12.131
भीष्म उवाच॥
bhīṣma uvāca॥
[भीष्म (bhīṣma) - Bhīṣma; (name of a person); उवाच (uvāca) - said; (from the root 'vac' - to speak);]
(Bhīṣma said;)
Bhīṣma said.
स्वराष्ट्रात्परराष्ट्राच्च कोशं सञ्जनयेन्नृपः। कोशाद्धि धर्मः कौन्तेय राज्यमूलः प्रवर्तते ॥१२-१३१-१॥
svarāṣṭrāt pararāṣṭrāc ca kośaṃ sañjanayen nṛpaḥ। kośād dhi dharmaḥ kaunteya rājyamūlaḥ pravartate ॥12-131-1॥
[स्वराष्ट्रात् (svarāṣṭrāt) - from own kingdom; परराष्ट्रात् (pararāṣṭrāt) - from foreign kingdom; च (ca) - and; कोशम् (kośam) - treasury; सञ्जनयेत् (sañjanayet) - should generate; नृपः (nṛpaḥ) - king; कोशात् (kośāt) - from treasury; हि (hi) - indeed; धर्मः (dharmaḥ) - righteousness; कौन्तेय (kaunteya) - O son of Kunti; राज्यमूलः (rājyamūlaḥ) - root of kingdom; प्रवर्तते (pravartate) - proceeds;]
(From own kingdom and from foreign kingdom, the king should generate the treasury; for from the treasury indeed, O son of Kunti, righteousness, the root of the kingdom, proceeds.)
O son of Kunti, a king should build his treasury from both his own and foreign lands; for indeed, it is from the treasury that righteousness, the very foundation of the kingdom, arises.
तस्मात्सञ्जनयेत्कोशं संहृत्य परिपालयेत्। परिपाल्यानुगृह्णीयादेष धर्मः सनातनः ॥१२-१३१-२॥
tasmātsañjanayetkośaṃ saṃhṛtya paripālayet। paripālyānugṛhṇīyādeṣa dharmaḥ sanātanaḥ ॥12-131-2॥
[तस्मात् (tasmāt) - therefore; सञ्जनयेत् (sañjanayet) - should generate; कोशं (kośam) - treasury; संहृत्य (saṃhṛtya) - having collected; परिपालयेत् (paripālayet) - should protect; परिपाल्य (paripālya) - having protected; अनुगृह्णीयात् (anugṛhṇīyāt) - should favor; एषः (eṣaḥ) - this; धर्मः (dharmaḥ) - duty; सनातनः (sanātanaḥ) - eternal;]
(Therefore, one should generate the treasury, having collected (wealth) should protect (it); having protected (it), one should favor (others); this is the eternal duty.)
Therefore, one should create a treasury, protect it after collecting wealth, and, having safeguarded it, use it to benefit others; this is the eternal duty.
न कोशः शुद्धशौचेन न नृशंसेन जायते। पदं मध्यममास्थाय कोशसङ्ग्रहणं चरेत् ॥१२-१३१-३॥
na kośaḥ śuddhaśaucena na nṛśaṃsena jāyate। padaṃ madhyamam āsthāya kośasaṅgrahaṇaṃ caret ॥12-131-3॥
[न (na) - not; कोशः (kośaḥ) - treasury; शुद्धशौचेन (śuddhaśaucena) - by pure cleanliness; न (na) - not; नृशंसेन (nṛśaṃsena) - by cruelty; जायते (jāyate) - is produced; पदं (padaṃ) - path; मध्यमम् (madhyamam) - middle; आस्थाय (āsthāya) - having adopted; कोशसङ्ग्रहणम् (kośasaṅgrahaṇam) - accumulation of treasury; चरेत् (caret) - should practice;]
(Not by pure cleanliness, not by cruelty is the treasury produced. Having adopted the middle path, one should practice the accumulation of treasury.)
A treasury is not created by mere purity or by cruelty. One should follow the middle path and diligently accumulate wealth.
