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युधिष्ठिर उवाच॥
Yudhiṣṭhira said.
यदिदं घोरमुद्दिष्टमश्रद्धेयमिवानृतम्। अस्ति स्विद्दस्युमर्यादा यामहं परिवर्जये ॥१२-१४०-१॥
Is there, perhaps, a robber's code among these terrible, declared, seemingly untrustworthy falsehoods, which I should avoid?
संमुह्यामि विषीदामि धर्मो मे शिथिलीकृतः। उद्यमं नाधिगच्छामि कुतश्चित्परिचिन्तयन् ॥१२-१४०-२॥
I am completely confused and despondent; my sense of righteousness has become weak. No matter how much I ponder, I cannot muster any effort from anywhere.
भीष्म उवाच॥
Bhīṣma said.
नैतच्छुद्धागमादेव तव धर्मानुशासनम्। प्रज्ञासमवतारोऽयं कविभिः सम्भृतं मधु ॥१२-१४०-३॥
This instruction on dharma of yours is not purely from tradition. It is a honey collected by poets, a complete descent of wisdom.
बह्व्यः प्रतिविधातव्याः प्रज्ञा राज्ञा ततस्ततः। नैकशाखेन धर्मेण यात्रैषा सम्प्रवर्तते ॥१२-१४०-४॥
A king must counter many kinds of wisdom in various ways. This undertaking does not advance by a single branch of dharma alone.
बुद्धिसञ्जननं राज्ञां धर्ममाचरतां सदा। जयो भवति कौरव्य तदा तद्विद्धि मे वचः ॥१२-१४०-५॥
O Kauravya, know this as my word: Victory comes to kings who always practice dharma and keep their intellect awakened.
बुद्धिश्रेष्ठा हि राजानो जयन्ति विजयैषिणः। धर्मः प्रतिविधातव्यो बुद्ध्या राज्ञा ततस्ततः ॥१२-१४०-६॥
Kings who are superior in intellect and seek victory prevail. Righteousness must be established by the king's intellect, time and again.
नैकशाखेन धर्मेण राज्ञां धर्मो विधीयते। दुर्बलस्य कुतः प्रज्ञा पुरस्तादनुदाहृता ॥१२-१४०-७॥
The dharma of kings is not determined by a single branch of dharma. How can the weak possess wisdom, which has not been previously mentioned?
अद्वैधज्ञः पथि द्वैधे संशयं प्राप्तुमर्हति। बुद्धिद्वैधं वेदितव्यं पुरस्तादेव भारत ॥१२-१४०-८॥
O Bhārata, one who knows non-division, when on the path of duality, is liable to doubt; the division of intellect should be recognized beforehand.
पार्श्वतःकरणं प्रज्ञा विषूची त्वापगा इव। जनस्तूच्चारितं धर्मं विजानात्यन्यथान्यथा ॥१२-१४०-९॥
Wisdom that acts sidewise is crooked like a river; but people understand the dharma that is declared in various ways, each in their own way.
सम्यग्विज्ञानिनः केचिन्मिथ्याविज्ञानिनोऽपरे। तद्वै यथातथं बुद्ध्वा ज्ञानमाददते सताम् ॥१२-१४०-१०॥
Some possess correct knowledge, others possess false knowledge. Having understood that as it truly is, the good acquire knowledge.
परिमुष्णन्ति शास्त्राणि धर्मस्य परिपन्थिनः। वैषम्यमर्थविद्यानां नैरर्थ्यात्ख्यापयन्ति ते ॥१२-१४०-११॥
The enemies of righteousness destroy the scriptures and, because of inequality, declare the sciences of wealth to be futile.
आजिजीविषवो विद्यां यशस्कामाः समन्ततः। ते सर्वे नरपापिष्ठा धर्मस्य परिपन्थिनः ॥१२-१४०-१२॥
Those who desire long life, knowledge, and fame everywhere— they are all, the most sinful among men, and are the enemies of dharma.
अपक्वमतयो मन्दा न जानन्ति यथातथम्। सदा ह्यशास्त्रकुशलाः सर्वत्रापरिनिष्ठिताः ॥१२-१४०-१३॥
Those with immature intellects, who are dull, do not understand things as they are; always unskilled in śāstra, they remain unsettled everywhere.
