12.088
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca॥
Yudhiṣṭhira said:
rāṣṭraguptiṃ ca me rājan rāṣṭrasyaiva ca saṅgraham। samyag jijñāsamānāya prabrūhi bharatarṣabha ॥12-88-1॥
O king, please explain to me the protection of the kingdom and also the summary of the kingdom, properly, O best of the Bharatas, to one who is inquiring.
bhīṣma uvāca॥
Bhīṣma said:
rāṣṭraguptiṃ ca te samyagrāṣṭrasyaiva ca saṅgraham। hanta sarvaṃ pravakṣyāmi tattvamekamanāḥ śṛṇu ॥12-88-2॥
I shall now explain to you the complete protection and summary of the kingdom; listen with a focused mind to the truth.
grāmasyādhipatiḥ kāryo daśagrāmyas tathāparaḥ। dviguṇāyāḥ śatasyaivaṃ sahasrasya ca kārayet ॥12-88-3॥
The lord of a village should be appointed; similarly, another (officer) over ten villages; in this way, for double that number, over a hundred and a thousand, officers should be appointed accordingly.
grāme yān grāma-doṣāṁś ca grāmikaḥ paripālayet। tān brūyād daśa-pāy āsau sa tu viṁśati-pāya vai ॥12-88-4॥
In the village, the village head should protect and report any faults to the officer over ten villages, who in turn should report them to the officer over twenty villages.
so'pi viṃśatyadhipatir vṛttaṃ jānapade jane. grāmāṇāṃ śatapālāya sarvam eva nivedayet ॥12-88-5॥
The overseer of twenty villages should report all matters concerning the conduct of the people in the district to the superintendent of a hundred villages.
yāni grāmiṇabhojyāni grāmikas tāny upāśnuyāt। daśapas tena bhartavyas tenāpi dviguṇādhipaḥ ॥12-88-6॥
The village headman should partake of the foods suitable for villagers. He should also maintain the tax collector and, in addition, the superior of double rank.
grāmaṃ grāmaśatādhyakṣo bhoktum arhati satkṛtaḥ। mahāntaṃ bharataśreṣṭha susphītajanasankulam॥ tatra hy anekam āyattaṃ rājño bhavati bhārata॥12-88-7॥
When the superintendent of a hundred villages is honored, he deserves to enjoy the village. O best of the Bharatas, in a great village crowded with prosperous people, many matters indeed become dependent on the king, O Bhārata.
śākhānagaram arhastu sahasrapatir uttamam। dhānyahairaṇyabhogena bhoktuṃ rāṣṭriya udyataḥ ॥12-88-8॥
Let the branch city be worthy, with an excellent lord of a thousand, ready to enjoy the wealth of grain and gold of the kingdom.
tathā yad-grāmakṛtyaṃ syād-grāmikṛtyaṃ ca te svayam। dharmajñaḥ sacivaḥ kaścit tat-prapaśyed atandritaḥ ॥12-88-9॥
In this way, whatever duties of the village or the headman there may be, you yourself, or a minister who knows dharma, should carefully observe them without negligence.
nagare nagare ca syādekaḥ sarvārthacintakaḥ। uccaiḥsthāne ghorarūpo nakṣatrāṇāmiva grahaḥ ॥ bhavetsa tānparikrāmetsarvāneva sadā svayam ॥12-88-10॥
In every city, there may be one who contemplates all matters; he, of terrible form and occupying a high place, like a planet among the stars, may always himself move among them all.
vikrayaṃ krayamadhvānaṃ bhaktaṃ ca saparivyayam। yogakṣemaṃ ca samprekṣya vaṇijaḥ kārayetkarān ॥12-88-11॥
The merchant, having considered the sale, the route of purchase, food, all expenses, and the acquisition and preservation, should pay the taxes.
utpattiṃ dānavṛttiṃ ca śilpaṃ samprekṣya ca asakṛt। śilpapratikarān eva śilpinaḥ prati kārayet ॥12-88-12॥
Having repeatedly considered the origin, the practice of giving, and the craft, one should ensure that the artisans are given appropriate rewards for their work.
