12.075
bhīṣma uvāca॥
Bhīṣma said:
yogakṣemo hi rāṣṭrasya rājanyāyatta ucyate। yogakṣemaśca rājño'pi samāyattaḥ purohite ॥12-75-1॥
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.
yatādṛṣṭaṃ bhayaṃ brahma prajānāṃ śamayatyuta। dṛṣṭaṃ ca rājā bāhubhyāṃ tadrāṣṭraṃ sukhamedhate ॥12-75-2॥
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.
atrāpy udāharantīmam itihāsaṃ purātanam। mucukundasya saṃvādaṃ rājño vaiśravaṇasya ca ॥12-75-3॥
Here too, they narrate an ancient story: the conversation between Mucukunda and King Vaiśravaṇa.
mucukundo vijityemāṃ pṛthivīṃ pṛthivīpatiḥ। jijñāsamānaḥ svabalam abhyayād alakādhipam ॥12-75-4॥
Muçukunda, after conquering this earth, the king, wishing to test his own strength, went to Kubera, the lord of Alaka.
tato vaiśravaṇo rājā rakṣāṃsi samavāsṛjat। te balānyavamṛdnantaḥ prācaraṃstasya nairṛtāḥ ॥12-75-5॥
Then King Vaiśravaṇa sent forth the demons, and his Nairṛta followers moved about, crushing the enemy forces.
sa hanyamāne sainye sve mucukundo narādhipaḥ। garhayāmāsa vidvāṁsaṁ purohitam ariṁdamaḥ ॥12-75-6॥
When his own army was being destroyed, King Mucukunda, the destroyer of enemies, censured his learned priest.
tata ugraṃ tapas-taptvā vasiṣṭho brahmavittamaḥ। rakṣāṃsy apāvadīt tatra panthānaṃ cāpy avindat ॥12-75-7॥
Then Vasiṣṭha, the foremost knower of Brahman, after performing intense austerity, drove away the demons there and also discovered the path.
tato vaiśravaṇo rājā mucukundamadarśayat। vadhyamāneṣu sainyeṣu vacanaṃ cedamabravīt ॥12-75-8॥
Then King Vaiśravaṇa revealed Mucukunda and, as the armies were being destroyed, spoke these words.
tvatto hi balinaḥ pūrve rājānaḥ sapurohitāḥ। na caivaṃ samavartaṃste yathā tvamiha vartase ॥12-75-9॥
Indeed, even the powerful kings of old with their priests did not conduct themselves here as you do.
te khalvapi kṛtāstrāś ca balavantaś ca bhūmipāḥ। āgamya paryupāsante mām īśaṃ sukhaduḥkhayoḥ ॥12-75-10॥
Those kings, powerful and skilled in arms, indeed come and attend upon me, the Lord, both in happiness and in sorrow.
yadyasti bāhuvīryaṃ te taddarśayitumarhasi। kiṃ brāhmaṇabalena tvamatimātraṃ pravartase ॥12-75-11॥
If you possess physical strength, you should show it. Why do you act so excessively relying on Brāhmaṇa-power?
mucukundas tataḥ kruddhaḥ pratyuvāca dhaneśvaram। nyāyapūrvam asaṁrabdham asambhrāntam idaṁ vacaḥ ॥12-75-12॥
Then Mucukunda, though angry, calmly and justly replied these words to Dhaneśvara, without agitation or confusion.
brahmakṣatram idaṃ sṛṣṭam ekayoni svayambhuvā। pṛthag balavidhānaṃ ca tal lokaṃ parirakṣati॥12-75-13॥
The Brahmin and Kṣatriya were both created from a single origin by the self-born; their separate arrangements of power protect the world.
tapomantrabalaṃ nityaṃ brāhmaṇeṣu pratiṣṭhitam। astrabāhubalaṃ nityaṃ kṣatriyeṣu pratiṣṭhitam ॥12-75-14॥
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.
tābhyāṃ sambhūya kartavyaṃ prajānāṃ paripālanam। tathā ca māṃ pravartantaṃ garhayasyalakādhipa ॥12-75-15॥
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.
tato'bravīd vaiśravaṇo rājānaṃ sapurohitam। nāhaṃ rājyam anirdiṣṭaṃ kasmaicid vidadhāmy uta ॥12-75-16॥
Then Vaiśravaṇa said to the king and his priest, "I do not grant a kingdom to anyone unless it has been specifically assigned."
nācchinde cāpi nirdiṣṭamiti jānīhi pārthiva। praśādhi pṛthivīṃ vīra maddattāmakhilāmimām ॥12-75-17॥
O king, know that you must not violate what has been assigned. O hero, rule this entire earth, which has been given by me.
mucukunda uvāca॥
Mucukunda said:
nāhaṃ rājyaṃ bhavaddattaṃ bhoktumicchāmi pārthiva। bāhuvīryārjitaṃ rājyamaśnīyāmiti kāmaye ॥12-75-18॥
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.
bhīṣma uvāca॥
Bhīṣma said:
tato vaiśravaṇo rājā vismayaṃ paramaṃ yayau। kṣatradharme sthitaṃ dṛṣṭvā mucukundamasambhramam ॥12-75-19॥
Then King Vaiśravaṇa was greatly astonished, seeing Mucukunda standing firm and unagitated in his warrior's duty.
tato rājā mucukundaḥ so'nvaśāsad vasundharām। bāhuvīryārjitāṃ samyak kṣatradharmam anuvrataḥ ॥12-75-20॥
Then King Mucukunda ruled the earth, faithfully upholding the kṣatriya duty, which he had rightfully gained through his own valor.
evaṃ yo brahmavidrājā brahmapūrvaṃ pravartate। jayatyavijitāmurvīṃ yaśaśca mahadaśnute ॥12-75-21॥
Thus, the king who knows Brahman and acts with Brahman as his foremost guide conquers the unconquered earth and attains great fame.
nityodako brāhmaṇaḥ syān nityaśastraś ca kṣatriyaḥ। tayor hi sarvam āyattaṃ yat kiñcid jagatīgatam ॥12-75-22॥
A Brāhmaṇa should always perform water-offerings, and a Kṣatriya should always bear arms; for indeed, everything in the world depends on these two.
