12.093
युधिष्ठिर उवाच॥
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca॥
[युधिष्ठिर (yudhiṣṭhira) - Yudhiṣṭhira; (proper noun, name of a person); उवाच (uvāca) - said; (from the root 'vac', to speak);]
(Yudhiṣṭhira said;)
Yudhiṣṭhira said.
कथं धर्मे स्थातुमिच्छन्राजा वर्तेत धार्मिकः। पृच्छामि त्वा कुरुश्रेष्ठ तन्मे ब्रूहि पितामह ॥१२-९३-१॥
kathaṃ dharme sthātum icchan rājā varteta dhārmikaḥ। pṛcchāmi tvā kuruśreṣṭha tan me brūhi pitāmaha ॥12-93-1॥
[कथं (kathaṃ) - how; धर्मे (dharme) - in dharma; स्थातुम् (sthātum) - to stand; इच्छन् (icchan) - desiring; राजा (rājā) - king; वर्तेत (varteta) - should act; धार्मिकः (dhārmikaḥ) - righteous; पृच्छामि (pṛcchāmi) - I ask; त्वा (tvā) - you; कुरुश्रेष्ठ (kuruśreṣṭha) - O best of Kurus; तत् (tat) - that; मे (me) - to me; ब्रूहि (brūhi) - tell; पितामह (pitāmaha) - grandfather;]
(How in dharma to stand desiring king should act righteous; I ask you O best of Kurus, that to me tell, grandfather.)
O best of Kurus, grandfather, I ask you: How should a righteous king, desiring to stand in dharma, act? Please tell me that.
भीष्म उवाच॥
bhīṣma uvāca॥
[भीष्म (bhīṣma) - Bhīṣma; (name of the speaker); उवाच (uvāca) - said; spoke;]
(Bhīṣma said;)
Bhīṣma said:
अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम्। गीतं दृष्टार्थतत्त्वेन वामदेवेन धीमता ॥१२-९३-२॥
atrāpy udāharantīmam itihāsaṃ purātanam। gītaṃ dṛṣṭārthatattvena vāmadevena dhīmatā ॥12-93-2॥
[अत्र (atra) - here; अपि (api) - also; उदाहरन्ति (udāharanti) - they cite; इमम् (imam) - this; इतिहासम् (itihāsam) - history; पुरातनम् (purātanam) - ancient; गीतम् (gītam) - recited; दृष्टार्थतत्त्वेन (dṛṣṭārthatattvena) - with the principle of visible meaning; वामदेवेन (vāmadevena) - by Vāmadeva; धीमता (dhīmatā) - wise;]
(Here also they cite this ancient history, recited with the principle of visible meaning by the wise Vāmadeva.)
Here too, they recount this ancient story, as recited with practical insight by the wise Vāmadeva.
राजा वसुमना नाम कौसल्यो बलवाञ्शुचिः। महर्षिं परिपप्रच्छ वामदेवं यशस्विनम् ॥१२-९३-३॥
rājā vasumanā nāma kausalyo balavāñśuciḥ। maharṣiṃ paripapraccha vāmadevaṃ yaśasvinam ॥12-93-3॥
[राजा (rājā) - king; वसुमना (vasumanā) - Vasumanā; नाम (nāma) - named; कौसल्यः (kausalyaḥ) - of Kosala; बलवान् (balavān) - powerful; शुचिः (śuciḥ) - pure; महर्षिम् (maharṣim) - great sage; परिपप्रच्छ (paripapraccha) - asked; वामदेवम् (vāmadevam) - Vāmadeva; यशस्विनम् (yaśasvinam) - illustrious;]
(The king Vasumanā, named (so), of Kosala, powerful, pure, asked the great sage Vāmadeva, illustrious.)
The powerful and pure king Vasumanā of Kosala asked the illustrious sage Vāmadeva.
धर्मार्थसहितं वाक्यं भगवन्ननुशाधि माम्। येन वृत्तेन वै तिष्ठन्न च्यवेयं स्वधर्मतः ॥१२-९३-४॥
dharmārthasahitaṃ vākyaṃ bhagavann anuśādhi mām। yena vṛttena vai tiṣṭhan na cyaveyaṃ svadharmataḥ ॥12-93-4॥
[धर्मार्थसहितं (dharmārthasahitaṃ) - endowed with righteousness and purpose; वाक्यं (vākyaṃ) - speech; भगवन् (bhagavan) - O revered one; अनुशाधि (anuśādhi) - instruct; माम् (mām) - me; येन (yena) - by which; वृत्तेन (vṛttena) - conduct; वै (vai) - indeed; तिष्ठन् (tiṣṭhan) - remaining; न (na) - not; च्यवेयम् (cyaveyam) - I may fall; स्वधर्मतः (svadharmataḥ) - from my own duty;]
(O revered one, instruct me with speech endowed with righteousness and purpose, by which, indeed, remaining in that conduct, I may not fall from my own duty.)
