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युधिष्ठिर उवाच॥
Yudhishthira said:
यया वृत्त्या महीपालो विवर्धयति मानवान्। पुण्यांश्च लोकाञ्जयति तन्मे ब्रूहि पितामह ॥१२-७६-१॥
O grandsire, tell me by what conduct a king causes his people to prosper and attains the meritorious worlds.
भीष्म उवाच॥
Bhīṣma said:
दानशीलो भवेद्राजा यज्ञशीलश्च भारत। उपवासतपःशीलः प्रजानां पालने रतः ॥१२-७६-२॥
O Bhārata, a king should be endowed with the nature of giving, sacrifice, fasting, and austerity, and be devoted to the protection of his subjects.
सर्वाश्चैव प्रजा नित्यं राजा धर्मेण पालयेत्। उत्थानेनाप्रमादेन पूजयेच्चैव धार्मिकान् ॥१२-७६-३॥
The king should always protect all his subjects through righteousness, and with effort and vigilance, he should honor the righteous.
राज्ञा हि पूजितो धर्मस्ततः सर्वत्र पूज्यते। यद्यदाचरते राजा तत्प्रजानां हि रोचते ॥१२-७६-४॥
When dharma is honored by the king, it is honored everywhere. Whatever the king does, that indeed pleases the subjects.
नित्यमुद्यतदण्डश्च भवेन्मृत्युरिवारिषु। निहन्यात्सर्वतो दस्यून्न कामात्कस्यचित्क्षमेत् ॥१२-७६-५॥
He should always be ready to punish, like death to his enemies; he should destroy robbers everywhere, and should not forgive anyone out of personal desire.
यं हि धर्मं चरन्तीह प्रजा राज्ञा सुरक्षिताः। चतुर्थं तस्य धर्मस्य राजा भारत विन्दति ॥१२-७६-६॥
O Bhārata, the king obtains a fourth part of the merit of that duty which is practiced here by the subjects protected by the king.
यदधीते यद्यजते यद्ददाति यदर्चति। राजा चतुर्थभाक्तस्य प्रजा धर्मेण पालयन् ॥१२-७६-७॥
Whatever a person studies, sacrifices, gives, or worships, the king, by protecting his subjects with righteousness, is entitled to a fourth part of that merit.
यद्राष्ट्रेऽकुशलं किञ्चिद्राज्ञोऽरक्षयतः प्रजाः। चतुर्थं तस्य पापस्य राजा भारत विन्दति ॥१२-७६-८॥
O Bhārata, whatever evil occurs in the kingdom due to the king not protecting his subjects, the king acquires a fourth part of that sin.
अप्याहुः सर्वमेवेति भूयोऽर्धमिति निश्चयः। कर्मणः पृथिवीपाल नृशंसोऽनृतवागपि ॥ तादृशात्किल्बिषाद्राजा शृणु येन प्रमुच्यते ॥१२-७६-९॥
They also say, O protector of the earth, that some consider the whole act, others again half, as the decision. If a king is cruel or speaks untruth, hear by what means he is released from such sin.
प्रत्याहर्तुमशक्यं स्याद्धनं चोरैर्हृतं यदि। स्वकोशात्तत्प्रदेयं स्यादशक्तेनोपजीवता ॥१२-७६-१०॥
If wealth stolen by thieves cannot be recovered, then one who is unable to recover it and subsists should provide that amount from his own treasury.
सर्ववर्णैः सदा रक्ष्यं ब्रह्मस्वं ब्राह्मणास्तथा। न स्थेयं विषये तेषु योऽपकुर्याद्द्विजातिषु ॥१२-७६-११॥
The property of a Brāhmaṇa should always be protected by all castes; Brāhmaṇas as well. No one should remain in the domain of those who would harm the twice-born.
ब्रह्मस्वे रक्ष्यमाणे हि सर्वं भवति रक्षितम्। तेषां प्रसादे निर्वृत्ते कृतकृत्यो भवेन्नृपः ॥१२-७६-१२॥
When the Brahmins are protected, everything is protected. When their favor is obtained, the king has fulfilled his duty.