अबलस्य कुतः कोशो ह्यकोशस्य कुतो बलम्। अबलस्य कुतो राज्यमराज्ञः श्रीः कुतो भवेत् ॥१२-१३१-४॥
abalasya kutaḥ kośo hyakośasya kuto balam। abalasya kuto rājyam arājñaḥ śrīḥ kuto bhavet ॥12-131-4॥
[अबलस्य (abalasya) - of the powerless; कुतः (kutaḥ) - from where; कोशः (kośaḥ) - treasury; हि (hi) - indeed; अकोशस्य (akośasya) - of one without treasury; कुतः (kutaḥ) - from where; बलम् (balam) - strength; अबलस्य (abalasya) - of the powerless; कुतः (kutaḥ) - from where; राज्यम् (rājyam) - kingdom; अराज्ञः (arājñaḥ) - of one without a king; श्रीः (śrīḥ) - prosperity; कुतः (kutaḥ) - from where; भवेत् (bhavet) - can there be;]
(Of the powerless, from where treasury? Indeed, of one without treasury, from where strength? Of the powerless, from where kingdom? Of one without a king, from where prosperity can there be?)
How can the powerless have a treasury? Indeed, how can one without a treasury have strength? How can the powerless have a kingdom? How can there be prosperity for one without a king?
उच्चैर्वृत्तेः श्रियो हानिर्यथैव मरणं तथा। तस्मात्कोशं बलं मित्राण्यथ राजा विवर्धयेत् ॥१२-१३१-५॥
uccairvṛtteḥ śriyo hānir yathaiva maraṇaṃ tathā। tasmāt kośaṃ balaṃ mitrāṇy atha rājā vivardhayet ॥12-131-5॥
[उच्चैः (uccaiḥ) - excessively; high; वृत्तेः (vṛtteḥ) - of conduct; of behavior; श्रियः (śriyaḥ) - of prosperity; of wealth; हानिः (hāniḥ) - loss; decrease; यथा (yathā) - just as; like; एव (eva) - indeed; exactly; मरणम् (maraṇam) - death; तथा (tathā) - so; in the same way; तस्मात् (tasmāt) - therefore; कोशम् (kośam) - treasury; बलम् (balam) - strength; army; मित्राणि (mitrāṇi) - friends; allies; अथ (atha) - and; then; राजा (rājā) - king; विवर्धयेत् (vivardhayet) - should increase; should enhance;]
(From excessive conduct, there is loss of prosperity just as indeed there is death; therefore, the king should increase the treasury, strength, and friends.)
Excessive conduct leads to loss of prosperity just as surely as death; therefore, the king should increase the treasury, strength, and friends.
हीनकोशं हि राजानमवजानन्ति मानवाः। न चास्याल्पेन तुष्यन्ति कार्यमभ्युत्सहन्ति च ॥१२-१३१-६॥
hīnakośaṃ hi rājānam avajānanti mānavāḥ। na cāsyālpena tuṣyanti kāryam abhyutsahanti ca ॥12-131-6॥
[हीनकोशं (hīnakośam) - with deficient treasury; हि (hi) - indeed; राजानम् (rājānam) - king; अवजानन्ति (avajānanti) - despise; मानवाः (mānavāḥ) - men; न (na) - not; च (ca) - and; अस्य (asya) - his; अल्पेन (alpena) - with little (wealth); तुष्यन्ति (tuṣyanti) - are satisfied; कार्यं (kāryam) - work; अभ्युत्सहन्ति (abhyutsahanti) - undertake; च (ca) - and;]
(Men indeed despise a king with a deficient treasury; nor are they satisfied with his little (wealth), nor do they undertake work (for him).)
People indeed look down upon a king with a poor treasury; they are not satisfied with his meager resources, nor do they undertake tasks for him.
