12.107
rājaputra uvāca॥
The prince said.
na nikṛtyā na dambhena brahman nicchāmi jīvitum। nādharmayuktān iccheyam arthān sumahato'py aham ॥12-107-1॥
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.
purastādeva bhagavan mayaitad apavarjitam। yena māṃ nābhiśaṅketa yad vā kṛtsnaṃ hitaṃ bhavet ॥12-107-2॥
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.
ānṛśaṁsyena dharmeṇa loke hyasmiñ jijīviṣuḥ। nāham etad alaṁ kartuṁ naitan mayyupapadyate ॥12-107-3॥
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.
muniruvāca॥
The sage said.
upapannastvametena yathā kṣatriya bhāṣase। prakṛtyā hyupapanno'si buddhyā cādbhutadarśana ॥12-107-4॥
You speak as a warrior, having attained this state. By nature and intellect, you are indeed of wonderful vision.
ubhayoreva vāmarthe yatiṣye tava tasya ca। saṃśleṣaṃ vā kariṣyāmi śāśvataṃ hyanapāyinam ॥12-107-5॥
I will strive for the benefit of both you and him; or I will bring about a union that is eternal and unfailing.
tvādṛśaṃ hi kule jātamanṛśaṃsaṃ bahuśrutam। amātyaṃ ko na kurvīta rājyapraṇayakovidam ॥12-107-6॥
Who would not appoint as a minister someone like you, born in a noble family, compassionate, learned, and skilled in statecraft?
yastvaṃ pravrajito rājyād vyasanaṃ cottamaṃ gataḥ। ānṛśaṃsyena vṛttena kṣatriyecchasi jīvitum ॥12-107-7॥
You, who have left the kingdom and reached the greatest misfortune, now wish to live as a kṣatriya by following a path of compassion.
āgantā madgṛhaṃ tāta vaidehaḥ satyasaṅgaraḥ। yathāhaṃ taṃ niyokṣyāmi tatkariṣyatyasaṃśayam ॥12-107-8॥
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.
bhīṣma uvāca॥
Bhīṣma said.
tata āhūya vaidehaṃ munir vacanam abravīt। ayaṃ rājakule jāto viditābhyantaro mama ॥12-107-9॥
Then, having summoned Vaideha, the sage said: "This person, born in the royal family, is known to me as an intimate."
ādarśa iva śuddhātmā śāradaścandramā iva। nāsminpaśyāmi vṛjinaṃ sarvato me parīkṣitaḥ ॥12-107-10॥
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.
tena te sandhirevāstu viśvasāsmin yathā mayi। na rājyam an amātyena śakyaṃ śāstum amitrahan ॥12-107-11॥
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.
amātyaḥ śūra eva syādbuddhisampanna eva ca। tābhyāṃ caiva bhayaṃ rājñaḥ paśya rājyasya yojanam ॥ dharmātmanāṃ kvacilloke nānyāsti gatirīdṛśī ॥12-107-12॥
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.
kṛtātmā rājaputro'yaṃ satāṃ mārgam anuṣṭhitaḥ। susaṅgṛhītastvevaiṣa tvayā dharmapurogamaḥ॥ saṃsevyamānaḥ śatrūṃste gṛhṇīyānmahato gaṇān॥12-107-13॥
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.
yadyayaṃ pratiyudhyet tvāṃ svakarma kṣatriyasya tat। jigīṣamāṇas tvāṃ yuddhe pitṛpaitāmahe pade ॥12-107-14॥
If this person, wishing to conquer, fights you in battle for the ancestral position, that is the proper duty of a kṣatriya.
tvaṃ cāpi pratiyudhyethā vijigīṣuvrate sthitaḥ। ayuddhvaiva niyogānme vaśe vaideha te sthitaḥ॥12-107-15॥
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.
sa tvaṃ dharmam avekṣasva tyaktvā adharmaṃ asāmpratam। na hi kāmāt na ca drohāt svadharmam hātum arhasi ॥12-107-16॥
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.
naiva nityaṃ jayastāta naiva nityaṃ parājayaḥ। tasmādbhōjayitavyaśca bhōktavyaśca parō janaḥ ॥12-107-17॥
O dear one, victory is not always certain, nor is defeat always certain; therefore, one should both feed and accept food from others.
ātman-yeva hi sandṛśyāvubhau jaya-parājayau। niḥśeṣakāriṇāṃ tāta niḥśeṣakaraṇād-bhayam ॥12-107-18॥
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.
ityuktaḥ pratyuvācedaṃ vacanaṃ brāhmaṇarṣabham। abhipūjyābhisatkṛtya pūjārhamanumānya ca ॥12-107-19॥
Thus addressed, he respectfully honored and received the foremost among Brāhmaṇas, considered him worthy of worship, and, having been permitted, replied with these words.
yathā brūyān mahāprājño yathā brūyād bahuśrutaḥ। śreyaskāmo yathā brūyād ubhayor yat kṣamaṃ bhavet॥12-107-20॥
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.
tathā vacanamukto'smi kariṣyāmi ca tattathā। etaddhi paramaṃ śreyo na me'trāsti vicāraṇā ॥12-107-21॥
Thus addressed, I will act accordingly. This is truly the highest good; for me, there is no further deliberation about it.
tataḥ kauśalyam āhūya vaideho vākyam abravīt। dharmato nītitaś caiva balena ca jito mayā ॥12-107-22॥
Then, having called Kauśalyā, the king of Videha (Janaka) said: 'I have conquered by righteousness, by policy, and by strength.'
so'ham tvayā tvātmaguṇairjitaḥ pārthivasattama। ātmānam anavajñāya jitavad vartatāṃ bhavān ॥12-107-23॥
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.
nāvamanye ca te buddhiṃ nāvamanye ca pauruṣam। nāvamanye jayāmīti jitavad vartatāṃ bhavān ॥12-107-24॥
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.
yathāvatpūjito rājan gṛhaṃ gantāsi me gṛhāt। tataḥ sampūjya tau vipraṃ viśvastau jagmatur gṛhān ॥12-107-25॥
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.
vaidehastvatha kausalyaṃ praveśya gṛhamañjasā। pādyārghyamadhuparkai staṃ pūjārhaṃ pratyapūjayat ॥12-107-26॥
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.
dadau duhitaraṃ cāsmai ratnāni vividhāni ca। eṣa rājñāṃ paro dharmaḥ sahyau jayaparājayau॥12-107-27॥
He gave his daughter and various jewels to him. This is the supreme duty of kings: to endure both victory and defeat.