uccāvacakarā nyāyyāḥ pūrvarājñāṃ yudhiṣṭhira। yathā yathā na hīyeraṃstathā kuryānmahīpatiḥ ॥12-88-13॥
O Yudhiṣṭhira, the king should act in such a way, following the just and varied precedents of former kings, so that his rule does not decline.
phalaṃ karma ca samprekṣya tataḥ sarvaṃ prakalpayet। phalaṃ karma ca nirhetu na kaścit sampravartayet ॥12-88-14॥
One should plan everything after considering the result and the action. No one should engage in action without a cause or purpose.
yathā rājā ca kartā ca syātāṃ karmaṇi bhāginau। samavekṣya tathā rājñā praṇeyāḥ satataṃ karāḥ ॥12-88-15॥
Just as both the king and the agent are considered participants in an action, so too, taxes should always be imposed by the king after due consideration.
nocchindyād ātmano mūlaṃ pareṣāṃ vāpi tṛṣṇayā| īhādvārāṇi saṃrudhya rājā samprītidarśanaḥ ॥12-88-16॥
One should not destroy the foundation of oneself or others out of desire; having restrained all avenues of effort, the king appears content.
pradviṣanti parikhyātaṃ rājānam atikhādinam। pradviṣṭasya kutaḥ śreyaḥ sampriyo labhate priyam ॥12-88-17॥
People hate a well-known king who is excessively greedy. How can one who is hated attain welfare? Only one who is truly dear obtains affection.
vatsaupamyena dogdhavyaṃ rāṣṭram akṣīṇabuddhinā। bhṛto vatso jātabalaḥ pīḍāṃ sahati bhārata ॥12-88-18॥
O Bhārata, just as a calf, when nourished and grown strong, endures pain, so too should the kingdom be managed wisely by one of undiminished intellect.
na karma kurute vatso bhṛśaṃ dugdho yudhiṣṭhira। rāṣṭram apy atidugdhaṃ hi na karma kurute mahat ॥12-88-19॥
O Yudhiṣṭhira, a calf that has been excessively milked does not yield (any more) milk; likewise, a kingdom that is over-exploited does not produce great results.
yo rāṣṭram anugṛhṇāti parigṛhya svayaṃ nṛpaḥ। sañjātam upajīvansa labhate sumahatphalam ॥12-88-20॥
The king who, having protected and favored his kingdom himself, sustains what has arisen, obtains very great rewards.
āpadarthaṃ hi nicayān rājāna iha cinvate। rāṣṭraṃ ca kośabhūtaṃ syāt kośo veśmagatas tathā ॥12-88-21॥
Indeed, the king gathers wealth here for times of calamity; the kingdom should serve as a treasury, and the treasury is likewise kept within the house.
paurajanapadānsarvāṁsaṁśritopāśritāṁstathā। yathāśaktyanukampeta sarvānabhyantarānapi ॥12-88-22॥
He should show compassion, according to his ability, to all citizens, countrymen, those who have taken refuge, those who are dependent, and likewise to all those who are internal as well.
bāhyaṃ janaṃ bhedayitvā bhoktavyo madhyamaḥ sukham। evaṃ na samprakupyante janāḥ sukhitaduḥkhitāḥ ॥12-88-23॥
By keeping external people apart, one should enjoy moderate happiness; in this way, both happy and unhappy people do not become greatly disturbed.
prāgeva tu karādānam anubhāṣya punaḥ punaḥ। saṃnipatya svaviṣaye bhayaṃ rāṣṭre pradarśayet ॥12-88-24॥
Even before, one should repeatedly discuss the giving of tribute; after assembling in one's own territory, one should display fear in the kingdom.
iyam āpatsamutpannā paracakrabhayaṃ mahat। api nāntāya kalpeta veṇoriva phalāgamaḥ ॥12-88-25॥
This calamity, the great fear caused by the enemy's army, may not end at all, just as the bamboo does not bear fruit (or, its fruiting marks its end).