पर्जन्यमिव भूतानि महाद्रुममिव द्विजाः। नरास्तमुपजीवन्ति नृपं सर्वार्थसाधकम् ॥१२-७६-१३॥
Just as all creatures depend on the rain-cloud and birds on a great tree, so do people depend on the king who accomplishes all purposes.
न हि कामात्मना राज्ञा सततं शठबुद्धिना। नृशंसेनातिलुब्धेन शक्याः पालयितुं प्रजाः ॥१२-७६-१४॥
It is never possible for a king who is driven by desire, always deceitful in mind, cruel, and excessively greedy to protect his subjects.
युधिष्ठिर उवाच॥
Yudhiṣṭhira said:
नाहं राज्यसुखान्वेषी राज्यमिच्छाम्यपि क्षणम्। धर्मार्थं रोचये राज्यं धर्मश्चात्र न विद्यते ॥१२-७६-१५॥
I am not a seeker of the pleasures of kingship; I do not desire the kingdom even for a moment. I approve of the kingdom only for the sake of dharma, but here, dharma does not exist.
तदलं मम राज्येन यत्र धर्मो न विद्यते। वनमेव गमिष्यामि तस्माद्धर्मचिकीर्षया ॥१२-७६-१६॥
"That is enough of my kingdom where dharma does not exist. Therefore, I shall go only to the forest with the desire to practice dharma."
तत्र मेध्येष्वरण्येषु न्यस्तदण्डो जितेन्द्रियः। धर्ममाराधयिष्यामि मुनिर्मूलफलाशनः ॥१२-७६-१७॥
There, in those pure forests, having renounced the staff and conquered the senses, I, the sage subsisting on roots and fruits, shall devote myself to dharma.
भीष्म उवाच॥
Bhīṣma said:
वेदाहं तव या बुद्धिरानृशंस्यगुणैव सा। न च शुद्धानृशंस्येन शक्यं महदुपासितुम् ॥१२-७६-१८॥
I know that your intellect is endowed with the quality of compassion; however, the great cannot be worshipped by pure compassion alone.
अपि तु त्वा मृदुं दान्तमत्यार्यमतिधार्मिकम्। क्लीबं धर्मघृणायुक्तं न लोको बहु मन्यते ॥१२-७६-१९॥
But even though you are gentle, self-restrained, exceedingly noble, very righteous, unmanly, and endowed with aversion to unrighteousness, people do not think highly of you.
राजधर्मानवेक्षस्व पितृपैतामहोचितान्। नैतद्राज्ञामथो वृत्तं यथा त्वं स्थातुमिच्छसि ॥१२-७६-२०॥
Consider the royal duties that are appropriate to your forefathers; this is not the conduct of kings, and it is not proper for you to wish to remain in this way.
न हि वैक्लव्यसंसृष्टमानृशंस्यमिहास्थितः। प्रजापालनसम्भूतं प्राप्ता धर्मफलं ह्यसि ॥१२-७६-२१॥
You are not one who is joined with weakness and cruelty here; by protecting your subjects, you have indeed obtained the fruit of dharma.
न ह्येतामाशिषं पाण्डुर्न च कुन्त्यन्वयाचत। न चैतां प्राज्ञतां तात यया चरसि मेधया ॥१२-७६-२२॥
Neither Pāṇḍu nor Kuntī ever asked for this blessing; nor, dear one, for this wisdom by which you act with such intelligence.
शौर्यं बलं च सत्त्वं च पिता तव सदाब्रवीत्। माहात्म्यं बलमौदार्यं तव कुन्त्यन्वयाचत ॥१२-७६-२३॥
Your father always spoke of your heroism, strength, and fortitude. Kunti requested greatness, strength, and generosity for you.
नित्यं स्वाहा स्वधा नित्यमुभे मानुषदैवते। पुत्रेष्वाशासते नित्यं पितरो दैवतानि च ॥१२-७६-२४॥
Oblations of 'svāhā' and 'svadhā' are always offered to both human and divine entities. Ancestors and divine beings always have expectations regarding sons.
दानमध्ययनं यज्ञः प्रजानां परिपालनम्। धर्ममेतमधर्मं वा जन्मनैवाभ्यजायिथाः ॥१२-७६-२५॥
You were born by nature for gift, study, sacrifice, and protection of beings; this righteousness or unrighteousness is inherent to you from birth.
