12.091
bhīṣma uvāca॥
Bhīṣma said.
yānaṅgirāḥ kṣatradharmānutatthyo brahmavittamaḥ। māndhātre yauvanāśvāya prītimānabhyabhāṣata ॥12-91-1॥
The sage Angiras, Anutathya, the foremost knower of Brahman and follower of the kṣatriya duty, affectionately spoke to Māndhātṛ and Yauvanāśva.
sa yathānuśaśāsa enam utathyo brahmavittamaḥ। tat te sarvaṃ pravakṣyāmi nikhilena yudhiṣṭhira ॥12-91-2॥
Utathya, the foremost knower of Brahman, instructed him as follows. Now, O Yudhiṣṭhira, I shall explain all of that to you in full.
utathya uvāca॥
Utathya said.
dharmāya rājā bhavati na kāmakaraṇāya tu। māndhātarevaṃ jānīhi rājā lokasya rakṣitā ॥12-91-3॥
A king exists for the sake of dharma, not for fulfilling personal desires. Know this, O Māndhātṛ: the king is the protector of the people.
rājā carati vai dharmaṃ devatvāyaiva gacchati। na ceddharmaṃ sa carati narakāyaiva gacchati ॥12-91-4॥
If a king acts according to righteousness, he attains divinity; but if he does not act righteously, he goes to hell.
dharme tiṣṭhanti bhūtāni dharmo rājani tiṣṭhati। taṃ rājā sādhu yaḥ śāsti sa rājā pṛthivīpatiḥ ॥12-91-5॥
All beings are established in dharma; dharma is established in the king. The king who rules properly is truly the king, the lord of the earth.
rājā paramadharmātmā lakṣmīvānpāpa ucyate। devāśca garhāṃ gacchanti dharmo nāstīti cocyate ॥12-91-6॥
Even a king of supreme righteousness and fortune is called sinful; the gods are reproached, and it is said that righteousness does not exist.
adharme vartamānānām arthasiddhiḥ pradṛśyate। tadeva maṅgalaṃ sarvaṃ lokaḥ samanuvartate ॥12-91-7॥
When those who act unrighteously succeed, that alone is considered auspicious, and all people follow it.
ucchidyate dharmavṛttamadharmo vartate mahān। bhayam āhur divārātraṃ yadā pāpo na vāryate ॥12-91-8॥
When the course of righteousness is destroyed and great unrighteousness prevails, people say there is fear day and night, when sin is not restrained.
na vedān anuvartanti vratavanto dvijātayaḥ। na yajñāṃs tanvate viprā yadā pāpo na vāryate॥12-91-9॥
When sin is not restrained, the twice-born who possess vows do not follow the Vedas, nor do the Brāhmaṇas perform sacrifices.
vadhyānām iva sarveṣāṃ mano bhavati vihvalam। manuṣyāṇāṃ mahārāja yadā pāpo na vāryate ॥12-91-10॥
O great king, when sin is not restrained among men, the minds of all become agitated, just like those who are about to be slain.
ubhau lokāv abhiprekṣya rājānam ṛṣayaḥ svayam। asṛjan sumahad bhūtam ayaṃ dharmo bhaviṣyati ॥12-91-11॥
The sages, after considering both worlds, themselves created the king. This great being, dharma, will exist.
yasmin dharmo virājeta taṃ rājānaṃ pracakṣate। yasmin vilīyate dharmas taṃ devā vṛṣalaṃ viduḥ ॥12-91-12॥
He in whom dharma shines is called a king; he in whom dharma is destroyed, the gods know as an outcaste.
vṛṣo hi bhagavāndharmo yas tasya kurute hy alam। vṛṣalaṃ taṃ vidur devās tasmād dharmaṃ na lopayet ॥12-91-13॥
The bull is indeed the revered dharma; whoever acts contrary to it is known by the gods as unrighteous. Therefore, one should not let dharma perish.
dharme vardhati vardhanti sarvabhūtāni sarvadā। tasmin hrasati hīyante tasmād dharmaṃ pravardhayet ॥12-91-14॥
When dharma flourishes, all beings always prosper; when it diminishes, they decline. Therefore, one should promote dharma.
dhanātsravati dharmo hi dhāraṇādveti niścayaḥ। akāryāṇāṃ manuṣyendra sa sīmāntakaraḥ smṛtaḥ ॥12-91-15॥
O king of men, it is certain that dharma flows from wealth and certainty arises from sustaining. One who engages in improper acts is remembered as a destroyer of boundaries.
prabhavārthaṃ hi bhūtānāṃ dharmaḥ sṛṣṭaḥ svayambhuvā। tasmāt pravardhayed dharmaṃ prajānugrahakāraṇāt ॥12-91-16॥
Dharma was established by the Self-born (Brahmā) for the creation of beings. Therefore, one should uphold dharma for the welfare of all creatures.
tasmāddhi rājaśārdūla dharmaḥ śreṣṭha iti smṛtaḥ। sa rājā yaḥ prajāḥ śāsti sādhukṛtpuruṣarṣabhaḥ ॥12-91-17॥
Therefore, O best of kings, it is remembered that dharma is supreme. That king who rules his subjects righteously is the best among men.
kāmakrodhāvanādṛtya dharmamevānupālayet। dharmaḥ śreyaskaratamo rājñāṃ bharatasattama ॥12-91-18॥
O best of the Bharatas, disregarding desire and anger, a king should uphold only dharma, for dharma brings the greatest good to rulers.
dharmasya brāhmaṇā yonis tasmāt tān pūjayet sadā। brāhmaṇānāṃ ca māndhātaḥ kāmān kuryād amatsarī ॥12-91-19॥
The Brāhmaṇas are the source of righteousness; therefore, they should always be honored. O Māndhāta, one should fulfill the wishes of the Brāhmaṇas without jealousy.
