12.259
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca॥
Yudhishthira said.
kathaṁ rājā prajā rakṣenna ca kiñcitpratāpayet। pṛcchāmi tvāṁ satāṁ śreṣṭha tanme brūhi pitāmaha ॥12-259-1॥
How should a king protect his subjects without oppressing them in any way? I ask you, O grandsire, best among the virtuous, please tell me that.
bhīṣma uvāca॥
Bhīṣma said.
atrāpy udāharantīmam itihāsaṃ purātanam। dyumatsenasya saṃvādaṃ rājñā satyavatā saha ॥12-259-2॥
Here too, an ancient story is told: the conversation between Dyumatsena and King Satyavat.
avyāhṛtaṃ vyājahāra satyavāniti naḥ śrutam। vadhāya nīyamāneṣu piturevānuśāsanāt ॥12-259-3॥
It was heard by us that, without being prompted, he uttered the name 'Satyavan'. When they were being led away for execution, it was solely by the father's command.
adharmatāṃ yāti dharmo yātyadharmaś ca dharmatām। vadho nāma bhaved dharmo naitad bhavitum arhati ॥12-259-4॥
Dharma may turn into adharma, and adharma into dharma. Sometimes, killing may be considered dharma, but this should not be so.
dyumatsena uvāca॥
Dyumatsena said.
atha cedavadho dharmo dharmaḥ ko jātu cidbhavet। dasyavaścenn hanyeransatyavaṁsaṅkaro bhavet ॥12-259-5॥
If killing were considered righteousness, then what could ever be called righteousness? If robbers are not slain, there would be a confusion of true lineage.
mamedamiti nāsyaitatpravarteta kalau yuge। lokayātrā na caiva syādatha cedvettha śaṁsa naḥ ॥12-259-6॥
If in the Kali age this idea of 'mine' and 'not his' did not arise, worldly conduct would not exist at all; if you know otherwise, tell us.
satyavān uvāca॥
Satyavan said.
sarva eva trayo varṇāḥ kāryā brāhmaṇabandhanāḥ। dharmapāśanibaddhānāmalpo vyapacariṣyati ॥12-259-7॥
All three classes should be bound by the Brāhmaṇa; among those bound by the noose of dharma, few will deviate.
yo yas teṣām apacaret tam ācakṣīta vai dvijaḥ। ayaṃ me na śṛṇoti iti tasmin rājā pradhārayet ॥12-259-8॥
The twice-born should inform the king about any one among them who serves but does not listen to him, saying: "This one does not listen to me"; the king should take note of him.
tattvābhedena yacchāstraṃ tatkāryaṃ nānyathā vadhaḥ। asamīkṣyaiva karmāṇi nītiśāstraṃ yathāvidhi ॥12-259-9॥
If the principle is not distinguished, whatever is prescribed in the scripture is to be done; otherwise, it leads to destruction. Actions must be performed only after due examination, and the science of ethics should be followed according to the prescribed rules.
dasyūn hinasti vai rājā bhūyaso vāpy anāgasaḥ। bhāryā mātā pitā putro hanyate puruṣe hate॥ pareṇāpakṛte rājā tasmāt samyak pradhārayet॥12-259-10॥
The king, in punishing robbers, often destroys even the innocent. When a man is slain by another who has done wrong, his wife, mother, father, and son are also killed. Therefore, the king should judge carefully.
asādhuścaiva puruṣo labhate śīlamekadā। sādhoścāpi hyasādhubhyo jāyate'śobhanā prajā ॥12-259-11॥
Sometimes even a wicked man acquires good character, and likewise, from the good, unworthy offspring may be born from the wicked.
na mūlaghātaḥ kartavyo naiṣa dharmaḥ sanātanaḥ। api khalvavadhenai'va prāyaścittaṃ vidhīyate ॥12-259-12॥
Root destruction should not be done; this is not the eternal dharma. Even so, atonement is prescribed only by killing.
udvejanena bandhena virūpakaraṇena ca। vadhadaṇḍena te kleśyā na puro'hi tasampadā ॥12-259-13॥
Those possessing harmful wealth should not be afflicted by agitation, binding, disfigurement, or capital punishment.
yadā purohitaṃ vā te paryeyuḥ śaraṇaiṣiṇaḥ। kariṣyāmaḥ punarbrahman na pāpamiti vādinaḥ॥12-259-14॥
When the priests or those seeking refuge would approach you, saying, "O Brahman, we will not commit sin again," thus they spoke.
tadā visargamarhāḥ syur itīdaṃ nṛpaśāsanam। bibhrad daṇḍājinam muṇḍo brāhmaṇo'rhati vāsasam ॥12-259-15॥
At that time, those who are worthy of renunciation should do so—this is the king's decree. A shaven-headed brāhmaṇa, bearing a staff and deer skin, is entitled to wear a garment.
garīyāṃso garīyāṃsam-aparādhe punaḥ punaḥ। tathā visargam-arhanti na yathā prathame tathā ॥12-259-16॥
Greater persons, when a greater offence is committed again and again, do not deserve release as they did the first time.
dyumatsena uvāca॥
Dyumatsena said.
yatra yatraiva śakyeraṃ saṃyantuṃ samaye prajāḥ। sa tāvatprocyate dharmo yāvanna pratilaṅghyate ॥12-259-17॥
Wherever and whenever the subjects can be restrained, that is called dharma as long as it is not transgressed.
ahanyamāneṣu punaḥ sarvameva parābhavet। pūrve pūrvatara caiva suśāsyā abhavañjanāḥ ॥12-259-18॥
If destruction were to occur again, everything would be ruined. In former and more ancient times, people were well-governed.
mṛdavaḥ satyabhūyiṣṭhā alpadrohālpamanyavaḥ। purā dhigdaṇḍa evāsīdvāgdaṇḍastadanantaram ॥12-259-19॥
In earlier times, people were gentle, mostly truthful, rarely treacherous, and seldom angry; back then, mere condemnation was considered punishment, and later, punishment became just words.