O revered one, please instruct me with words that are righteous and purposeful, so that by following such conduct, I may not deviate from my own duty.
तमब्रवीद्वामदेवस्तपस्वी जपतां वरः। हेमवर्णमुपासीनं ययातिमिव नाहुषम् ॥१२-९३-५॥
tam abravīd vāmadevaḥ tapasvī japatāṃ varaḥ। hemavarṇam upāsīnaṃ yayātim iva nāhuṣam॥12-93-5॥
[तम् (tam) - him; अब्रवीत् (abravīt) - said; वामदेवः (vāmadevaḥ) - Vāmadeva; तपस्वी (tapasvī) - ascetic; जपताम् (japatām) - of those who recite (mantras); वरः (varaḥ) - the best; हेमवर्णम् (hemavarṇam) - golden-complexioned; उपासीनम् (upāsīnam) - seated near; ययातिम् (yayātim) - Yayāti; इव (iva) - like; नाहुषम् (nāhuṣam) - the son of Nahusha;]
(Vāmadeva, the ascetic, best among those who recite (mantras), said to him: (who was) golden-complexioned, seated near, like Yayāti, the son of Nahusha.)
Vāmadeva, the ascetic and foremost among those who recite mantras, addressed him, who was golden-complexioned and seated nearby, resembling Yayāti, the son of Nahusha.
धर्ममेवानुवर्तस्व न धर्माद्विद्यते परम्। धर्मे स्थिता हि राजानो जयन्ति पृथिवीमिमाम् ॥१२-९३-६॥
dharmamevānuvartasva na dharmād vidyate param। dharme sthitā hi rājāno jayanti pṛthivīm imām ॥12-93-6॥
[धर्मम् (dharmaṃ) - righteousness; एव (eva) - indeed; अनुवर्तस्व (anuvartasva) - follow; न (na) - not; धर्मात् (dharmāt) - from righteousness; विद्यते (vidyate) - exists; परम् (param) - higher; धर्मे (dharme) - in righteousness; स्थिताः (sthitāḥ) - established; हि (hi) - indeed; राजानः (rājānaḥ) - kings; जयन्ति (jayanti) - conquer; पृथिवीम् (pṛthivīm) - the earth; इमाम् (imām) - this;]
(Indeed, follow only righteousness; nothing is higher than righteousness. Kings established in righteousness indeed conquer this earth.)
Follow only righteousness; there is nothing superior to righteousness. Kings who are established in righteousness truly conquer this earth.
अर्थसिद्धेः परं धर्मं मन्यते यो महीपतिः। ऋतां च कुरुते बुद्धिं स धर्मेण विरोचते ॥१२-९३-७॥
arthasiddheḥ paraṃ dharmaṃ manyate yo mahīpatiḥ। ṛtāṃ ca kurute buddhiṃ sa dharmeṇa virocate ॥12-93-7॥
[अर्थसिद्धेः (arthasiddheḥ) - of attainment of wealth; परम् (param) - higher; धर्मम् (dharmaṃ) - dharma; मन्यते (manyate) - considers; यः (yaḥ) - who; महीपतिः (mahīpatiḥ) - king; ऋताम् (ṛtām) - truth; च (ca) - and; कुरुते (kurute) - makes; बुद्धिम् (buddhiṃ) - intellect; सः (saḥ) - he; धर्मेण (dharmeṇa) - by dharma; विरोचते (virocate) - shines;]
(Whoever king considers dharma higher than attainment of wealth, and makes his intellect (aligned) with truth, he shines by dharma.)
A king who regards dharma as superior to the attainment of wealth, and aligns his intellect with truth, shines by virtue of dharma.
अधर्मदर्शी यो राजा बलादेव प्रवर्तते। क्षिप्रमेवापयातोऽस्मादुभौ प्रथममध्यमौ ॥१२-९३-८॥
adharmadarśī yo rājā balādeva pravartate। kṣipramevāpayāto'smādubhau prathamamadhyamau ॥12-93-8॥
[अधर्मदर्शी (adharmadarśī) - one who observes unrighteousness; यः (yaḥ) - who; राजा (rājā) - king; बलात् (balāt) - by force; एव (eva) - indeed; प्रवर्तते (pravartate) - acts; क्षिप्रम् (kṣipram) - quickly; एव (eva) - indeed; अपयातः (apayātaḥ) - departed; अस्मात् (asmāt) - from this (place); उभौ (ubhau) - both; प्रथम (prathama) - first; मध्यमौ (madhyamau) - and middle (persons);]
(One who observes unrighteousness, the king who indeed acts by force, both the first and the middle (persons) quickly indeed have departed from this (place).)