teṣāṃ hy akāmakaraṇād rājñaḥ sañjāyate bhayam। mitrāṇi ca na vardhante tathā amitrī bhavanti api ॥12-91-20॥
Indeed, when people act against the king's wishes, fear arises among them; their friends do not grow, and thus, even friends may become enemies.
brāhmaṇān vai tad āsūyād yadā vairocano baliḥ। athāsmāc chrīr apākrāmad yā asmin āsīt pratāpinī ॥12-91-21॥
When Bali, the son of Virocana, envied the Brāhmaṇas, the glorious prosperity that was in him departed from him.
tatas tasmād apakramya sa agacchat pākāśāsanam। atha saḥ anvatapat paścāt śriyam dṛṣṭvā puraṁdare ॥12-91-22॥
Then, having departed from there, he went to Indra. Seeing Śrī in Indra, he followed after.
etat phalam asūyāyāḥ abhimānasya ca abhibho। tasmāt budhyasva māndhātar mā tvā jahyāt pratāpinī ॥12-91-23॥
This is the result of envy and pride, O conqueror. Therefore, understand this, O Māndhātṛ; do not let your burning energy leave you.
darpo nāma śriyaḥ putro jajñe'dharmāditi śrutiḥ। tena devāsurā rājannītāḥ subahuśo vaśam ॥12-91-24॥
The śruti says: 'Pride', the son of Śrī, was born from adharma. By him, O king, both gods and asuras were repeatedly brought under control.
rājarṣayaś ca bahavas tasmād budhyasva pārthiva। rājā bhavati taṃ jitvā dāsas tena parājitaḥ ॥12-91-25॥
O king, understand that many royal sages have existed. One who conquers becomes king; the one defeated by him becomes a servant.
sa yathā darpa-sahitam adharmaṃ nānusevase। tathā vartasva māndhātaś ciraṃ cet sthātum icchasi॥12-91-26॥
Just as you do not follow unrighteousness with arrogance, in the same way, O Māndhāta, conduct yourself if you wish to remain for a long time.
mattāt pramattāt pogaṇḍād unmattāc ca viśeṣataḥ। tad abhyāsād upāvartād ahitānāṃ ca sevanāt ॥12-91-27॥
Especially, one should avoid actions learned from the intoxicated, the careless, the child, the insane, from repeated practice, from association with the harmful, and from indulgence.
nigṛhītādamātyācca strībhyashcaiva viśeṣataḥ। parvatādviṣamāddurgāddhastino'śvātsarīsṛpāt ॥12-91-28॥
Especially beware of the restrained, ministers, and women; also from mountains, uneven ground, fortresses, elephants, horses, and reptiles.
etebhyo nityayattaḥ syān naktañcaryāṃ ca varjayet। atyāyaṃ cātimānaṃ ca dambhaṃ krodhaṃ ca varjayet ॥12-91-29॥
One should always be devoted to these; one should avoid night-wandering, excessive effort, arrogance, hypocrisy, and anger.
avijñātāsu ca strīṣu klībāsu svairiṇīṣu ca। parabhāryāsu kanyāsu nācaremmaithunaṃ nṛpaḥ ॥12-91-30॥
A king should not engage in sexual union with unknown women, impotent women, unchaste women, other men's wives, or maidens.
kuleṣu pāparakṣāṃsi jāyante varṇasaṅkarāt। apumāṃso'ṅgahīnāśca sthūlajihvā vicetasaḥ ॥12-91-31॥
When castes are mixed, evil spirits arise in families; there are also those who lack manliness, are limb-deficient, thick-tongued, and unintelligent.
ete cānye ca jāyante yadā rājā pramādyati। tasmādrājñā viśeṣeṇa vartitavyaṃ prajāhite ॥12-91-32॥
When the king is negligent, such people and others arise. Therefore, the king must especially conduct himself for the welfare of his subjects.
kṣatriyasya pramattasya doṣaḥ sañjāyate mahān। adharmāḥ sampravartante prajāsaṅkarakārakāḥ ॥12-91-33॥
When a kṣatriya becomes negligent, a great fault arises; unrighteous acts that cause confusion among the people are set in motion.
aśīte vidyate śītaṃ śīte śītaṃ na vidyate। avṛṣṭirativṛṣṭiśca vyādhiścāviśati prajāḥ ॥12-91-34॥
When there is no cold, cold is present; when it is cold, cold is absent. Drought, excessive rain, and disease afflict the people.
nakṣatrāṇy upatiṣṭhanti grahā ghorās tathāpare। utpātāś cātra dṛśyante bahavo rājanāśanāḥ ॥12-91-35॥
Stars and planets, some of which are terrible, approach; likewise, many ominous portents destructive to kings are seen here.
arakṣitātmā yo rājā prajāś cāpi na rakṣati। prajāś ca tasya kṣīyante tāś ca so'nu vinaśyati ॥12-91-36॥
A king who does not protect himself and his subjects, his subjects dwindle, and he himself perishes after them.
dvāvādadāte hy ekasya dvayoś ca bahavo'pare। kumāryaḥ sampralupyante tad āhur nṛpadūṣaṇam ॥12-91-37॥
It is said to be a disgrace to kings when two take from one, and from two, many others; thus, maidens are completely lost.
mamaitaditi naikasya manuṣyeṣvavatiṣṭhate। tyaktvā dharmaṃ yadā rājā pramādam anutiṣṭhati ॥12-91-38॥
The notion 'this is mine' does not remain with any one among men. When a king abandons righteousness, he acts negligently.
