12.087
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca॥
Yudhiṣṭhira said:
kathaṃ-vidhaṃ puraṃ rājā svayam-āvastum-arhati। kṛtaṃ vā kārayitvā vā tan me brūhi pitāmaha ॥12-87-1॥
O grandsire, tell me what kind of city a king himself deserves to reside in, whether it is built by himself or caused to be built.
bhīṣma uvāca॥
Bhīṣma said:
yatra kaunteya vastavyaṃ saputrabhrātṛbandhunā। nyāyyaṃ tatra paripraṣṭuṃ guptiṃ vṛttiṃ ca bhārata॥12-87-2॥
O Bhārata, wherever, O son of Kunti, one should live with sons, brothers, and relatives, it is proper there to enquire about justice, protection, and means of living.
tasmātte vartayiṣyāmi durgakarma viśeṣataḥ। śrutvā tathā vidhātavyam anuṣṭheyaṃ ca yatnataḥ ॥12-87-3॥
Therefore, I will inform you especially about the fort-related tasks; after hearing, you should arrange and perform them diligently.
ṣaḍ-vidhaṃ durgamāsthāya purāṇyatha niveśayet। sarva-sampat-pradhānaṃ yad-bāhulyaṃ vāpi sambhavet॥12-87-4॥
One should establish themselves in ancient fortresses of six types; whatever is the chief among all wealth, or even abundance, may be found there.
dhanvadurgaṃ mahīdurgaṃ giridurgaṃ tathaiva ca। manuṣyadurgamabdurgaṃ vanadurgaṃ ca tāni ṣaṭ ॥12-87-5॥
There are six types of forts: desert, earth, mountain, human, water, and forest.
yatpuraṃ durgasampannaṃ dhānyāyudhasamanvitam। dṛḍhaprākāraparikhaṃ hastyaśvarathasaṅkulam ॥12-87-6॥
That city, which was well-fortified, rich in grain and weapons, with strong ramparts and moats, and teeming with elephants, horses, and chariots.
vidvāṃsaḥ śilpino yatra nicayāś ca susañcitāḥ। dhārmikaś ca jano yatra dākṣyam uttamam āsthitaḥ ॥12-87-7॥
Where learned people and artisans, and well-accumulated resources are found; where righteous people and excellent skill are established.
ūrjasvinara-nāgāśvaṃ catvarāpaṇaśobhitam। prasiddhavyavahāraṃ ca praśāntamakutobhayam ॥12-87-8॥
It was a city full of strength, bustling with men, elephants, and horses, adorned with crossroads and markets, famous for its commerce, peaceful and free from all fear.
suprabhaṃ sānunādaṃ ca supraśastaniveśanam। śūrāḍhyajanasampannaṃ brahmaghoṣānunāditam ॥12-87-9॥
It was a very bright place, echoing with sounds, with excellent dwellings, filled with valorous and wealthy people, and resounding with the chants of Brahmins.
samājotsavasampannaṃ sadāpūjitadaivatam। vaśyāmātyabalo rājā tatpuraṃ svayamāvaset ॥12-87-10॥
The king should himself reside in that city which is endowed with social festivals, always worshipped divinity, and has submissive ministers and strength.
tatra kośaṃ balaṃ mitraṃ vyavahāraṃ ca vardhayet. pure janapade caiva sarvadoṣān nivartayet ॥12-87-11॥
There, one should strengthen the treasury, army, allies, and administration; and in both the city and the country, all faults should be eliminated.
bhāṇḍāgārāyudhāgāraṃ prayatnenābhivardhayet। nicayānvardhayetsarvāṃstathā yantragadāgadān ॥12-87-12॥
He should diligently expand the treasury and armory, and similarly increase all stores, machines, maces, and other weapons.
kāṣṭha-loha-tuṣāṅgāra-dāru-śṛṅga-asthi-vaiṇavān। majjā-sneha-vasā-kṣaudra-mauṣadha-grāmam-eva ca ॥12-87-13॥
And also the village, indeed: wood, iron, husk, charcoal, timber, horn, bone, flute, marrow, oil, fat, honey, and medicine.
śaṇaṃ sarjarasaṃ dhānyam āyudhāni śarāṃs tathā। carma snāyu tathā vetraṃ muñjabalbajadhanvanān ॥12-87-14॥
Flax, sal tree resin, grain, weapons, arrows, as well as hide, sinew, cane, sacrificial grass, bulbous grass, and bows.