परिमुष्णन्ति शास्त्राणि शास्त्रदोषानुदर्शिनः। विज्ञानमथ विद्यानां न सम्यगिति वर्तते ॥१२-१४०-१४॥
Those who point out the faults in the scriptures destroy the scriptures; thus, true knowledge of the sciences does not properly exist.
निन्दया परविद्यानां स्वां विद्यां ख्यापयन्ति ये। वागस्त्रा वाक्छुरीमत्त्वा दुग्धविद्याफला इव ॥ तान्विद्यावणिजो विद्धि राक्षसानिव भारत ॥१२-१४०-१५॥
O Bhārata, know those who publicize their own knowledge by disparaging the knowledge of others, whose words are sharp and whose knowledge is as fruitless as milk that has already been milked, as knowledge-merchants, like demons.
व्याजेन कृत्स्नो विदितो धर्मस्ते परिहास्यते। न धर्मवचनं वाचा न बुद्ध्या चेति नः श्रुतम् ॥१२-१४०-१६॥
By deceit, your entire righteousness is understood and ridiculed. We have heard that the word of dharma is not to be followed merely by words or by intellect.
इति बार्हस्पतं ज्ञानं प्रोवाच मघवा स्वयम्। न त्वेव वचनं किञ्चिदनिमित्तादिहोच्यते ॥१२-१४०-१७॥
Thus, Maghavan himself spoke the knowledge of Bṛhaspati. However, no statement here is ever made without a reason.
स्वविनीतेन शास्त्रेण व्यवस्यन्ति तथापरे। लोकयात्रामिहैके तु धर्ममाहुर्मनीषिणः ॥१२-१४०-१८॥
Some determine worldly conduct by what is mastered by oneself and by the śāstra; but here, some declare it as worldly conduct, while the wise declare it as dharma.
समुद्धिष्टं सतां धर्मं स्वयमूहेन्न पण्डितः। अमर्षाच्छास्त्रसंमोहादविज्ञानाच्च भारत ॥१२-१४०-१९॥
O Bhārata, a learned person should not independently infer the dharma of the virtuous that has already been explicitly stated, due to impatience, confusion about the scriptures, or ignorance.
शास्त्रं प्राज्ञस्य वदतः समूहे यात्यदर्शनम्। आगतागमया बुद्ध्या वचनेन प्रशस्यते ॥१२-१४०-२०॥
When a wise person's treatise is spoken in an assembly, it may go unnoticed; but when articulated with intellect derived from both acquired and traditional knowledge, it is praised.
अज्ञानाज्ज्ञानहेतुत्वाद्वचनं साधु मन्यते। अनपाहतमेवेदं नेदं शास्त्रमपार्थकम् ॥१२-१४०-२१॥
Because it arises from ignorance and serves as a cause for knowledge, the statement is considered valid. This is indeed not refuted; this treatise is not without purpose.
दैतेयानुशनाः प्राह संशयच्छेदने पुरा। ज्ञानमव्यपदेश्यं हि यथा नास्ति तथैव तत् ॥१२-१४०-२२॥
The teachers of the Daityas once said, in order to dispel doubt: 'Knowledge is truly indescribable; just as it does not exist, so it is.'
तेन त्वं छिन्नमूलेन कं तोषयितुमर्हसि। अतथ्यविहितं यो वा नेदं वाक्यमुपाश्नुयात् ॥१२-१४०-२३॥
Therefore, with your roots cut, whom do you hope to please? Whoever does not accept this statement, which is not based on truth, or does not hear it, is not worthy.
उग्रायैव हि सृष्टोऽसि कर्मणे न त्ववेक्षसे। अङ्गेमामन्ववेक्षस्व राजनीतिं बुभूषितुम् ॥ यया प्रमुच्यते त्वन्यो यदर्थं च प्रमोदते ॥१२-१४०-२४॥
You have been created for fierce action, not for self-contemplation. O dear, examine this statecraft if you wish to master it, for it is by this that another is liberated and for which one finds joy.
अजोऽश्वः क्षत्रमित्येतत्सदृशं ब्रह्मणा कृतम्। तस्मान्नतीक्ष्णभूतानां यात्रा काचित्प्रसिध्यति ॥१२-१४०-२५॥
Brahman created the goat, the horse, and the warrior class as similar. Therefore, those who are not very fierce do not succeed in any undertaking.
