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Yudhishthira said:
O grandsire, tell me by what conduct a king causes his people to prosper and attains the meritorious worlds.
Bhīṣma said:
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.
The king should always protect all his subjects through righteousness, and with effort and vigilance, he should honor the righteous.
When dharma is honored by the king, it is honored everywhere. Whatever the king does, that indeed pleases the subjects.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
When the Brahmins are protected, everything is protected. When their favor is obtained, the king has fulfilled his duty.
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.
It is never possible for a king who is driven by desire, always deceitful in mind, cruel, and excessively greedy to protect his subjects.
Yudhiṣṭhira said:
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.
"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."
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.
Bhīṣma said:
I know that your intellect is endowed with the quality of compassion; however, the great cannot be worshipped by pure compassion alone.
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.
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.
You are not one who is joined with weakness and cruelty here; by protecting your subjects, you have indeed obtained the fruit of dharma.
Neither Pāṇḍu nor Kuntī ever asked for this blessing; nor, dear one, for this wisdom by which you act with such intelligence.
Your father always spoke of your heroism, strength, and fortitude. Kunti requested greatness, strength, and generosity for you.
Oblations of 'svāhā' and 'svadhā' are always offered to both human and divine entities. Ancestors and divine beings always have expectations regarding sons.
You were born by nature for gift, study, sacrifice, and protection of beings; this righteousness or unrighteousness is inherent to you from birth.
O Kaunteya, even when those appointed to the yoke and bearing the burden placed upon them are sinking, their fame does not sink.
He who is restrained on all sides and acts unfalteringly, indeed, success comes only from faultless action; that is the true accomplishment of action.
No one here, whether a righteous person, a householder, a king, or a student of sacred knowledge, ever wandered due to absolute downfall.
Even a small act, if it is mostly virtuous and noble, is better than not acting at all; there is nothing worse than inaction.
O king, when a noble and righteous person attains the highest prosperity, then acquisition and preservation are truly directed towards welfare.
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.
When physicians born in a family, afflicted by fear of lack of livelihood, obtain satisfaction and remain content, what righteousness is greater than that?
Yudhiṣṭhira said:
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.
Bhīṣma said:
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.
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.
Dear one, may your friends live with you and the virtuous, just as creatures thrive with the rain and birds with a sweet tree.
May the people live after you, who are bold, heroic, a striker, not cruel, self-controlled, affectionate, and a distributor (of wealth or gifts).
