12.131
bhīṣma uvāca॥
Bhīṣma said.
svarāṣṭrāt pararāṣṭrāc ca kośaṃ sañjanayen nṛpaḥ। kośād dhi dharmaḥ kaunteya rājyamūlaḥ pravartate ॥12-131-1॥
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.
tasmātsañjanayetkośaṃ saṃhṛtya paripālayet। paripālyānugṛhṇīyādeṣa dharmaḥ sanātanaḥ ॥12-131-2॥
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.
na kośaḥ śuddhaśaucena na nṛśaṃsena jāyate। padaṃ madhyamam āsthāya kośasaṅgrahaṇaṃ caret ॥12-131-3॥
A treasury is not created by mere purity or by cruelty. One should follow the middle path and diligently accumulate wealth.
abalasya kutaḥ kośo hyakośasya kuto balam। abalasya kuto rājyam arājñaḥ śrīḥ kuto bhavet ॥12-131-4॥
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?
uccairvṛtteḥ śriyo hānir yathaiva maraṇaṃ tathā। tasmāt kośaṃ balaṃ mitrāṇy atha rājā vivardhayet ॥12-131-5॥
Excessive conduct leads to loss of prosperity just as surely as death; therefore, the king should increase the treasury, strength, and friends.
hīnakośaṃ hi rājānam avajānanti mānavāḥ। na cāsyālpena tuṣyanti kāryam abhyutsahanti ca ॥12-131-6॥
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.
śriyo hi kāraṇādrājā satkriyāṃ labhate parām। sā'sya gūhati pāpāni vāso guhyamiva striyāḥ॥12-131-7॥
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.
ṛddhim asy ānuvartante purā viprakṛtā janāḥ। śālāvṛkā ivājasraṃ jighāṃsūn iva vindati॥ īdṛśasya kuto rājñaḥ sukhaṃ bharatasattama॥12-131-8॥
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?
udyacchedeva na glāyedudyamo hyeva pauruṣam। apyaparvaṇi bhajyeta na nameteha kasyacit ॥12-131-9॥
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.
apya raṇyaṃ samāśritya cared dasyugaṇaiḥ saha। na tvevoddhṛtamar yādairdasyubhiḥ sahitaś caret॥ dasyūnāṃ sulabhā senā raudrakarmasu bhārata॥12-131-10॥
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.
ekāntena hy amaryādāt sarvo'py udvijate janaḥ। dasyavo'py upaśaṅkante niranukrośakāriṇaḥ ॥12-131-11॥
Surely, everyone is afraid of a person who is unrestrained in isolation; even robbers are wary of those who act without compassion.
sthāpayedeva maryādāṃ janacittaprasādinīm। alpāpyatheha maryādā loke bhavati pūjitā ॥12-131-12॥
One should certainly establish boundaries that win the hearts of people. Even a small boundary, when set here, is honored in the world.
nāyaṃ loko'sti na para iti vyavasito janaḥ। nālaṃ gantuṃ ca viśvāsaṃ nāstike bhayaśaṅkini ॥12-131-13॥
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.
yathā sadbhiḥ parādānamahiṃsā dasyubhistathā। anurajyanti bhūtāni samaryādeṣu dasyuṣu ॥12-131-14॥
Just as charity and non-violence are practiced by the virtuous, so too, among robbers, creatures are pleased with those who maintain proper conduct.
ayudhyamānasya vadho dārāmarśaḥ kṛtaghnatā। brahmavittasya cādānaṃ niḥśeṣakaraṇaṃ tathā॥ striyā moṣaḥ paristhānaṃ dasyuṣvetad vigarhītam॥12-131-15॥
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.
sa eṣa eva bhavati dasyur etāni varjayan। abhisandadhate ye na vināśāyāsya bhārata ॥ na śeṣam evopālabhya na kurvantīti niścayaḥ ॥12-131-16॥
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.
tasmātsśeṣaṃ kartavyaṃ svādhīnamapi dasyubhiḥ। na balastho'hamasmīti nṛśaṃsāni samācaret ॥12-131-17॥
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.'
saśeṣakāriṇas tāta śeṣaṃ paśyanti sarvataḥ। niḥśeṣakāriṇo nityam aśeṣakaraṇād bhayam ॥12-131-18॥
O dear, those who leave things incomplete see incompleteness everywhere. Those who try to finish everything completely always live in fear of total completion.