काले धुरि नियुक्तानां वहतां भार आहिते। सीदतामपि कौन्तेय न कीर्तिरवसीदति ॥१२-७६-२६॥
O Kaunteya, even when those appointed to the yoke and bearing the burden placed upon them are sinking, their fame does not sink.
समन्ततो विनियतो वहत्यस्खलितो हि यः। निर्दोषकर्मवचनात्सिद्धिः कर्मण एव सा ॥१२-७६-२७॥
He who is restrained on all sides and acts unfalteringly, indeed, success comes only from faultless action; that is the true accomplishment of action.
नैकान्तविनिपातेन विचचारेह कश्चन। धर्मी गृही वा राजा वा ब्रह्मचार्यथ वा पुनः ॥१२-७६-२८॥
No one here, whether a righteous person, a householder, a king, or a student of sacred knowledge, ever wandered due to absolute downfall.
अल्पं तु साधुभूयिष्ठं यत्कर्मोदारमेव तत्। कृतमेवाकृताच्छ्रेयो न पापीयोऽस्त्यकर्मणः ॥१२-७६-२९॥
Even a small act, if it is mostly virtuous and noble, is better than not acting at all; there is nothing worse than inaction.
यदा कुलीनो धर्मज्ञः प्राप्नोत्यैश्वर्यमुत्तमम्। योगक्षेमस्तदा राजन्कुशलायैव कल्पते ॥१२-७६-३०॥
O king, when a noble and righteous person attains the highest prosperity, then acquisition and preservation are truly directed towards welfare.
दानेनान्यं बलेनान्यमन्यं सूनृतया गिरा। सर्वतः परिगृह्णीयाद्राज्यं प्राप्येह धार्मिकः ॥१२-७६-३१॥
A righteous person, having obtained the kingdom here, should acquire (subjects) from all sides—some by gifts, some by strength, and others by truthful speech.
यं हि वैद्याः कुले जाता अवृत्तिभयपीडिताः। प्राप्य तृप्ताः प्रतिष्ठन्ति धर्मः कोऽभ्यधिकस्ततः ॥१२-७६-३२॥
When physicians born in a family, afflicted by fear of lack of livelihood, obtain satisfaction and remain content, what righteousness is greater than that?
युधिष्ठिर उवाच॥
Yudhiṣṭhira said:
किं न्वतः परमं स्वर्ग्यं का न्वतः प्रीतिरुत्तमा। किं न्वतः परमैश्वर्यं ब्रूहि मे यदि मन्यसे ॥१२-७६-३३॥
What, then, is the highest heavenly state from this? Which is the greatest delight from this? What is the supreme sovereignty from this? Tell me, if you think so.
भीष्म उवाच॥
Bhīṣma said:
यस्मिन्प्रतिष्ठिताः सम्यक्क्षेमं विन्दन्ति तत्क्षणम्। स स्वर्गजित्तमोऽस्माकं सत्यमेतद्ब्रवीमि ते ॥१२-७६-३४॥
He in whom those who are properly established instantly find well-being is the best among us, a conqueror of heaven; this is the truth, I tell you.
त्वमेव प्रीतिमांस्तस्मात्कुरूणां कुरुसत्तम। भव राजा जय स्वर्गं सतो रक्षासतो जहि ॥१२-७६-३५॥
Therefore, O best of the Kurus, you alone, full of affection for the Kurus, become king; win heaven; protect the good and destroy the wicked.
अनु त्वा तात जीवन्तु सुहृदः साधुभिः सह। पर्जन्यमिव भूतानि स्वादुद्रुममिवाण्डजाः ॥१२-७६-३६॥
Dear one, may your friends live with you and the virtuous, just as creatures thrive with the rain and birds with a sweet tree.
धृष्टं शूरं प्रहर्तारमनृशंसं जितेन्द्रियम्। वत्सलं संविभक्तारमनु जीवन्तु त्वां जनाः ॥१२-७६-३७॥
May the people live after you, who are bold, heroic, a striker, not cruel, self-controlled, affectionate, and a distributor (of wealth or gifts).
