य संवादं मातरिश्वनः ॥१२-७३-२॥
Here too, an ancient story is told: the conversation between Purūravas, son of Ila, and Mātariśvan.
ऐल उवाच॥
Aila said:
कुतः स्विद्ब्राह्मणो जातो वर्णाश्चापि कुतस्त्रयः। कस्माच्च भवति श्रेयानेतद्वायो विचक्ष्व मे ॥१२-७३-३॥
From where is the brāhmaṇa born, and from where are the three classes? From what does one become superior? O Vāyu, please explain this to me.
वायुरुवाच॥
Vāyu said:
ब्रह्मणो मुखतः सृष्टो ब्राह्मणो राजसत्तम। बाहुभ्यां क्षत्रियः सृष्ट ऊरुभ्यां वैश्य उच्यते ॥१२-७३-४॥
O best of kings, it is said that the Brāhmaṇa was created from the mouth of Brahman, the Kṣatriya from the arms, and the Vaiśya from the thighs.
वर्णानां परिचर्यार्थं त्रयाणां पुरुषर्षभ। वर्णश्चतुर्थः पश्चात्तु पद्भ्यां शूद्रो विनिर्मितः ॥१२-७३-५॥
O best of men, the Śūdra, the fourth class, was created from the feet for the service of the other three classes.
ब्राह्मणो जातमात्रस्तु पृथिवीमन्वजायत। ईश्वरः सर्वभूतानां धर्मकोशस्य गुप्तये ॥१२-७३-६॥
The brāhmaṇa, though just born, was born after the earth. The lord (brāhmaṇa) exists for the protection of the treasury of dharma for all beings.
ततः पृथिव्या गोप्तारं क्षत्रियं दण्डधारिणम्। द्वितीयं वर्णमकरोत्प्रजानामनुगुप्तये ॥१२-७३-७॥
Then he created the second class, the Kṣatriya, as the protector of the earth and wielder of authority, for the protection of the people.
वैश्यस्तु धनधान्येन त्रीन्वर्णान्बिभृयादिमान्। शूद्रो ह्येनान्परिचरेदिति ब्रह्मानुशासनम् ॥१२-७३-८॥
But the Vaiśya, through wealth and grain, should support the three varṇas; the Śūdra should serve them—this is the command of the Veda.
ऐल उवाच॥
Aila said:
द्विजस्य क्षत्रबन्धोर्वा कस्येयं पृथिवी भवेत्। धर्मतः सह वित्तेन सम्यग्वायो प्रचक्ष्व मे ॥१२-७३-९॥
Tell me, does this earth belong to the twice-born, to a degraded Kṣatriya, or to whom? Is it by righteousness, with wealth, or truly by force? Declare this to me.
वायुरुवाच॥
Vāyu said:
विप्रस्य सर्वमेवैतद्यत्किञ्चिज्जगतीगतम्। ज्येष्ठेनाभिजनेनेह तद्धर्मकुशला विदुः ॥१२-७३-१०॥
Those skilled in dharma know that all this in the world belonging to the Brāhmaṇa, whatever it may be, is due to the eldest and noble birth.
स्वमेव ब्राह्मणो भुङ्क्ते स्वं वस्ते स्वं ददाति च। गुरुर्हि सर्ववर्णानां ज्येष्ठः श्रेष्ठश्च वै द्विजः ॥१२-७३-११॥
A brāhmaṇa enjoys, wears, and gives only what is his own. The teacher is indeed the eldest and best among all castes, and truly the foremost among the twice-born.
पत्यभावे यथा स्त्री हि देवरं कुरुते पतिम्। आनन्तर्यात्तथा क्षत्रं पृथिवी कुरुते पतिम् ॥१२-७३-१२॥
When her husband is absent, a woman indeed accepts the husband's younger brother as her husband; in the same way, due to succession, the earth accepts the Kṣatriya class as her lord.
एष ते प्रथमः कल्प आपद्यन्यो भवेदतः। यदि स्वर्गे परं स्थानं धर्मतः परिमार्गसि ॥१२-७३-१३॥
This is the first method for you; if you encounter adversity, there may be another. If you seek the highest place in heaven through righteousness.