If a king who observes unrighteousness acts by force, both the foremost and the middle persons quickly depart from here.
असत्पापिष्ठसचिवो वध्यो लोकस्य धर्महा। सहैव परिवारेण क्षिप्रमेवावसीदति ॥१२-९३-९॥
asat-pāpiṣṭha-sacivo vadhyo lokasya dharma-hā। sahaiva parivāreṇa kṣipram-evāvasīdati ॥12-93-9॥
[असत् (asat) - unrighteous; पापिष्ठ (pāpiṣṭha) - most sinful; सचिवः (sacivaḥ) - minister; वध्यः (vadhyaḥ) - to be executed; लोकस्य (lokasya) - of the people; धर्महा (dharma-hā) - destroyer of dharma; सह (saha) - together with; एव (eva) - indeed; परिवारेण (parivāreṇa) - with retinue; क्षिप्रम् (kṣipram) - quickly; एव (eva) - indeed; अवसीदति (avasīdati) - sinks; ॥१२-९३-९॥ (॥12-93-9॥) -;]
(The unrighteous, most sinful minister, destroyer of dharma of the people, is to be executed; together with his retinue, indeed, he quickly sinks.)
An unrighteous and extremely sinful minister who destroys the people's dharma deserves execution; he, along with his entire retinue, quickly perishes.
अर्थानामननुष्ठाता कामचारी विकत्थनः। अपि सर्वां महीं लब्ध्वा क्षिप्रमेव विनश्यति ॥१२-९३-१०॥
arthānāmananuṣṭhātā kāmacārī vikaththanaḥ। api sarvāṃ mahīṃ labdhvā kṣiprameva vinaśyati ॥12-93-10॥
[अर्थानाम् (arthānām) - of purposes; of objects; of wealth; अननुष्ठाता (ananuṣṭhātā) - non-performer; one who does not carry out; कामचारी (kāmacārī) - acting as he pleases; following desires; विकत्थनः (vikatthanaḥ) - boaster; braggart; अपि (api) - even; सर्वाम् (sarvām) - all; महीम् (mahīm) - earth; land; लब्ध्वा (labdhvā) - having obtained; क्षिप्रम् (kṣipram) - quickly; एव (eva) - indeed; surely; विनश्यति (vinaśyati) - perishes; is destroyed;]
(One who does not perform duties regarding purposes, acts as he pleases, and is a boaster—even having obtained the entire earth—quickly indeed perishes.)
A person who neglects his duties, acts on his desires, and boasts—even if he gains the whole world—will quickly perish.
अथाददानः कल्याणमनसूयुर्जितेन्द्रियः। वर्धते मतिमान्राजा स्रोतोभिरिव सागरः ॥१२-९३-११॥
athādadānaḥ kalyāṇamanasūyurjitendriyaḥ। vardhate matimānrājā srotobhiriva sāgaraḥ ॥12-93-11॥
[अथ (atha) - now; then; अददानः (adadānaḥ) - not taking; not accepting; कल्याणम् (kalyāṇam) - auspiciousness; welfare; अनसूयुः (anasūyuḥ) - free from envy; not envious; जितेन्द्रियः (jitendriyaḥ) - one who has conquered the senses; वर्धते (vardhate) - grows; increases; मतिमान् (matimān) - wise; intelligent; राजा (rājā) - king; स्रोतोभिः (srotobhiḥ) - by streams; by currents; इव (iva) - like; as; सागरः (sāgaraḥ) - ocean; sea;]
(Now, the king who does not take (what is not his), who is auspicious, free from envy, and has conquered his senses, who is wise, grows like the ocean by streams.)
Now, a wise king who does not take what is not his, who is auspicious, free from envy, and has conquered his senses, grows in greatness like the ocean increases by streams.
