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युधिष्ठिर उवाच॥
Yudhiṣṭhira said.
क्षत्रधर्मान्न पापीयान्धर्मोऽस्ति भरतर्षभ। अभियाने च युद्धे च राजा हन्ति महाजनम् ॥१२-९८-१॥
O best of the Bharatas, there is no duty more sinful than the duty of a kṣatriya. In expeditions and battles, the king kills even great people.
अथ स्म कर्मणा येन लोकाञ्जयति पार्थिवः। विद्वञ्जिज्ञासमानाय प्रब्रूहि भरतर्षभ ॥१२-९८-२॥
Now, O best of the Bharatas, tell the inquirer, O learned one, by what action the king conquers the worlds.
भीष्म उवाच॥
Bhīṣma said.
निग्रहेण च पापानां साधूनां प्रग्रहेण च। यज्ञैर्दानैश्च राजानो भवन्ति शुचयोऽमलाः ॥१२-९८-३॥
Kings become pure and spotless by restraining the wicked, favoring the virtuous, and through sacrifices and gifts.
उपरुन्धन्ति राजानो भूतानि विजयार्थिनः। त एव विजयं प्राप्य वर्धयन्ति पुनः प्रजाः ॥१२-९८-४॥
Kings who seek victory obstruct beings, but once they have achieved victory, they again cause their subjects to prosper.
अपविध्यन्ति पापानि दानयज्ञतपोबलैः। अनुग्रहेण भूतानां पुण्यमेषां प्रवर्धते ॥१२-९८-५॥
Sins are cast away by the strengths of charity, sacrifice, and austerity. By showing favor to beings, their merit increases.
यथैव क्षेत्रनिर्दाता निर्दन्वै क्षेत्रमेकदा। हिनस्ति कक्षं धान्यं च न च धान्यं विनश्यति ॥१२-९८-६॥
Just as a person who destroys a field, by uprooting it, at once destroys the field, its fence, and the grain, but the grain itself does not perish.
एवं शस्त्राणि मुञ्चन्तो घ्नन्ति वध्यानथैकदा। तस्यैषा निष्कृतिः कृत्स्ना भूतानां भावनं पुनः ॥१२-९८-७॥
Thus, when one releases weapons and kills those who are to be slain, then, at some point, this is his complete atonement: to restore all beings again.
यो भूतानि धनज्यानाद्वधात्क्लेशाच्च रक्षति। दस्युभ्यः प्राणदानात्स धनदः सुखदो विराट् ॥१२-९८-८॥
He who protects beings from the bowstring, from killing, from suffering, from robbers, and from giving up his life is the giver of wealth, the giver of happiness, the great one.
स सर्वयज्ञैरीजानो राजाथाभयदक्षिणैः। अनुभूयेह भद्राणि प्राप्नोतीन्द्रसलोकताम् ॥१२-९८-९॥
The king who performs all sacrifices and gives gifts of fearlessness, after experiencing auspicious things in this world, attains the realm of Indra.
ब्राह्मणार्थे समुत्पन्ने योऽभिनिःसृत्य युध्यते। आत्मानं यूपमुच्छ्रित्य स यज्ञोऽनन्तदक्षिणः ॥१२-९८-१०॥
When a conflict arises for the sake of a Brāhmaṇa, whoever goes forth and fights, offering himself as the sacrificial post, that act is regarded as a sacrifice with endless rewards.
अभीतो विकिरञ्शत्रून्प्रतिगृह्णञ्शरांस्तथा। न तस्मात्त्रिदशाः श्रेयो भुवि पश्यन्ति किञ्चन ॥१२-९८-११॥
Fearlessly scattering his enemies and receiving arrows in return, the gods do not see anything better than him on earth.
तस्य यावन्ति शस्त्राणि त्वचं भिन्दन्ति संयुगे। तावतः सोऽश्नुते लोकान्सर्वकामदुहोऽक्षयान् ॥१२-९८-१२॥
He attains as many imperishable worlds that grant all desires as the number of weapons that pierce his skin in battle.
न तस्य रुधिरं गात्रादावेधेभ्यः प्रवर्तते। स ह तेनैव रक्तेन सर्वपापैः प्रमुच्यते ॥१२-९८-१३॥
No blood flows from his body from wounds; by that very blood, he is indeed released from all sins.
यानि दुःखानि सहते व्रणानामभितापने। न ततोऽस्ति तपो भूय इति धर्मविदो विदुः ॥१२-९८-१४॥
The knowers of dharma say: 'There is no austerity greater than enduring the pains of burning wounds.'
पृष्ठतो भीरवः सङ्ख्ये वर्तन्तेऽधमपूरुषाः। शूराच्छरणमिच्छन्तः पर्जन्यादिव जीवनम् ॥१२-९८-१५॥
The cowardly, who are many, remain behind; the lowest men seek protection from the brave, just as life depends on the rain-cloud.
