12.107
राजपुत्र उवाच॥
The prince said.
न निकृत्या न दम्भेन ब्रह्मन्निच्छामि जीवितुम्। नाधर्मयुक्तानिच्छेयमर्थान्सुमहतोऽप्यहम् ॥१२-१०७-१॥
O Brāhmaṇa, I do not wish to live by deceit or hypocrisy; nor would I desire wealth gained through unrighteous means, even if it is very great.
पुरस्तादेव भगवन्मयैतदपवर्जितम्। येन मां नाभिशङ्केत यद्वा कृत्स्नं हितं भवेत् ॥१२-१०७-२॥
O Lord, I have already set this aside myself, so that no one would suspect me, or so that whatever is wholly beneficial may result.
आनृशंस्येन धर्मेण लोके ह्यस्मिञ्जिजीविषुः। नाहमेतदलं कर्तुं नैतन्मय्युपपद्यते ॥१२-१०७-३॥
One who desires to live in this world should act with non-cruelty and righteousness; I am not able to do this, nor is this fitting for me.
मुनिरुवाच॥
The sage said.
उपपन्नस्त्वमेतेन यथा क्षत्रिय भाषसे। प्रकृत्या ह्युपपन्नोऽसि बुद्ध्या चाद्भुतदर्शन ॥१२-१०७-४॥
You speak as a warrior, having attained this state. By nature and intellect, you are indeed of wonderful vision.
उभयोरेव वामर्थे यतिष्ये तव तस्य च। संश्लेषं वा करिष्यामि शाश्वतं ह्यनपायिनम् ॥१२-१०७-५॥
I will strive for the benefit of both you and him; or I will bring about a union that is eternal and unfailing.
त्वादृशं हि कुले जातमनृशंसं बहुश्रुतम्। अमात्यं को न कुर्वीत राज्यप्रणयकोविदम् ॥१२-१०७-६॥
Who would not appoint as a minister someone like you, born in a noble family, compassionate, learned, and skilled in statecraft?
यस्त्वं प्रव्रजितो राज्याद्व्यसनं चोत्तमं गतः। आनृशंस्येन वृत्तेन क्षत्रियेच्छसि जीवितुम् ॥१२-१०७-७॥
You, who have left the kingdom and reached the greatest misfortune, now wish to live as a kṣatriya by following a path of compassion.
आगन्ता मद्गृहं तात वैदेहः सत्यसङ्गरः। यथाहं तं नियोक्ष्यामि तत्करिष्यत्यसंशयम् ॥१२-१०७-८॥
O dear one, the son of Videha, who is steadfast in truth, will come to my house; whatever I instruct him, he will certainly do without any doubt.
भीष्म उवाच॥
Bhīṣma said.
तत आहूय वैदेहं मुनिर्वचनमब्रवीत्। अयं राजकुले जातो विदिताभ्यन्तरो मम ॥१२-१०७-९॥
Then, having summoned Vaideha, the sage said: "This person, born in the royal family, is known to me as an intimate."
आदर्श इव शुद्धात्मा शारदश्चन्द्रमा इव। नास्मिन्पश्यामि वृजिनं सर्वतो मे परीक्षितः ॥१२-१०७-१०॥
He is pure-souled like a mirror, like the autumn moon. I have examined him in every way and do not see any fault in him.
तेन ते सन्धिरेवास्तु विश्वसास्मिन्यथा मयि। न राज्यमनमात्येन शक्यं शास्तुममित्रहन् ॥१२-१०७-११॥
Therefore, let there be an alliance for you, with trust in this as in me. A kingdom cannot be ruled without a minister, O destroyer of enemies.
अमात्यः शूर एव स्याद्बुद्धिसम्पन्न एव च। ताभ्यां चैव भयं राज्ञः पश्य राज्यस्य योजनम् ॥ धर्मात्मनां क्वचिल्लोके नान्यास्ति गतिरीदृशी ॥१२-१०७-१२॥
A minister must be both brave and intelligent; through these qualities, he perceives dangers to the king and manages the kingdom. For the righteous, there is no other path like this anywhere in the world.
कृतात्मा राजपुत्रोऽयं सतां मार्गमनुष्ठितः। सुसङ्गृहीतस्त्वेवैष त्वया धर्मपुरोगमः ॥ संसेव्यमानः शत्रूंस्ते गृह्णीयान्महतो गणान् ॥१२-१०७-१३॥
This prince, who has mastered himself and follows the path of the virtuous, being well-collected and guided by dharma by you, should, when served, conquer your great hosts of enemies.