श्रियो हि कारणाद्राजा सत्क्रियां लभते पराम्। सास्य गूहति पापानि वासो गुह्यमिव स्त्रियाः ॥१२-१३१-७॥
śriyo hi kāraṇādrājā satkriyāṃ labhate parām। sā'sya gūhati pāpāni vāso guhyamiva striyāḥ॥12-131-7॥
[श्रियः (śriyaḥ) - prosperities; हि (hi) - indeed; कारणात् (kāraṇāt) - because of; राजा (rājā) - king; सत्क्रियां (satkriyām) - good conduct; लभते (labhate) - obtains; पराम् (parām) - supreme; सा (sā) - she; अस्य (asya) - his; गूहति (gūhati) - conceals; पापानि (pāpāni) - sins; वासः (vāsaḥ) - garment; गुह्यम् (guhyam) - private part; इव (iva) - like; स्त्रियाः (striyāḥ) - of a woman;]
(Indeed, because of prosperities, a king obtains supreme good conduct; she conceals his sins like a garment (conceals) the private part of a woman.)
It is indeed due to prosperity that a king attains the highest good conduct; that prosperity hides his faults just as a garment hides the private parts of a woman.
ऋद्धिमस्यानुवर्तन्ते पुरा विप्रकृता जनाः। शालावृका इवाजस्रं जिघांसूनिव विन्दति ॥ ईदृशस्य कुतो राज्ञः सुखं भरतसत्तम ॥१२-१३१-८॥
ṛddhim asy ānuvartante purā viprakṛtā janāḥ। śālāvṛkā ivājasraṃ jighāṃsūn iva vindati॥ īdṛśasya kuto rājñaḥ sukhaṃ bharatasattama॥12-131-8॥
[ऋद्धिम् (ṛddhim) - prosperity; अस्य (asya) - of him; अनुवर्तन्ते (anuvartante) - follow; पुरा (purā) - formerly; विप्रकृता (viprakṛtā) - wronged; जनाः (janāḥ) - people; शालावृकाः (śālāvṛkāḥ) - jackals; इव (iva) - like; अजस्रम् (ajasram) - constantly; जिघांसून् (jighāṃsūn) - those wishing to harm; इव (iva) - like; विन्दति (vindati) - finds; ईदृशस्य (īdṛśasya) - of such; कुतः (kutaḥ) - whence; राज्ञः (rājñaḥ) - of a king; सुखम् (sukham) - happiness; भरतसत्तम (bharatasattama) - O best of the Bharatas;]
(Prosperity of him is followed by people formerly wronged, like jackals constantly find those wishing to harm. Of such a king, whence happiness, O best of the Bharatas?)
Those who were formerly wronged follow the prosperity of such a king, just as jackals constantly seek out those they wish to harm. How can such a king find happiness, O best of the Bharatas?
उद्यच्छेदेव न ग्लायेदुद्यमो ह्येव पौरुषम्। अप्यपर्वणि भज्येत न नमेतेह कस्यचित् ॥१२-१३१-९॥
udyacchedeva na glāyedudyamo hyeva pauruṣam। apyaparvaṇi bhajyeta na nameteha kasyacit ॥12-131-9॥
[उद्यच्छेत् (udyacchet) - should rise; (from ud-√yac) एव (eva) - indeed; न (na) - not; ग्लायेत् (glāyet) - should languish; उद्यमः (udyamaḥ) - effort; हि (hi) - indeed; एव (eva) - only; पौरुषम् (pauruṣam) - manliness; अपि (api) - even; अपर्वणि (aparvaṇi) - not on a festival day; भज्येत (bhajyeta) - may be broken; न (na) - not; नमेत (nameta) - should bend; इह (iha) - here; कस्यचित् (kasyacit) - of anyone;]
(Effort should indeed rise, not languish; manliness only indeed. Even if broken not on a festival day, here it should not bend to anyone.)
Effort should always rise and never languish; true manliness is only this. Even if broken on an ordinary day, it should not bow to anyone here.
