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Mahābhārata • Parva 12 (Śāntiparva) • Adhyāya 116

Śāntiparva Adhyāya 116

शान्तिपर्व • अध्यायः 116

Śāntiparva Adhyāya 116 of the classical Mahābhārata with 23 verses.

Total: 23 Verses • Citations: MBh 12.116.1–23 • 250 Lexicon Terms
पितामह महाप्राज्ञ संशयो मे महानयम् । स च्छेत्तव्यस्त्वया राजन्भवान्कुलकरो हि नः ॥
English Translation
Yudhishthira said O grandfather, O you of great wisdom, I have one great doubt which perplexes me! You should, O king, remove it! You are a promoter of our family.
पुरुषाणामयं तात दुर्वृत्तानां दुरात्मनाम् । कथितो वाक्यसंचारस्ततो विज्ञापयामि ते ॥
English Translation
You have described to us the slanderous speeches uttered by wicked men of bad conduct. I desire, however, to question you further.
यद्धितं राज्यतन्त्रस्य कुलस्य च सुखोदयम् । आयत्यां च तदात्वे च क्षेमवृद्धिकरं च यत् ॥
English Translation
That which is beneficial to a kingdom, that which yields happiness to the family of kings, that which yields good and advancement in the future and the present, that which is good regarding food, drink and the body, are topics upon which I wish you to dwell.
पुत्रपौत्राभिरामं च राष्ट्रवृद्धिकरं च यत् । अन्नपाने शरीरे च हितं यत्तद्ब्रवीहि मे ॥
English Translation
That which is beneficial to a kingdom, that which yields happiness to the family of kings, that which yields good and advancement in the future and the present, that which is good regarding food, drink and the body, are topics upon which I wish you to dwell.
अभिषिक्तो हि यो राजा राज्यस्थो मित्रसंवृतः । असुहृत्समुपेतो वा स कथं रञ्जयेत्प्रजाः ॥
English Translation
How should a king, who has been put on the throne occupy it, surrounded by friends, ministers and servants, please his subjects?
यो ह्यसत्प्रग्रहरतिः स्नेहरागबलात्कृतः । इन्द्रियाणामनीशत्वादसज्जनबुभूषकः ॥
English Translation
That king, who, taken away by his natural propensities and proclivities, become devoted to evil companions, and flatters wicked men for his being under the influence of his senses, find all servants of good birth and blood displeased with him. Such a king never gets those objects the accomplishment of which depends upon one's having a number of good servants about him.
तस्य भृत्या विगुणतां यान्ति सर्वे कुलोद्गताः । न च भृत्यफलैरर्थैः स राजा संप्रयुज्यते ॥
English Translation
That king, who, taken away by his natural propensities and proclivities, become devoted to evil companions, and flatters wicked men for his being under the influence of his senses, find all servants of good birth and blood displeased with him. Such a king never gets those objects the accomplishment of which depends upon one's having a number of good servants about him.
एतान्मे संशयस्थस्य राजधर्मान्सुदुर्लभान् । बृहस्पतिसमो बुद्ध्या भवाञ्शंसितुमर्हति ॥
English Translation
You, who are equal to Brihaspati himself in intelligence, should describe to me these duties of kings which are difficult to be ascertained and thereby resolve my doubt.
शंसिता पुरुषव्याघ्र त्वं नः कुलहिते रतः । क्षत्ता चैव पटुप्रज्ञो यो नः शंसति सर्वदा ॥
English Translation
You, O foremost of men, are ever engaged in encompassing the good of our family. For this reason you always describe to us on the duties of the kings. Endued with great wisdom, Vidura also gives always valuable instruction.
त्वत्तः कुलहितं वाक्यं श्रुत्वा राज्यहितोदयम् । अमृतस्याव्ययस्येव तृप्तः स्वप्स्याम्यहं सुखम् ॥
English Translation
Hearing instructions from you which are productive of good to our family and kingdom, I shall be able to live happily like a person pleased with having drunk the immortal nectar.