āsīd ādānadāṇḍo'pi vadhadaṇḍo'dya vartate। vadhenāpi na śakyante niyantumapare janāḥ ॥12-259-20॥
Previously, there was punishment for theft; now, only the death penalty exists. Yet, even by execution, other people cannot be restrained.
naiva dasyurmanuṣyāṇāṃ na devānāmiti śrutiḥ। na gandharvapitr̥̄ṇāṃ ca kaḥ kasyeha na kaścana ॥12-259-21॥
Scripture declares: "There is no robber among men, nor among gods; nor among gandharvas and ancestors. Here, who belongs to whom? No one belongs to anyone."
padmaṃ śmaśānād ādattē piśācāc cāpi daivatam। tēṣu yaḥ samayaṃ kuryād ajñēṣu hatabuddhiṣu ॥12-259-22॥
He who takes a lotus from the cremation ground or a divine image from a piśāca, and among such people, whoever makes an agreement with the ignorant or those whose intellect is ruined.
satyavān uvāca॥
Satyavan said.
tān na śaknoṣi cet sādhūn paritrātum ahiṁsayā। kasyacid bhūta-bhavyasya lābhena antaṁ tathā kuru ॥12-259-23॥
If you cannot protect the virtuous by non-violence, then bring about the end of any past or future being by whatever means of gain.
dyumatsena uvāca॥
Dyumatsena said.
rājāno lokayātrārthaṃ tapyante paramaṃ tapaḥ। apatrapanti tādṛgbhyastathāvṛttā bhavanti ca ॥12-259-24॥
Kings perform the highest austerities for the sake of maintaining the world. They do not feel shame before such people, and those who act in the same way also become like them.
vitrāsyamānāḥ sukṛto na kāmād ghnanti duṣkṛtīn। sukṛtenaiva rājāno bhūyiṣṭhaṃ śāsate prajāḥ ॥12-259-25॥
The virtuous, even when afraid, do not destroy the wicked out of desire. It is by virtue alone that kings generally govern their subjects.
śreyasaḥ śreyasīmevaṃ vṛttiṃ loko'nuvaratate। sadaiva hi gurorvṛttamanuvartanti mānavāḥ ॥12-259-26॥
People always follow the more excellent conduct of the superior. Indeed, humans always follow the conduct of the teacher.
ātmānamasamādhāya samādhitsati yaḥ parān। viṣayeṣvindriyavaśaṃ mānavāḥ prahasanti tam ॥12-259-27॥
If one, without first composing himself, seeks to compose others, men who are under the sway of their senses in worldly objects will laugh at him.
yo rājño dambhamohena kiñcit kuryād asāmpratam। sarvopāyair niyāmyaḥ sa tathā pāpān nivartate ॥12-259-28॥
Anyone who, out of hypocrisy and delusion, does something inappropriate to the king should be restrained by all means; thus, he is turned away from evil.
ātmaivādau niyantavyo duṣkṛtaṃ saṃniyacchatā। daṇḍayec ca mahādaṇḍair api bandhūn anantarān ॥12-259-29॥
First, one must restrain oneself; one who controls evil deeds should also punish even close kinsmen who follow, with severe penalties.
yatra vai pāpakṛtkleśyo na mahadduḥkhamarhati। vardhante tatra pāpāni dharmo hrasati ca dhruvam ॥ iti kāruṇyaśīlastu vidvān vai brāhmaṇo'nvaśāt ॥12-259-30॥
Where the evil-doer afflicted does not deserve great suffering, there sins certainly increase and righteousness declines. Thus, the wise brāhmaṇa of compassionate nature investigated this. "12-259-30".
iti caivānuśiṣṭo'smi pūrvais tāta pitāmahaiḥ। āśvāsayadbhiḥ subhṛśam anukrośāt tathaiva ca ॥12-259-31॥
Thus, O dear one, I have been instructed by the former grandfathers, who, out of great compassion, comforted me in the same way.
etat-prathama-kalpena rājā kṛta-yuge'bhajat। pādena api dharmeṇa gacchet tretā-yuge tathā॥ dvāpare tu dvi-pādena pādena tu apare yuge॥12-259-32॥
In the first kalpa, the king enjoyed (full) dharma in the Kṛta Yuga. In the Tretā Yuga, dharma stood on three feet; in the Dvāpara on two; and in the last age, on one foot only.
tathā kaliyuge prāpte rājñāṃ duścaritena ha। bhavet kālaviśeṣeṇa kalā dharmasya ṣoḍaśī ॥12-259-33॥
Thus, when the Kali Yuga arrives, due to the evil conduct of kings, at a particular time, the portion of righteousness will be sixteenfold.
atha prathamakalpena satyavansaṅkaro bhavet। āyuḥ śaktiṃ ca kālaṃ ca nirdiśya tapa ādiśet ॥12-259-34॥
Then, according to the primary procedure, the union of Satyavan should take place. After specifying the lifespan, strength, and time, he should instruct the practice of austerity.
satyāya hi yathā neha jahyāddharmaphalaṃ mahat। bhūtānāmanukampārthaṃ manuḥ svāyambhuvo'bravīt ॥12-259-35॥
Manu Svāyambhuva said: "Indeed, for the sake of truth, even the greatest reward of righteousness should be abandoned in this world for compassion towards all beings."