अप्यरण्यं समाश्रित्य चरेद्दस्युगणैः सह। न त्वेवोद्धृतमर्यादैर्दस्युभिः सहितश्चरेत् ॥ दस्यूनां सुलभा सेना रौद्रकर्मसु भारत ॥१२-१३१-१०॥
apya raṇyaṃ samāśritya cared dasyugaṇaiḥ saha। na tvevoddhṛtamar yādairdasyubhiḥ sahitaś caret॥ dasyūnāṃ sulabhā senā raudrakarmasu bhārata॥12-131-10॥
[अपि (api) - even; अरण्यं (araṇyaṃ) - forest; समाश्रित्य (samāśritya) - having taken refuge; चरेत् (caret) - should live; दस्युगणैः (dasyugaṇaiḥ) - with groups of robbers; सह (saha) - together; न (na) - not; तु (tu) - but; एव (eva) - indeed; उद्धृत (uddhṛta) - transgressed; मर्यादैः (maryādaiḥ) - boundaries; दस्युभिः (dasyubhiḥ) - with robbers; सहितः (sahitaḥ) - together; चरेत् (caret) - should live; दस्यूनां (dasyūnām) - of robbers; सुलभा (sulabhā) - easily obtained; सेना (senā) - army; रौद्रकर्मसु (raudrakarmasu) - in cruel deeds; भारत (bhārata) - O Bhārata;]
(Even having taken refuge in the forest, one should live together with groups of robbers; but indeed, one should not live together with robbers who have transgressed boundaries. The army of robbers is easily obtained in cruel deeds, O Bhārata.)
O Bhārata, it is better to live even in the forest with groups of robbers than to live with robbers who have transgressed all bounds. For, robbers are easily found for cruel deeds.
एकान्तेन ह्यमर्यादात्सर्वोऽप्युद्विजते जनः। दस्यवोऽप्युपशङ्कन्ते निरनुक्रोशकारिणः ॥१२-१३१-११॥
ekāntena hy amaryādāt sarvo'py udvijate janaḥ। dasyavo'py upaśaṅkante niranukrośakāriṇaḥ ॥12-131-11॥
[एकान्तेन (ekāntena) - by isolation; by separation; हि (hi) - indeed; surely; अमर्यादात् (amaryādāt) - from one without restraint; from the unrestrained; सर्वः (sarvaḥ) - everyone; all; अपि (api) - even; also; उद्विजते (udvijate) - shrinks; is afraid; जनः (janaḥ) - person; man; दस्यवः (dasyavaḥ) - robbers; thieves; अपि (api) - even; also; उपशङ्कन्ते (upaśaṅkante) - suspect; are suspicious; निरनुक्रोशकारिणः (niranukrośakāriṇaḥ) - those who act without compassion; cruel ones;]
(Indeed, from one without restraint in isolation, everyone even shrinks away; even robbers are suspicious of those who act without compassion.)
Surely, everyone is afraid of a person who is unrestrained in isolation; even robbers are wary of those who act without compassion.
स्थापयेदेव मर्यादां जनचित्तप्रसादिनीम्। अल्पाप्यथेह मर्यादा लोके भवति पूजिता ॥१२-१३१-१२॥
sthāpayedeva maryādāṃ janacittaprasādinīm। alpāpyatheha maryādā loke bhavati pūjitā ॥12-131-12॥
[स्थापयेत् (sthāpayet) - should establish; एव (eva) - indeed; मर्यादाम् (maryādām) - boundary; जनचित्तप्रसादिनीम् (janacittaprasādinīm) - pleasing to people's minds; अल्पा (alpā) - even if small; अपि (api) - even; अथ (atha) - then; इह (iha) - here; मर्यादा (maryādā) - boundary; लोके (loke) - in the world; भवति (bhavati) - becomes; पूजिता (pūjitā) - honored;]
(Indeed, one should establish a boundary that is pleasing to people's minds. Even if the boundary here is small, it becomes honored in the world.)
One should certainly establish boundaries that win the hearts of people. Even a small boundary, when set here, is honored in the world.