न पूर्णोऽस्मीति मन्येत धर्मतः कामतोऽर्थतः। बुद्धितो मित्रतश्चापि सततं वसुधाधिपः ॥१२-९३-१२॥
na pūrṇo'smīti manyeta dharmataḥ kāmato'rthataḥ| buddhito mitrataścāpi satataṃ vasudhādhipaḥ ॥12-93-12॥
[न (na) - not; पूर्णः (pūrṇaḥ) - complete; अस्मि (asmi) - I am; इति (iti) - thus; मन्येत (manyeta) - should consider; धर्मतः (dharmataḥ) - from the standpoint of dharma; कामतः (kāmataḥ) - from the standpoint of desire; अर्थतः (arthataḥ) - from the standpoint of wealth; बुद्धितः (buddhitaḥ) - from the standpoint of intellect; मित्रतः (mitrataḥ) - from the standpoint of friendship; च (ca) - and; अपि (api) - also; सततम् (satatam) - always; वसुधाधिपः (vasudhādhipaḥ) - the lord of the earth;]
(The lord of the earth should always consider: 'I am not complete'—from the standpoint of dharma, desire, wealth, intellect, and also friendship.)
The king should always reflect: 'I am not perfect'—whether in righteousness, desire, wealth, intellect, or friendship.
एतेष्वेव हि सर्वेषु लोकयात्रा प्रतिष्ठिता। एतानि शृण्वँल्लभते यशः कीर्तिं श्रियः प्रजाः ॥१२-९३-१३॥
eteṣveva hi sarveṣu lokayātrā pratiṣṭhitā। etāni śṛṇvanlabhate yaśaḥ kīrtiṃ śriyaḥ prajāḥ ॥12-93-13॥
[एतेषु (eteṣu) - in these; एव (eva) - indeed; हि (hi) - for; सर्वेषु (sarveṣu) - in all; लोकयात्रा (lokayātrā) - worldly conduct; प्रतिष्ठिता (pratiṣṭhitā) - established; एतानि (etāni) - these; शृण्वन् (śṛṇvan) - hearing; लभते (labhate) - obtains; यशः (yaśaḥ) - fame; कीर्तिम् (kīrtim) - glory; श्रियः (śriyaḥ) - prosperities; प्रजाः (prajāḥ) - offspring;]
(Indeed, in these alone, in all, worldly conduct is established. Hearing these, one obtains fame, glory, prosperities, offspring.)
It is indeed upon these that all worldly conduct is established. By listening to these, one attains fame, glory, prosperity, and offspring.
एवं यो धर्मसंरम्भी धर्मार्थपरिचिन्तकः। अर्थान्समीक्ष्यारभते स ध्रुवं महदश्नुते ॥१२-९३-१४॥
evaṃ yo dharmasaṃrambhī dharmārthaparicintakaḥ। arthānsamīkṣyārabhate sa dhruvaṃ mahadaśnute ॥12-93-14॥
[एवं (evaṃ) - thus; यः (yaḥ) - who; धर्मसंरम्भी (dharmasaṃrambhī) - one who is engaged in dharma; धर्मार्थपरिचिन्तकः (dharmārthaparicintakaḥ) - one who reflects upon the purpose of dharma; अर्थान् (arthān) - objects; समीक्ष्य (samīkṣya) - having examined; आरभते (ārabhate) - undertakes; सः (saḥ) - he; ध्रुवम् (dhruvam) - certainly; महत् (mahat) - great; अश्नुते (aśnute) - attains;]
(Thus, who is engaged in dharma, who reflects upon the purpose of dharma, having examined the objects, undertakes (action), he certainly attains the great.)
Thus, one who is devoted to dharma and contemplates its purpose, and who acts after carefully examining the objectives, certainly attains greatness.
अदाता ह्यनतिस्नेहो दण्डेनावर्तयन्प्रजाः। साहसप्रकृती राजा क्षिप्रमेव विनश्यति ॥१२-९३-१५॥
adātā hy anatisneho daṇḍenāvartayanprajāḥ। sāhasaprakṛtī rājā kṣiprameva vinaśyati ॥12-93-15॥
[अदाता (adātā) - not-giver; one who does not give; हि (hi) - indeed; अनतिस्नेहः (anatisnehaḥ) - not-very-affectionate; lacking much affection; दण्डेन (daṇḍena) - by punishment; with a rod; आवर्तयन् (āvartayan) - turning; revolving; causing to act; प्रजाः (prajāḥ) - subjects; people; साहसप्रकृती (sāhasaprakṛtī) - of rash nature; having a disposition for rashness; राजा (rājā) - king; क्षिप्रम् (kṣipram) - quickly; एव (eva) - indeed; surely; विनश्यति (vinaśyati) - perishes; is destroyed;]
(A king who is not a giver, indeed not very affectionate, who governs the subjects by punishment, and whose nature is rash, surely perishes quickly.)
A king who neither gives nor shows much affection, who rules his people only through punishment, and who is rash by nature, is quickly destroyed.