āśayāś codapānāś ca prabhūtasalilā varāḥ। niroddhavyāḥ sadā rājñā kṣīriṇaś ca mahīruhāḥ॥12-87-15॥
Reservoirs and wells with abundant water, which are excellent, should always be protected by the king, as well as the sap-producing trees.
satkṛtāś ca prayatnena ācārya-ṛtvik-purohitāḥ। maheṣvāsāḥ sthapatayaḥ sāṃvatsara-cikitsakāḥ ॥12-87-16॥
Teachers, priests, family priests, great archers, chief architects, and annual physicians were all honored with effort.
prājñā medhāvino dāntā dakṣāḥ śūrā bahuśrutāḥ। kulīnāḥ sattvasampannā yuktāḥ sarveṣu karmasu॥12-87-17॥
Those who are wise, intelligent, self-restrained, skilful, valiant, well-learned, noble, endowed with excellence, and engaged in all actions.
pūjayed dhārmikān rājā nigṛhṇīyād adhārmikān। niyuñjyāc ca prayatnena sarva-varṇān svakarmasu ॥12-87-18॥
The king should honor the righteous, restrain the unrighteous, and diligently engage all classes in their respective duties.
bāhyamābhyantaraṃ caiva paurajānapadaṃ janam। cāraiḥ suviditaṃ kṛtvā tataḥ karma prayojayet ॥12-87-19॥
After ensuring that both the internal and external people, including townspeople and country people, are well-known through spies, then the action should be carried out.
cārān mantraṃ ca kośaṃ ca mantraṃ caiva viśeṣataḥ। anutiṣṭhet svayaṃ rājā sarvaṃ hy atra pratiṣṭhitam ॥12-87-20॥
The king should personally supervise spies, counsel, and the treasury, and especially the counsel, for everything depends on these.
udāsīnāramitrāṇāṃ sarvameva cikīrṣitam। pure janapade caiva jñātavyaṃ cāracakṣuṣā ॥12-87-21॥
One must know, through the eyes of spies, everything intended by neutrals, enemies, and friends, both in the city and in the country.
tatas tathā vidhātavyaṃ sarvam evāpramādataḥ। bhaktān pujayatā nityaṃ dviṣataś ca nigṛhṇatā ॥12-87-22॥
Therefore, everything should be done in this manner without any negligence: always honor the devotees and restrain the enemies.
yaṣṭavyaṃ kratubhirnityaṃ dātavyaṃ cāpyapīḍayā। prajānāṃ rakṣaṇaṃ kāryaṃ na kāryaṃ karma garhitam ॥12-87-23॥
One should always perform sacrifices, give gifts without causing harm, and protect the subjects; blameworthy actions should not be done.
kṛpaṇānātha-vṛddhānāṃ vidhavānāṃ ca yoṣitām। yoga-kṣemaṃ ca vṛttiṃ ca nityam eva prakalpayet ॥12-87-24॥
One should always arrange for the acquisition, preservation, and livelihood of the miserable, the unprotected, the aged, the widows, and women.
āśrameṣu yathākālaṃ celabhājanabhojanam। sadaivopaharedrājā satkṛtyānavamanya ca ॥12-87-25॥
The king should always respectfully provide cloth, vessels, and food to the āśramas at the appropriate times, never showing any disrespect.
ātmānaṃ sarvakāryāṇi tāpase rājyam-eva ca। nivedayet-prayatnena tiṣṭhet-prahvaś-ca sarvadā ॥12-87-26॥
One should dedicate oneself, all actions, and even the kingdom to the ascetic; with effort, one should always remain humble.
sarvārthatyāginaṃ rājā kule jātaṃ bahuśrutam। pūjayettādṛśaṃ dṛṣṭvā śayanāsanabhojanaiḥ ॥12-87-27॥
When a king sees a person who has renounced all worldly objects, is born in a noble family, and is well-learned, he should honor such a person with proper arrangements for bed, seat, and food.
tasmin kurvīta viśvāsaṃ rājā kasyāñcid āpadi। tāpaseṣu hi viśvāsam api kurvanti dasyavaḥ ॥12-87-28॥
A king should place trust in him only in some calamity. For even thieves place trust in ascetics.
tasminnidhīnādadhīta prajñāṃ paryādadīta ca। na cāpyabhīkṣṇaṃ seveta bhṛśaṃ vā pratipūjayet ॥12-87-29॥
One should entrust treasures and impart wisdom to such a person, but should neither associate with him too often nor show him excessive honor.
anyaḥ kāryaḥ svarāṣṭreṣu pararāṣṭreṣu cāparaḥ। aṭavīṣv-aparaḥ kāryaḥ sāmantanagareṣu ca ॥12-87-30॥
There is a different task for one's own kingdoms, another for foreign kingdoms, yet another for forests, and a separate task for vassal cities.
teṣu satkārasaṃskārān saṃvibhāgāṃś ca kārayet। pararāṣṭrāṭavīstheṣu yathā svaviṣaye tathā ॥12-87-31॥
He should ensure that honors, refinements, and distributions are carried out among them; in foreign kingdoms and forest regions, just as in his own territory, so too should it be done.
te kasyāñcidavasthāyāṃ śaraṇaṃ śaraṇārthine। rājñe dadyuryathākāmaṃ tāpasāḥ saṃśitavratāḥ ॥12-87-32॥
At some point, those ascetics of firm vows would give refuge to the king seeking shelter, as they wished.
eṣa te lakṣaṇoddeśaḥ saṅkṣepena prakīrtitaḥ। yādṛśaṃ nagaraṃ rājā svayam āvastum arhati ॥12-87-33॥
This is the brief description of the characteristics that I have declared to you. The kind of city in which a king himself deserves to dwell.