यः कश्चिद्विजयेद्भूमिं ब्राह्मणाय निवेदयेत्। श्रुतवृत्तोपपन्नाय धर्मज्ञाय तपस्विने ॥१२-७३-१४॥
Whoever conquers land should offer it to a Brāhmaṇa who is learned in the Vedas, of good conduct, knowledgeable in dharma, and an ascetic.
स्वधर्मपरितृप्ताय यो न वित्तपरो भवेत्। यो राजानं नयेद्बुद्ध्या सर्वतः परिपूर्णया ॥१२-७३-१५॥
He who is fully content with his own duty, not attached to wealth, and who guides the king with intelligence that is complete in every way.
ब्राह्मणो हि कुले जातः कृतप्रज्ञो विनीतवाक्। श्रेयो नयति राजानं ब्रुवंश्चित्रां सरस्वतीम् ॥१२-७३-१६॥
A Brāhmaṇa, who is born in a noble family, endowed with wisdom and gentle speech, and who speaks with eloquence, leads the king to prosperity.
राजा चरति यं धर्मं ब्राह्मणेन निदर्शितम्। शुश्रूषुरनहंवादी क्षत्रधर्मव्रते स्थितः ॥१२-७३-१७॥
The king, eager to listen and free from self-boasting, follows the dharma demonstrated by the brāhmaṇa, firmly established in the vow of a kṣatriya.
तावता स कृतप्रज्ञश्चिरं यशसि तिष्ठति। तस्य धर्मस्य सर्वस्य भागी राजपुरोहितः ॥१२-७३-१८॥
By that much, the wise one remains long in glory; the royal priest partakes in all his righteousness.
एवमेव प्रजाः सर्वा राजानमभिसंश्रिताः। सम्यग्वृत्ताः स्वधर्मस्था न कुतश्चिद्भयान्विताः ॥१२-७३-१९॥
In this way, all the subjects, having sought refuge in the king, behaved properly, remained steadfast in their own duties, and were free from any kind of fear.
राष्ट्रे चरन्ति यं धर्मं राज्ञा साध्वभिरक्षिताः। चतुर्थं तस्य धर्मस्य राजा भागं स विन्दति ॥१२-७३-२०॥
In a kingdom, when dharma is practiced and protected by the king and the virtuous, the king receives a fourth share of that dharma as his own.
देवा मनुष्याः पितरो गन्धर्वोरगराक्षसाः। यज्ञमेवोपजीवन्ति नास्ति चेष्टमराजके ॥१२-७३-२१॥
Gods, humans, ancestors, gandharvas, serpents, and rākṣasas all live only by sacrifice; where there is no ruler, there is no activity.
इतो दत्तेन जीवन्ति देवताः पितरस्तथा। राजन्येवास्य धर्मस्य योगक्षेमः प्रतिष्ठितः ॥१२-७३-२२॥
It is through giving here that the gods and ancestors are sustained. Among the kṣatriyas, the security and prosperity of this dharma is established.
छायायामप्सु वायौ च सुखमुष्णेऽधिगच्छति। अग्नौ वाससि सूर्ये च सुखं शीतेऽधिगच्छति ॥१२-७३-२३॥
One finds comfort in shade, water, and wind during heat; and in fire, clothing, and the sun during cold.
शब्दे स्पर्शे रसे रूपे गन्धे च रमते मनः। तेषु भोगेषु सर्वेषु नभीतो लभते सुखम् ॥१२-७३-२४॥
The mind delights in sound, touch, taste, form, and smell; among all these enjoyments, the fearless person attains happiness.
अभयस्यैव यो दाता तस्यैव सुमहत्फलम्। न हि प्राणसमं दानं त्रिषु लोकेषु विद्यते ॥१२-७३-२५॥
Only the one who gives fearlessness receives the greatest reward. Indeed, there is no gift equal to life in all the three worlds.
इन्द्रो राजा यमो राजा धर्मो राजा तथैव च। राजा बिभर्ति रूपाणि राज्ञा सर्वमिदं धृतम् ॥१२-७३-२६॥
Indra is the king, Yama is the king, Dharma is the king, and so too in the same way. The king assumes many forms; by the king, all this is upheld.