कीदृषाः संनिकर्षस्था भृत्याः स्युर्वा गुणान्विताः । कीदृशैः किंकुलीनैर्वा सह यात्रा विधीयते ॥
English Translation
What classes of servants are to be considered as inferior and what as possessing all accomplishments? Helped by what class of servants or by servants of what kind of birth, should a king rule?
न ह्येको भृत्यरहितो राजा भवति रक्षिता । राज्यं चेदं जनः सर्वस्तत्कुलीनोऽभिशंसति ॥
English Translation
If the king choose to act alone and without servants, he can never protect his people. All persons, however, of high birth wish for the acquisition of sovereignty? us
न हि प्रशास्तुं राज्यं हि शक्यमेकेन भारत । असहायवता तात नैवार्थाः केचिदप्युत । लब्धुं लब्ध्वा चापि सदा रक्षितुं भरतर्षभ ॥
English Translation
Bhishma said The king, O Bharata, cannot along govern his kingdom. Without servants to help him, he cannot accomplish any object. Even if he gains any object, he cannot retain it.
यस्य भृत्यजनः सर्वो ज्ञानविज्ञानकोविदः । हितैषी कुलजः स्निग्धः स राज्यफलमश्नुते ॥
English Translation
That king, whose servants are all gifted with knowledge and wisdom, who always seek the well being of their master, and who are of high birth and quiet disposition, enjoys the happiness of sovereignty.
मन्त्रिणो यस्य कुलजा असंहार्याः सहोषिताः । नृपतेर्मतिदाः सन्ति संबन्धज्ञानकोविदाः ॥
English Translation
That king, whose ministers are all born in respectable families, incapable of being alienated from him, who always live with him, who always give advice to their master, who are endued with wisdom and goodness, who have a knowledge of all things, who can provide for future events and contingencies, who have a good knowledge of the virtues of time, and who never regret for the past, succeeds in enjoying the happiness of sovereignty.
अनागतविधातारः कालज्ञानविशारदाः । अतिक्रान्तमशोचन्तः स राज्यफलमश्नुते ॥
समदुःखसुखा यस्य सहायाः सत्यकारिणः । अर्थचिन्तापरा यस्य स राज्यफलमश्नुते ॥
English Translation
That king, whose servants partake of his sorrows and joys, who always do what he likes, who always try to accomplish their maser's objects, and all of whom are faithful, enjoys the happiness of sovereignty.
यस्य नार्तो जनपदः संनिकर्षगतः सदा । अक्षुद्रः सत्पथालम्बी स राज्यफलभाग्भवेत् ॥
English Translation
That king, whose subjects are always happy and magnanimous, and who always went to path of the righteous, enjoys the happiness of sovereignty.
कोशाक्षपटलं यस्य कोशवृद्धिकरैर्जनैः । आप्तैस्तुष्टैश्च सततं धार्यते स नृपोत्तमः ॥
English Translation
He is the best of kings, the various sources of whose revenue are managed and supervised by contented and trustworthy men who know fully the means of multiplying the finances.
कोष्ठागारमसंहार्यैराप्तैः संचयतत्परैः । पात्रभूतैरलुब्धैश्च पाल्यमानं गुणीभवेत् ॥
English Translation
That king acquires great riches and merit whose repositories and barns are looked after by trustworthy, devoted, and uncovetous and scrupulous servants always always bent upon gathering.
व्यवहारश्च नगरे यस्य कर्मफलोदयः । दृश्यते शङ्खलिखितः स धर्मफलभाग्भवेत् ॥
English Translation
That king in whose city justice is administered properly which leads to the fining the plaintiff or the defendant, if his case is untrue, and in which criminal laws are administered after the manner of Shankha and Likhita, acquires the merit of sovereignty.
संगृहीतमनुष्यश्च यो राजा राजधर्मवित् । षड्वर्गं प्रतिगृह्णन्स धर्मात्फलमुपाश्नुते ॥
English Translation
That king, who wins over subjects by kindness, who is master of the duties of kings, and who is mindful of six cardinal objects, acquires the merit of sovereignty.
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