अथ पापं कृतं बुद्ध्या न च पश्यत्यबुद्धिमान्। अकीर्त्यापि समायुक्तो मृतो नरकमश्नुते ॥१२-९३-१६॥
atha pāpaṃ kṛtaṃ buddhyā na ca paśyatyabuddhimān। akīrtyāpi samāyukto mṛto narakamaśnute ॥12-93-16॥
[अथ (atha) - now; पापं (pāpaṃ) - sin; कृतं (kṛtaṃ) - done; बुद्ध्या (buddhyā) - with intelligence; न (na) - not; च (ca) - and; पश्यति (paśyati) - sees; अबुद्धिमान् (abuddhimān) - unintelligent; अकीर्त्या (akīrtyā) - with disgrace; अपि (api) - also; समायुक्तः (samāyuktaḥ) - endowed; मृतः (mṛtaḥ) - dead; नरकम् (narakam) - hell; अश्नुते (aśnute) - attains;]
(Now, the sin done with intelligence, the unintelligent does not see; also, endowed with disgrace, dead, he attains hell.)
Now, when a sin is committed with intelligence, the unintelligent person does not perceive it; being associated with disgrace, even after death, he attains hell.
अथ मानयितुर्दातुः शुक्लस्य रसवेदिनः। व्यसनं स्वमिवोत्पन्नं विजिघांसन्ति मानवाः ॥१२-९३-१७॥
atha mānayitur dātuḥ śuklasya rasavedinaḥ। vyasanaṃ svamivotpannaṃ vijighāṃsanti mānavāḥ ॥12-93-17॥
[अथ (atha) - then; मानयितुः (mānayituḥ) - of the one who honors; दातुः (dātuḥ) - of the giver; शुक्लस्य (śuklasya) - of the pure; रसवेदिनः (rasavedinaḥ) - of the knower of essence; व्यसनं (vyasanam) - misfortune; स्वम् (svam) - one's own; इव (iva) - as if; उत्पन्नं (utpannam) - arisen; विजिघांसन्ति (vijighāṃsanti) - desire to destroy; मानवाः (mānavāḥ) - humans;]
(Then, humans desire to destroy the misfortune arisen for the one who honors, the giver, the pure, the knower of essence, as if it were their own.)
Then, people try to remove the misfortune that befalls an honorable, generous, pure, and wise person, as if it were their own.
यस्य नास्ति गुरुर्धर्मे न चान्याननुपृच्छति। सुखतन्त्रोऽर्थलाभेषु न चिरं महदश्नुते ॥१२-९३-१८॥
yasya nāsti gurur dharme na ca anyān anupṛcchati। sukhatantro'rthalābheṣu na ciraṃ mahadaśnute ॥12-93-18॥
[यस्य (yasya) - of whom; न (na) - not; अस्ति (asti) - is; गुरुः (guruḥ) - teacher; धर्मे (dharme) - in dharma; न (na) - not; च (ca) - and; अन्यान् (anyān) - others; अनुपृच्छति (anupṛcchati) - asks; सुखतन्त्रः (sukhatantraḥ) - self-willed; अर्थलाभेषु (arthalābheṣu) - in acquisition of wealth; न (na) - not; चिरम् (ciram) - for long; महत् (mahat) - great; अश्नुते (aśnute) - enjoys;]
(Of whom there is no teacher in dharma, and does not ask others, being self-willed in acquisition of wealth, does not enjoy great (results) for long.)
He who has no teacher in dharma, does not consult others, and acts according to his own will in matters of wealth, does not enjoy great prosperity for long.
गुरुप्रधानो धर्मेषु स्वयमर्थान्ववेक्षिता। धर्मप्रधानो लोकेषु सुचिरं महदश्नुते ॥१२-९३-१९॥
gurupradhāno dharmeṣu svayamarthānvavekṣitā। dharmapradhāno lokeṣu suciraṃ mahadaśnute ॥12-93-19॥
[गुरु (guru) - weighty; प्रधानः (pradhānaḥ) - chief; धर्मेषु (dharmeṣu) - in dharmas; स्वयम् (svayam) - oneself; अर्थान् (arthān) - objects; अववेक्षिता (avavekṣitā) - one who has examined; धर्मप्रधानः (dharmapradhānaḥ) - one whose chief is dharma; लोकेषु (lokeṣu) - among people; सुचिरम् (suciram) - for a long time; महत् (mahat) - great; अश्नुते (aśnute) - attains;]
(The chief among dharmas is the weighty one who himself has examined the objects. One whose chief is dharma attains great (results) among people for a long time.)
He who is foremost in dharma, who himself examines matters, is weighty; one whose chief concern is dharma attains great rewards among people for a long time.