यस्त्ववध्यवधे दोषः स वध्यस्यावधे स्मृतः। एषैव खलु मर्यादा यामयं परिवर्जयेत् ॥१२-१४०-२६॥
However, the sin of killing one who should not be killed is regarded as equal to that of killing one who is to be killed. This is truly the boundary that one must not cross.
तस्मात्तीक्ष्णः प्रजा राजा स्वधर्मे स्थापयेदुत। अन्योन्यं भक्षयन्तो हि प्रचरेयुर्वृका इव ॥१२-१४०-२७॥
Therefore, the king must be strict and establish his subjects in their own duties, for otherwise, they would devour one another like wolves.
यस्य दस्युगणा राष्ट्रे ध्वाङ्क्षा मत्स्याञ्जलादिव। विहरन्ति परस्वानि स वै क्षत्रियपांसनः ॥१२-१४०-२८॥
He whose kingdom is overrun by bands of robbers who seize others' possessions like vultures snatching fish from the palm, is truly a disgrace among kṣatriyas.
कुलीनान्सचिवान्कृत्वा वेदविद्यासमन्वितान्। प्रशाधि पृथिवीं राजन्प्रजा धर्मेण पालयन् ॥१२-१४०-२९॥
O king, appoint noble ministers who possess Vedic knowledge, and rule the earth by protecting your subjects with righteousness.
विहीनजमकर्माणं यः प्रगृह्णाति भूमिपः। उभयस्याविशेषज्ञस्तद्वै क्षत्रं नपुंसकम् ॥१२-१४०-३०॥
A king who accepts actions arising from deprivation, without knowing the distinction between the two, is indeed considered a neuter kṣatriya (warrior class).
नैवोग्रं नैव चानुग्रं धर्मेणेह प्रशस्यते। उभयं न व्यतिक्रामेदुग्रो भूत्वा मृदुर्भव ॥१२-१४०-३१॥
Neither harshness nor gentleness alone is praised by dharma here. One should not transgress either; even if you become harsh, be gentle.
कष्टः क्षत्रियधर्मोऽयं सौहृदं त्वयि यत्स्थितम्। उग्रे कर्मणि सृष्टोऽसि तस्माद्राज्यं प्रशाधि वै ॥१२-१४०-३२॥
The duty of a kṣatriya is difficult; this friendship that is in you is unusual. You were created for fierce deeds; therefore, rule the kingdom indeed.
अशिष्टनिग्रहो नित्यं शिष्टस्य परिपालनम्। इति शक्रोऽब्रवीद्धीमानापत्सु भरतर्षभ ॥१२-१४०-३३॥
O best of the Bharatas, the wise Śakra said: "One must always restrain the unrighteous and protect the righteous, especially in times of calamity."
युधिष्ठिर उवाच॥
Yudhiṣṭhira said.
अस्ति स्विद्दस्युमर्यादा यामन्यो नातिलङ्घयेत्। पृच्छामि त्वां सतां श्रेष्ठ तन्मे ब्रूहि पितामह ॥१२-१४०-३४॥
Is there truly a limit to the robber that no one else should cross? I ask you, O foremost of the virtuous, please tell me that, O grandsire.
भीष्म उवाच॥
Bhīṣma said.
ब्राह्मणानेव सेवेत विद्यावृद्धांस्तपस्विनः। श्रुतचारित्रवृत्ताढ्यान्पवित्रं ह्येतदुत्तमम् ॥१२-१४०-३५॥
One should serve only Brāhmaṇas—those advanced in knowledge, ascetics, and those endowed with learning, good conduct, and good behaviour—for this is truly the highest purity.
या देवतासु वृत्तिस्ते सास्तु विप्रेषु सर्वदा। क्रुद्धैर्हि विप्रैः कर्माणि कृतानि बहुधा नृप ॥१२-१४०-३६॥
May the conduct you have among the gods be always maintained among the Brāhmaṇas. Indeed, O king, many actions have been performed in various ways by angered Brāhmaṇas.
तेषां प्रीत्या यशो मुख्यमप्रीत्या तु विपर्ययः। प्रीत्या ह्यमृतवद्विप्राः क्रुद्धाश्चैव यथा विषम् ॥१२-१४०-३७॥
For them, fame is greatest when there is affection; but with disaffection, the opposite occurs. When Brāhmaṇas are pleased, they are like nectar; but when angered, they are like poison.