यद्ययं प्रतियुध्येत्त्वां स्वकर्म क्षत्रियस्य तत्। जिगीषमाणस्त्वां युद्धे पितृपैतामहे पदे ॥१२-१०७-१४॥
If this person, wishing to conquer, fights you in battle for the ancestral position, that is the proper duty of a kṣatriya.
त्वं चापि प्रतियुध्येथा विजिगीषुव्रते स्थितः। अयुद्ध्वैव नियोगान्मे वशे वैदेह ते स्थितः ॥१२-१०७-१५॥
You too, established in the resolve to conquer, should fight back. O Vaideha, even without fighting, by my command, you are under my authority and your position is secure.
स त्वं धर्ममवेक्षस्व त्यक्त्वाधर्ममसाम्प्रतम्। न हि कामान्न च द्रोहात्स्वधर्मं हातुमर्हसि ॥१२-१०७-१६॥
Therefore, you should consider what is dharma, having set aside adharma that is not appropriate now. Indeed, you should not abandon your own dharma either out of desire or out of hostility.
नैव नित्यं जयस्तात नैव नित्यं पराजयः। तस्माद्भोजयितव्यश्च भोक्तव्यश्च परो जनः ॥१२-१०७-१७॥
O dear one, victory is not always certain, nor is defeat always certain; therefore, one should both feed and accept food from others.
आत्मन्येव हि संदृश्यावुभौ जयपराजयौ। निःशेषकारिणां तात निःशेषकरणाद्भयम् ॥१२-१०७-१८॥
O dear one, both victory and defeat are perceived only within oneself; for those who act without leaving anything undone, fear arises from the very act of complete accomplishment.
इत्युक्तः प्रत्युवाचेदं वचनं ब्राह्मणर्षभम्। अभिपूज्याभिसत्कृत्य पूजार्हमनुमान्य च ॥१२-१०७-१९॥
Thus addressed, he respectfully honored and received the foremost among Brāhmaṇas, considered him worthy of worship, and, having been permitted, replied with these words.
यथा ब्रूयान्महाप्राज्ञो यथा ब्रूयाद्बहुश्रुतः। श्रेयस्कामो यथा ब्रूयादुभयोर्यत्क्षमं भवेत् ॥१२-१०७-२०॥
One should speak in the manner that a great wise person, a learned one, and one seeking welfare would speak—whatever is appropriate for both parties.
तथा वचनमुक्तोऽस्मि करिष्यामि च तत्तथा। एतद्धि परमं श्रेयो न मेऽत्रास्ति विचारणा ॥१२-१०७-२१॥
Thus addressed, I will act accordingly. This is truly the highest good; for me, there is no further deliberation about it.
ततः कौशल्यमाहूय वैदेहो वाक्यमब्रवीत्। धर्मतो नीतितश्चैव बलेन च जितो मया ॥१२-१०७-२२॥
Then, having called Kauśalyā, the king of Videha (Janaka) said: 'I have conquered by righteousness, by policy, and by strength.'
सोऽहं त्वया त्वात्मगुणैर्जितः पार्थिवसत्तम। आत्मानमनवज्ञाय जितवद्वर्ततां भवान् ॥१२-१०७-२३॥
O best of kings, I have been conquered by you through your own qualities. You should conduct yourself as one who has conquered himself, without disregarding the self.
नावमन्ये च ते बुद्धिं नावमन्ये च पौरुषम्। नावमन्ये जयामीति जितवद्वर्ततां भवान् ॥१२-१०७-२४॥
I do not disregard your intellect, nor do I disregard your manliness. Do not think that I disregard the idea of 'I conquer'; let yourself act as one who is already victorious.
यथावत्पूजितो राजन्गृहं गन्तासि मे गृहात्। ततः सम्पूज्य तौ विप्रं विश्वस्तौ जग्मतुर्गृहान् ॥१२-१०७-२५॥
O king, after being duly honored, you will go to the house from my house. Then, after duly honoring the Brāhmaṇa, those two, trusting, went to their homes.
वैदेहस्त्वथ कौसल्यं प्रवेश्य गृहमञ्जसा। पाद्यार्घ्यमधुपर्कैस्तं पूजार्हं प्रत्यपूजयत् ॥१२-१०७-२६॥
Then the king of Videha easily brought Kausalya into the house and honored him, who was worthy of worship, with water for washing the feet, offerings, and madhuparka.
ददौ दुहितरं चास्मै रत्नानि विविधानि च। एष राज्ञां परो धर्मः सह्यौ जयपराजयौ ॥१२-१०७-२७॥
He gave his daughter and various jewels to him. This is the supreme duty of kings: to endure both victory and defeat.