यदि शूरस्तथा क्षेमे प्रतिरक्षेत्तथा भये। प्रतिरूपं जनाः कुर्युर्न च तद्वर्तते तथा ॥१२-९८-१६॥
If a hero protects in times of safety, he should do so in times of danger as well; similarly, people ought to act, but it does not always happen that way.
यदि ते कृतमाज्ञाय नमस्कुर्युः सदैव तम्। युक्तं न्याय्यं च कुर्युस्ते न च तद्वर्तते तथा ॥१२-९८-१७॥
If they, having understood what has been done, always show respect to him, and act in a proper and just manner, and do not behave otherwise, then it is appropriate.
पुरुषाणां समानानां दृश्यते महदन्तरम्। सङ्ग्रामेऽनीकवेलायामुत्क्रुष्टेऽभिपतत्सु च ॥१२-९८-१८॥
Even among men who are otherwise equal, a great difference is seen—especially in battle, at the time of arraying troops, when the ranks are raised and the attack begins.
पतत्यभिमुखः शूरः परान्भीरुः पलायते। आस्थायास्वर्ग्यमध्वानं सहायान्विषमे त्यजन् ॥१२-९८-१९॥
A hero falls facing the enemy, while a coward flees from the enemy. One who undertakes a path that does not lead to heaven abandons his companions in times of difficulty.
मा स्म तांस्तादृशांस्तात जनिष्ठाः पुरुषाधमान्। ये सहायान्रणे हित्वा स्वस्तिमन्तो गृहान्ययुः ॥१२-९८-२०॥
O dear, never become like those base men who, having deserted their companions in battle, returned safely to their homes.
अस्वस्ति तेभ्यः कुर्वन्ति देवा इन्द्रपुरोगमाः। त्यागेन यः सहायानां स्वान्प्राणांस्त्रातुमिच्छति ॥१२-९८-२१॥
The gods led by Indra do not grant welfare to those who, by renunciation, desire to protect the lives of their own companions.
तं हन्युः काष्ठलोष्टैर्वा दहेयुर्वा कटाग्निना। पशुवन्मारयेयुर्वा क्षत्रिया ये स्युरीदृशाः ॥१२-९८-२२॥
Kṣatriyas who are of such kind would kill him with sticks and clods, or burn him with funeral fire, or slay him like an animal.
अधर्मः क्षत्रियस्यैष यच्छय्यामरणं भवेत्। विसृजञ्श्लेष्मपित्तानि कृपणं परिदेवयन् ॥१२-९८-२३॥
For a kṣatriya, it is unrighteous to die on a bed, lying miserable, lamenting, and releasing phlegm and bile.
अविक्षतेन देहेन प्रलयं योऽधिगच्छति। क्षत्रियो नास्य तत्कर्म प्रशंसन्ति पुराविदः ॥१२-९८-२४॥
The knowers of ancient tradition do not praise that act of a Kshatriya who meets death with an uninjured body.
न गृहे मरणं तात क्षत्रियाणां प्रशस्यते। शौटीराणामशौटीरमधर्म्यं कृपणं च तत् ॥१२-९८-२५॥
O dear, death in the house is not praised for kṣatriyas. For warriors, such a death is unwarrior-like, unrighteous, and wretched.
इदं दुःखमहो कष्टं पापीय इति निष्टनन्। प्रतिध्वस्तमुखः पूतिरमात्यान्बहु शोचयन् ॥१२-९८-२६॥
Groaning, 'This is great suffering, painful, even more sinful,' with his face cast down, he greatly lamented his impure ministers.
अरोगाणां स्पृहयते मुहुर्मृत्युमपीच्छति। वीरो दृप्तोऽभिमानी च नेदृशं मृत्युमर्हति ॥१२-९८-२७॥
The healthy sometimes even long for death repeatedly. But a hero, proud and arrogant, does not deserve such a death.
रणेषु कदनं कृत्वा ज्ञातिभिः परिवारितः। तीक्ष्णैः शस्त्रैः सुविक्लिष्टः क्षत्रियो मृत्युमर्हति ॥१२-९८-२८॥
A Kṣatriya, after engaging in slaughter in battle, surrounded by his kinsmen and grievously wounded by sharp weapons, is worthy of death.
शूरो हि सत्यमन्युभ्यामाविष्टो युध्यते भृशम्। कृत्यमानानि गात्राणि परैर्नैवावबुध्यते ॥१२-९८-२९॥
Indeed, a hero overpowered by true anger fights fiercely; even when his limbs are injured by others, he does not perceive it.
स सङ्ख्ये निधनं प्राप्य प्रशस्तं लोकपूजितम्। स्वधर्मं विपुलं प्राप्य शक्रस्यैति सलोकताम् ॥१२-९८-३०॥
He who meets his end in battle, honored and renowned, having fulfilled his own great duty, thus attains the same world as Indra.
सर्वो योधः परं त्यक्तुमाविष्टस्त्यक्तजीवितः। प्राप्नोतीन्द्रस्य सालोक्यं शूरः पृष्ठमदर्शयन् ॥१२-९८-३१॥
Every warrior who is determined to abandon even his life for the highest cause attains the world of Indra; the hero never turns his back in battle.