नायं लोकोऽस्ति न पर इति व्यवसितो जनः। नालं गन्तुं च विश्वासं नास्तिके भयशङ्किनि ॥१२-१३१-१३॥
nāyaṃ loko'sti na para iti vyavasito janaḥ। nālaṃ gantuṃ ca viśvāsaṃ nāstike bhayaśaṅkini ॥12-131-13॥
[न (na) - not; अयम् (ayam) - this; लोकः (lokaḥ) - world; अस्ति (asti) - exists; न (na) - not; परः (paraḥ) - other (world); इति (iti) - thus; व्यवसितः (vyavasitaḥ) - resolved; जनः (janaḥ) - person; न (na) - not; अलम् (alam) - capable; गन्तुम् (gantum) - to go; च (ca) - and; विश्वासम् (viśvāsam) - faith; नास्तिके (nāstike) - in the atheist; भयशङ्किनि (bhayaśaṅkini) - in one who is fearful; ॥१२-१३१-१३॥ (॥12-131-13॥) -;]
(Not this world exists, not the other (world), thus resolved person; not capable to go and faith in the atheist, in one who is fearful.)
A person who is resolved that 'neither this world nor the next exists' is not capable of having faith in an atheist or in one who is fearful.
यथा सद्भिः परादानमहिंसा दस्युभिस्तथा। अनुरज्यन्ति भूतानि समर्यादेषु दस्युषु ॥१२-१३१-१४॥
yathā sadbhiḥ parādānamahiṃsā dasyubhistathā। anurajyanti bhūtāni samaryādeṣu dasyuṣu ॥12-131-14॥
[यथा (yathā) - just as; सद्भिः (sadbhiḥ) - by the good; परादानम् (parādānam) - giving to others; अहिंसा (ahiṃsā) - non-violence; दस्युभिः (dasyubhiḥ) - by robbers; तथा (tathā) - so; अनुरज्यन्ति (anurajyanti) - are pleased; भूतानि (bhūtāni) - creatures; समर्यादेषु (samaryādeṣu) - in those with proper conduct; दस्युषु (dasyuṣu) - among robbers;]
(Just as by the good, giving to others and non-violence (are practiced), so by robbers, creatures are pleased with those among robbers who have proper conduct.)
Just as charity and non-violence are practiced by the virtuous, so too, among robbers, creatures are pleased with those who maintain proper conduct.
अयुध्यमानस्य वधो दारामर्शः कृतघ्नता। ब्रह्मवित्तस्य चादानं निःशेषकरणं तथा ॥ स्त्रिया मोषः परिस्थानं दस्युष्वेतद्विगर्हितम् ॥१२-१३१-१५॥
ayudhyamānasya vadho dārāmarśaḥ kṛtaghnatā। brahmavittasya cādānaṃ niḥśeṣakaraṇaṃ tathā॥ striyā moṣaḥ paristhānaṃ dasyuṣvetad vigarhītam॥12-131-15॥
[अयुध्यमानस्य (ayudhyamānasya) - of one not fighting; वधः (vadhaḥ) - killing; दारामर्शः (dārāmarśaḥ) - violation of another's wife; कृतघ्नता (kṛtaghnatā) - ingratitude; ब्रह्मवित्तस्य (brahmavittasya) - of a knower of Brahman; च (ca) - and; आदानम् (ādānam) - taking; निःशेषकरणम् (niḥśeṣakaraṇam) - complete destruction; तथा (tathā) - also; स्त्रिया (striyā) - by a woman; मोषः (moṣaḥ) - theft; परिस्थानम् (paristhānam) - abandonment; दस्युषु (dasyuṣu) - among thieves; एतत् (etat) - this; विगर्हितम् (vigarhītam) - blameworthy;]
(Killing of one not fighting, violation of another's wife, ingratitude, taking from a knower of Brahman, complete destruction also; by a woman, theft, abandonment, among thieves, this is blameworthy.)
