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युधिष्ठिर उवाच॥
Yudhishthira said:
कथं स्विदिह राजेन्द्र पालयन्पार्थिवः प्रजाः। प्रति धर्मं विशेषेण कीर्तिमाप्नोति शाश्वतीम् ॥१२-८६-१॥
O King, how does a ruler, by especially protecting his subjects according to dharma, attain everlasting fame?
भीष्म उवाच॥
Bhīṣma said:
व्यवहारेण शुद्धेन प्रजापालनतत्परः। प्राप्य धर्मं च कीर्तिं च लोकावाप्नोत्युभौ शुचिः ॥१२-८६-२॥
One who is pure in conduct and devoted to protecting his people attains both righteousness and fame in the world.
युधिष्ठिर उवाच॥
Yudhiṣṭhira said:
कीदृशं व्यवहारं तु कैश्च व्यवहरेन्नृपः। एतत्पृष्टो महाप्राज्ञ यथावद्वक्तुमर्हसि ॥१२-८६-३॥
O greatly wise one, you have been asked: 'Of what kind of conduct and with whom should a king interact?' Please explain this properly.
ये चैते पूर्वकथिता गुणास्ते पुरुषं प्रति। नैकस्मिन्पुरुषे ह्येते विद्यन्त इति मे मतिः ॥१२-८६-४॥
It is my opinion that these previously-mentioned qualities are not found together in any one person.
भीष्म उवाच॥
Bhīṣma said:
एवमेतन्महाप्राज्ञ यथा वदसि बुद्धिमान्। दुर्लभः पुरुषः कश्चिदेभिर्गुणगुणैर्युतः ॥१२-८६-५॥
O greatly wise one, it is just as you say, O intelligent one. A man endowed with these qualities and virtues is indeed rare.
किं तु सङ्क्षेपतः शीलं प्रयत्ने नेह दुर्लभम्। वक्ष्यामि तु यथामात्यान्यादृशांश्च करिष्यसि ॥१२-८६-६॥
But, in brief, good conduct is not difficult to obtain here with effort. I shall tell you, however, how you should appoint ministers of such kind.
चतुरो ब्राह्मणान्वैद्यान्प्रगल्भान्सात्त्विकाञ्शुचीन्। त्रींश्च शूद्रान्विनीतांश्च शुचीन्कर्मणि पूर्वके ॥१२-८६-७॥
Four Brāhmaṇas who are physicians, eloquent, endowed with sattva, and pure; and three Śūdras who are humble and pure in their actions, were the former ones.
अष्टाभिश्च गुणैर्युक्तं सूतं पौराणिकं चरेत्। पञ्चाशद्वर्षवयसं प्रगल्भमनसूयकम् ॥१२-८६-८॥
A charioteer and reciter of the Purāṇas should possess eight qualities, be fifty years old, confident, and free from envy.
मतिस्मृतिसमायुक्तं विनीतं समदर्शनम्। कार्ये विवदमानानां शक्तमर्थेष्वलोलुपम् ॥१२-८६-९॥
One who is endowed with intellect and memory, is humble, sees all with equanimity; is capable in action among those who dispute, and is not greedy in matters.
विवर्जितानां व्यसनैः सुघोरैः सप्तभिर्भृशम्। अष्टानां मन्त्रिणां मध्ये मन्त्रं राजोपधारयेत् ॥१२-८६-१०॥
The king should deliberate on counsel among the eight ministers who are completely free from the seven most severe calamities.
ततः सम्प्रेषयेद्राष्ट्रे राष्ट्रायाथ च दर्शयेत्। अनेन व्यवहारेण द्रष्टव्यास्ते प्रजाः सदा ॥१२-८६-११॥
Then, the message should be sent throughout the kingdom and shown for the benefit of the kingdom. By this conduct, the subjects should always be regarded.
न चापि गूढं कार्यं ते ग्राह्यं कार्योपघातकम्। कार्ये खलु विपन्ने त्वां सोऽधर्मस्तांश्च पीडयेत् ॥१२-८६-१२॥
You should not accept any hidden action of yours that is destructive to the task. Indeed, if the task fails, unrighteousness would afflict you and them.
विद्रवेच्चैव राष्ट्रं ते श्येनात्पक्षिगणा इव। परिस्रवेच्च सततं नौर्विशीर्णेव सागरे ॥१२-८६-१३॥
Your kingdom would scatter like birds fleeing from a hawk, and would be lost continuously like a broken boat drifting in the ocean.
प्रजाः पालयतोऽसम्यगधर्मेणेह भूपतेः। हार्दं भयं सम्भवति स्वर्गश्चास्य विरुध्यते ॥१२-८६-१४॥
If a king here protects his subjects improperly, with unrighteousness, fear arises in his heart and he is deprived of heaven.
अथ योऽधर्मतः पाति राजामात्योऽथ वात्मजः। धर्मासने नियुक्तः सन्धर्ममूलं नरर्षभ ॥१२-८६-१५॥
O best of men, whoever, whether king, minister, or son, is appointed to the seat of justice but protects by unrighteous means, is (still) rooted in dharma.
कार्येष्वधिकृताः सम्यगकुर्वन्तो नृपानुगाः। आत्मानं पुरतः कृत्वा यान्त्यधः सहपार्थिवाः ॥१२-८६-१६॥
Those appointed to duties who do not perform them properly, being followers of the king, put themselves first and fall along with the other kings.