arayo me samutthāya bahubhir dasyubhiḥ saha। idam ātmavadhāyaiva rāṣṭram icchanti bādhitum ॥12-88-26॥
My enemies, having risen together with many robbers, now wish to harm this kingdom solely for its destruction.
asyām āpadi ghorāyāṃ samprāpte dāruṇe bhaye। paritrāṇāya bhavatāṃ prārthayiṣye dhanāni vaḥ॥12-88-27॥
In this dreadful calamity, when cruel fear has come, I shall request your wealth for deliverance.
pratidāsyē ca bhavatāṃ sarvaṃ cāhaṃ bhayakṣayē| nārayaḥ pratidāsyanti yaddhareyurbalāditaḥ ॥12-88-28॥
I will return all your possessions when the danger has passed, and men will restore whatever they may have taken from here by force.
kalatramāditaḥ kṛtvā naśyetsvaṃ svayameva hi। api cetputradārārthamarthasañcaya iṣyate ॥12-88-29॥
If one makes the wife the foremost, one's own wealth will surely perish by one's own doing. Even if the accumulation of wealth is desired for the sake of son and wife.
nandāmi vaḥ prabhāvena putrāṇām iva codaye। yathāśakty anugṛhṇāmi rāṣṭrasya apīḍayā ca vaḥ ॥12-88-30॥
I am delighted by your strength and encourage you as one would his own sons; I support you to the best of my ability for the good of the kingdom, and do so without causing you hardship.
āpatsveva ca voḍhavyaṃ bhavadbhiḥ sadgavairiva। na vaḥ priyataraṃ kāryaṃ dhanaṃ kasyāñcidāpadi॥12-88-31॥
In times of calamity, you must bear (the burden) just as good cows do; for you, there is no duty dearer than protecting the wealth of anyone in distress.
iti vācā madhurayā ślakṣṇayā sopacārayā। svaraśmī nabhyavasṛjed yugam ādāya kālavit ॥12-88-32॥
Thus, with sweet, gentle, and courteous words, the Sun, knowing the proper time, did not set the chariot in motion.
pracāraṃ bhṛtyabharaṇaṃ vyayaṃ gogrāmato bhayam। yogakṣemaṃ ca samprekṣya gominaḥ kārayetkarān ॥12-88-33॥
The king, after considering expansion, maintenance of servants, expenses, dangers from cow-villages, and the security and welfare of the realm, should levy taxes from the cow-owners.
upekṣitā hi naśyeyur gomināḥ araṇya-vāsinaḥ। tasmāt teṣu viśeṣeṇa mṛdu-pūrvaṃ samācaret ॥12-88-34॥
If neglected, cowherds and forest-dwellers would indeed perish; therefore, one should especially act towards them with gentleness.
sāntvanaṃ rakṣaṇaṃ dānam avasthā cāpy abhīkṣṇaśaḥ। gomināṃ pārtha kartavyaṃ saṃvibhāgāḥ priyāṇi ca ॥12-88-35॥
O Pārtha, it is the duty of cow-owners to constantly offer consolation, protection, gifts, attendance, sharing, and pleasant things.
ajasram-upayoktavyam phalam gomiṣu sarvataḥ। prabhāvayati rāṣṭraṃ ca vyavahāraṃ kṛṣiṃ tathā ॥12-88-36॥
The products of the cow should always be used in every possible way; they promote the prosperity of the nation, commerce, and agriculture alike.
tasmādgomiṣu yatnena prītiṃ kuryād vicakṣaṇaḥ। dayāvānapramattaś ca karān sampraṇayan mṛdūn ॥12-88-37॥
Therefore, the wise person should diligently show affection towards cows, being compassionate and attentive, and perform gentle actions.
sarvatra kṣemacaraṇaṃ sulabhaṃ tāta gomibhiḥ। na hyataḥ sadṛśaṃ kiñciddhanamasti yudhiṣṭhira ॥12-88-38॥
O Yudhiṣṭhira, everywhere, those who possess cows can easily attain safe movement; indeed, there is no wealth equal to this.