Killing one who does not fight, violating another's wife, ingratitude, taking from a knower of Brahman, and complete destruction—these, as well as theft and abandonment by a woman, are considered blameworthy among thieves.
स एष एव भवति दस्युरेतानि वर्जयन्। अभिसंदधते ये न विनाशायास्य भारत ॥ नशेषमेवोपालभ्य न कुर्वन्तीति निश्चयः ॥१२-१३१-१६॥
sa eṣa eva bhavati dasyur etāni varjayan। abhisandadhate ye na vināśāyāsya bhārata ॥ na śeṣam evopālabhya na kurvantīti niścayaḥ ॥12-131-16॥
[स (sa) - he; एष (eṣa) - this; एव (eva) - indeed; भवति (bhavati) - becomes; दस्युः (dasyuḥ) - robber; एतानि (etāni) - these; वर्जयन् (varjayan) - avoiding; अभिसंदधते (abhisandadhate) - intend; ये (ye) - those who; न (na) - not; विनाशाय (vināśāya) - for destruction; अस्य (asya) - of him; भारत (bhārata) - O Bhārata; न (na) - not; शेषम् (śeṣam) - remnant; एव (eva) - indeed; उपालभ्य (upālabhya) - having found; न (na) - not; कुर्वन्ति (kurvanti) - do; इति (iti) - thus; निश्चयः (niścayaḥ) - decision;]
(He, this indeed becomes a robber, avoiding these. Those who do not intend his destruction, O Bhārata, having found no remnant, do not act thus—this is the decision.)
He who avoids these indeed becomes a robber. Those who do not intend his destruction, O Bhārata, having found no remnant, do not act thus—this is the decision.
तस्मात्सशेषं कर्तव्यं स्वाधीनमपि दस्युभिः। न बलस्थोऽहमस्मीति नृशंसानि समाचरेत् ॥१२-१३१-१७॥
tasmātsśeṣaṃ kartavyaṃ svādhīnamapi dasyubhiḥ। na balastho'hamasmīti nṛśaṃsāni samācaret ॥12-131-17॥
[तस्मात् (tasmāt) - therefore; सशेषम् (saśeṣam) - with remainder; कर्तव्यम् (kartavyam) - to be done; स्वाधीनम् (svādhīnam) - under one's own control; अपि (api) - even; दस्युभिः (dasyubhiḥ) - by robbers; न (na) - not; बलस्थः (balasthaḥ) - in a position of strength; अहम् (aham) - I; अस्मि (asmi) - am; इति (iti) - thus; नृशंसानि (nṛśaṃsāni) - cruel acts; समाचरेत् (samācaret) - should perform;]
(Therefore, even what remains should be done by oneself, even if under one's own control by robbers; one should not think 'I am in a position of strength' and perform cruel acts.)
Therefore, even if something remains to be done and is under one's own control, even if by robbers, one should not act cruelly thinking 'I am in a position of strength.'
सशेषकारिणस्तात शेषं पश्यन्ति सर्वतः। निःशेषकारिणो नित्यमशेषकरणाद्भयम् ॥१२-१३१-१८॥
saśeṣakāriṇas tāta śeṣaṃ paśyanti sarvataḥ। niḥśeṣakāriṇo nityam aśeṣakaraṇād bhayam ॥12-131-18॥
[सशेषकारिणः (saśeṣakāriṇaḥ) - those who act with remainder; तात (tāta) - O dear; शेषम् (śeṣam) - remainder; पश्यन्ति (paśyanti) - see; सर्वतः (sarvataḥ) - everywhere; निःशेषकारिणः (niḥśeṣakāriṇaḥ) - those who act without remainder; नित्यम् (nityam) - always; अशेषकरणात् (aśeṣakaraṇāt) - from doing everything completely; भयम् (bhayam) - fear;]
(Those who act with remainder, O dear, see remainder everywhere. Those who act without remainder always have fear from doing everything completely.)
O dear, those who leave things incomplete see incompleteness everywhere. Those who try to finish everything completely always live in fear of total completion.