बलात्कृतानां बलिभिः कृपणं बहु जल्पताम्। नाथो वै भूमिपो नित्यमनाथानां नृणां भवेत् ॥१२-८६-१७॥
The king should always be the protector of helpless people, especially those who are oppressed by the powerful and those who are miserable and talk much.
ततः साक्षिबलं साधु द्वैधे वादकृतं भवेत्। असाक्षिकमनाथं वा परीक्ष्यं तद्विशेषतः ॥१२-८६-१८॥
Therefore, in cases of dispute involving two sides, the strength of witnesses should be properly considered; but if there are no witnesses or no support, that case should be especially examined.
अपराधानुरूपं च दण्डं पापेषु पातयेत्। उद्वेजयेद्धनैरृद्धान्दरिद्रान्वधबन्धनैः ॥१२-८६-१९॥
Punishment should be inflicted in proportion to the offense upon the sinful. The wealthy should be penalized with fines, and the poor with execution or imprisonment.
विनयैरपि दुर्वृत्तान्प्रहारैरपि पार्थिवः। सान्त्वेनोपप्रदानेन शिष्टांश्च परिपालयेत् ॥१२-८६-२०॥
The king should protect the wicked even by humility or by punishments, and the virtuous by conciliation and by giving gifts.
राज्ञो वधं चिकीर्षेद्यस्तस्य चित्रो वधो भवेत्। आजीवकस्य स्तेनस्य वर्णसङ्करकस्य च ॥१२-८६-२१॥
Whoever intends to kill the king will meet with a peculiar death; the same fate applies to an ājīvika, a thief, or one who causes caste-mixing.
सम्यक्प्रणयतो दण्डं भूमिपस्य विशां पते। युक्तस्य वा नास्त्यधर्मो धर्म एवेह शाश्वतः ॥१२-८६-२२॥
O lord of the people, when the king properly administers punishment, for one who is just there is no unrighteousness; here, righteousness alone is eternal.
कामकारेण दण्डं तु यः कुर्यादविचक्षणः। स इहाकीर्तिसंयुक्तो मृतो नरकमाप्नुयात् ॥१२-८६-२३॥
But if an unwise person inflicts punishment out of personal desire, he will be disgraced here and, after death, will attain hell.
न परस्य श्रवादेव परेषां दण्डमर्पयेत्। आगमानुगमं कृत्वा बध्नीयान्मोक्षयेत वा ॥१२-८६-२४॥
One should not impose punishment on others merely based on hearsay. After following scriptural authority, one should either bind or release.
न तु हन्यान्नृपो जातु दूतं कस्याञ्चिदापदि। दूतस्य हन्ता निरयमाविशेत्सचिवैः सह ॥१२-८६-२५॥
A king must never kill a messenger, even in the gravest adversity. Whoever kills a messenger will enter hell along with his ministers.
यथोक्तवादिनं दूतं क्षत्रधर्मरतो नृपः। यो हन्यात्पितरस्तस्य भ्रूणहत्यामवाप्नुयुः ॥१२-८६-२६॥
If a king devoted to kṣatriya duty kills a messenger who speaks as instructed, his ancestors would incur the sin of killing an embryo.
कुलीनः शीलसम्पन्नो वाग्मी दक्षः प्रियंवदः। यथोक्तवादी स्मृतिमान्दूतः स्यात्सप्तभिर्गुणैः ॥१२-८६-२७॥
A messenger should possess seven qualities: noble lineage, good conduct, eloquence, skill, pleasant speech, fidelity to instructions, and a good memory.
एतैरेव गुणैर्युक्तः प्रतीहारोऽस्य रक्षिता। शिरोरक्षश्च भवति गुणैरेतैः समन्वितः ॥१२-८६-२८॥
Endowed with these very virtues, the doorkeeper becomes his protector. The head-guard too, when endowed with these virtues, fulfills his role.
धर्मार्थशास्त्रतत्त्वज्ञः सन्धिविग्रहको भवेत्। मतिमान्धृतिमान्धीमान्रहस्यविनिगूहिता ॥१२-८६-२९॥
One who knows the principles of the treatises on righteousness and wealth, who is capable of making alliances and resolving conflicts, should be intelligent, steadfast, wise, and able to keep secrets.
कुलीनः सत्यसम्पन्नः शक्तोऽमात्यः प्रशंसितः। एतैरेव गुणैर्युक्तस्तथा सेनापतिर्भवेत् ॥१२-८६-३०॥
A minister should be of noble birth, truthful, capable, and praised; likewise, the commander should possess only these qualities.
व्यूहयन्त्रायुधीयानां तत्त्वज्ञो विक्रमान्वितः। वर्षशीतोष्णवातानां सहिष्णुः पररन्ध्रवित् ॥१२-८६-३१॥
He is one who knows the principles of formations, machines, and weapons, is endowed with valor, endures rain, cold, heat, and winds, and knows the weaknesses of others.
विश्वासयेत्परांश्चैव विश्वसेन्न तु कस्यचित्। पुत्रेष्वपि हि राजेन्द्र विश्वासो न प्रशस्यते ॥१२-८६-३२॥
You may inspire trust in others, but do not place your trust in anyone. O king, even trust in one's own sons is not considered wise.
एतच्छास्त्रार्थतत्त्वं तु तवाख्यातं मयानघ। अविश्वासो नरेन्द्राणां गुह्यं परममुच्यते ॥१२-८६-३३॥
O sinless one, I have revealed to you the true essence of the meaning of the śāstra. The supreme secret is said to be the distrust of kings.
