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Library: The king who knows Brahmana and acts with Brahmana as his foremost guide conquers the unconquered earth and attains great fame.
भीष्म उवाच॥
Bhīṣma said:
योगक्षेमो हि राष्ट्रस्य राजन्यायत्त उच्यते। योगक्षेमश्च राज्ञोऽपि समायत्तः पुरोहिते ॥१२-७५-१॥
It is said that the acquisition and preservation of the kingdom depend on the king, while the king's own acquisition and preservation depend on the priest.
यतादृष्टं भयं ब्रह्म प्रजानां शमयत्युत। दृष्टं च राजा बाहुभ्यां तद्राष्ट्रं सुखमेधते ॥१२-७५-२॥
The Brahmin dispels the unseen fears of the people, while the king, by his own strength, removes the visible ones; thus, that kingdom prospers in happiness.
अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम्। मुचुकुन्दस्य संवादं राज्ञो वैश्रवणस्य च ॥१२-७५-३॥
Here too, they narrate an ancient story: the conversation between Mucukunda and King Vaiśravaṇa.
मुचुकुन्दो विजित्येमां पृथिवीं पृथिवीपतिः। जिज्ञासमानः स्वबलमभ्ययादलकाधिपम् ॥१२-७५-४॥
Muçukunda, after conquering this earth, the king, wishing to test his own strength, went to Kubera, the lord of Alaka.
ततो वैश्रवणो राजा रक्षांसि समवासृजत्। ते बलान्यवमृद्नन्तः प्राचरंस्तस्य नैरृताः ॥१२-७५-५॥
Then King Vaiśravaṇa sent forth the demons, and his Nairṛta followers moved about, crushing the enemy forces.
स हन्यमाने सैन्ये स्वे मुचुकुन्दो नराधिपः। गर्हयामास विद्वांसं पुरोहितमरिंदमः ॥१२-७५-६॥
When his own army was being destroyed, King Mucukunda, the destroyer of enemies, censured his learned priest.
तत उग्रं तपस्तप्त्वा वसिष्ठो ब्रह्मवित्तमः। रक्षांस्यपावधीत्तत्र पन्थानं चाप्यविन्दत ॥१२-७५-७॥
Then Vasiṣṭha, the foremost knower of Brahman, after performing intense austerity, drove away the demons there and also discovered the path.
ततो वैश्रवणो राजा मुचुकुन्दमदर्शयत्। वध्यमानेषु सैन्येषु वचनं चेदमब्रवीत् ॥१२-७५-८॥
Then King Vaiśravaṇa revealed Mucukunda and, as the armies were being destroyed, spoke these words.
त्वत्तो हि बलिनः पूर्वे राजानः सपुरोहिताः। न चैवं समवर्तंस्ते यथा त्वमिह वर्तसे ॥१२-७५-९॥
Indeed, even the powerful kings of old with their priests did not conduct themselves here as you do.
ते खल्वपि कृतास्त्राश्च बलवन्तश्च भूमिपाः। आगम्य पर्युपासन्ते मामीशं सुखदुःखयोः ॥१२-७५-१०॥
Those kings, powerful and skilled in arms, indeed come and attend upon me, the Lord, both in happiness and in sorrow.
यद्यस्ति बाहुवीर्यं ते तद्दर्शयितुमर्हसि। किं ब्राह्मणबलेन त्वमतिमात्रं प्रवर्तसे ॥१२-७५-११॥
If you possess physical strength, you should show it. Why do you act so excessively relying on Brāhmaṇa-power?
मुचुकुन्दस्ततः क्रुद्धः प्रत्युवाच धनेश्वरम्। न्यायपूर्वमसंरब्धमसम्भ्रान्तमिदं वचः ॥१२-७५-१२॥
Then Mucukunda, though angry, calmly and justly replied these words to Dhaneśvara, without agitation or confusion.
ब्रह्मक्षत्रमिदं सृष्टमेकयोनि स्वयम्भुवा। पृथग्बलविधानं च तल्लोकं परिरक्षति ॥१२-७५-१३॥
The Brahmin and Kṣatriya were both created from a single origin by the self-born; their separate arrangements of power protect the world.
तपोमन्त्रबलं नित्यं ब्राह्मणेषु प्रतिष्ठितम्। अस्त्रबाहुबलं नित्यं क्षत्रियेषु प्रतिष्ठितम् ॥१२-७५-१४॥
The power of austerity and mantra is always established among the Brāhmaṇas; the power of weapons and physical strength is always established among the Kṣatriyas.
ताभ्यां सम्भूय कर्तव्यं प्रजानां परिपालनम्। तथा च मां प्रवर्तन्तं गर्हयस्यलकाधिप ॥१२-७५-१५॥
The protection of the subjects should be carried out by those two together. Yet, while I am acting thus, you blame me, O lord of Alaka.
ततोऽब्रवीद्वैश्रवणो राजानं सपुरोहितम्। नाहं राज्यमनिर्दिष्टं कस्मैचिद्विदधाम्युत ॥१२-७५-१६॥
Then Vaiśravaṇa said to the king and his priest, "I do not grant a kingdom to anyone unless it has been specifically assigned."
नाच्छिन्दे चापि निर्दिष्टमिति जानीहि पार्थिव। प्रशाधि पृथिवीं वीर मद्दत्तामखिलामिमाम् ॥१२-७५-१७॥
O king, know that you must not violate what has been assigned. O hero, rule this entire earth, which has been given by me.
मुचुकुन्द उवाच॥
Mucukunda said:
नाहं राज्यं भवद्दत्तं भोक्तुमिच्छामि पार्थिव। बाहुवीर्यार्जितं राज्यमश्नीयामिति कामये ॥१२-७५-१८॥
O king, I do not wish to enjoy a kingdom given by you. I desire to enjoy a kingdom acquired by the strength of my own arms.
भीष्म उवाच॥
Bhīṣma said:
ततो वैश्रवणो राजा विस्मयं परमं ययौ। क्षत्रधर्मे स्थितं दृष्ट्वा मुचुकुन्दमसम्भ्रमम् ॥१२-७५-१९॥
Then King Vaiśravaṇa was greatly astonished, seeing Mucukunda standing firm and unagitated in his warrior's duty.
ततो राजा मुचुकुन्दः सोऽन्वशासद्वसुन्धराम्। बाहुवीर्यार्जितां सम्यक्क्षत्रधर्ममनुव्रतः ॥१२-७५-२०॥
Then King Mucukunda ruled the earth, faithfully upholding the kṣatriya duty, which he had rightfully gained through his own valor.
एवं यो ब्रह्मविद्राजा ब्रह्मपूर्वं प्रवर्तते। जयत्यविजितामुर्वीं यशश्च महदश्नुते ॥१२-७५-२१॥
Thus, the king who knows Brahman and acts with Brahman as his foremost guide conquers the unconquered earth and attains great fame.
नित्योदको ब्राह्मणः स्यान्नित्यशस्त्रश्च क्षत्रियः। तयोर्हि सर्वमायत्तं यत्किञ्चिज्जगतीगतम् ॥१२-७५-२२॥
A Brāhmaṇa should always perform water-offerings, and a Kṣatriya should always bear arms; for indeed, everything in the world depends on these two.
