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Mahābhārata • Parva 12 (Śāntiparva) • Adhyāya 119

Śāntiparva Adhyāya 119

शान्तिपर्व • अध्यायः 119

Śāntiparva Adhyāya 119 of the classical Mahābhārata with 21 verses.

Total: 21 Verses • Citations: MBh 12.119.1–21 • 250 Lexicon Terms
एवं शुनासमान्भृत्यान्स्वस्थाने यो नराधिपः । नियोजयति कृत्येषु स राज्यफलमश्नुते ॥
न श्वा स्वस्थानमुत्क्रम्य प्रमाणमभि सत्कृतः । आरोप्यः श्वा स्वकात्स्थानादुत्क्रम्यान्यत्प्रपद्यते ॥
English Translation
Bhishma said Following the lesson drawn from the story of the dog, that king, who appoints his servants to offices for which each is, competent, enjoys the happiness of sovereignty. A dog should not, with becoming honours, be posted in a position far above that for which he is fit. If a dog be posted above that situation which is fit for him, he becomes inebriate with haughtiness.
स्वजातिकुलसंपन्नाः स्वेषु कर्मस्ववस्थिताः । प्रकर्तव्या बुधा भृत्या नास्थाने प्रक्रिया क्षमा ॥
English Translation
Ministers should be appointed to offices for which they are competent and should possess accomplishments necessary for the same. Appointment of unworthy persons is not at all approved.
अनुरूपाणि कर्माणि भृत्येभ्यो यः प्रयच्छति । स भृत्यगुणसंपन्नं राजा फलमुपाश्नुते ॥
English Translation
That king, who appoints servants to offices for which each is competent, succeeds, for such merit, to enjoy the happiness of sovereignty.
शरभः शरभस्थाने सिंहः सिंह इवोर्जितः । व्याघ्रो व्याघ्र इव स्थाप्यो द्वीपी द्वीपी यथा तथा ॥
English Translation
A Sharabha should occupy the position of Sharabha; a lion should be elated with the power of lion; a tiger; should be placed in the position of a tiger, and a leopard should be placed in that of a leopard.
कर्मस्विहानुरूपेषु न्यस्या भृत्या यथाविधि । प्रतिलोमं न भृत्यास्ते स्थाप्याः कर्मफलैषिणा ॥
English Translation
Servants should according to the scriptural injunction, be appointed to offices for which each is competent. If you wish to achieve success, you should never appoint servants in offices higher than what they deserve.
यः प्रमाणमतिक्रम्य प्रतिलोमं नराधिपः । भृत्यान्स्थापयतेऽबुद्धिर्न स रञ्जयते प्रजाः ॥
English Translation
That foolish king, who, disregarding precedent, appoints servants to offices for which they are not fit, fails to please his people.
न बालिशा न च क्षुद्रा न चाप्रतिमितेन्द्रियाः । नाकुलीना नराः पार्श्वे स्थाप्या राज्ञा हितैषिणा ॥
English Translation
A king, who wishes to have accomplished servants should never appoint persons who are shorn of intelligence, who are low-minded, who are without wisdom, who are not masters of their senses, and who are not highly born.
साधवः कुशलाः शूरा ज्ञानवन्तोऽनसूयकाः । अक्षुद्राः शुचयो दक्षा नराः स्युः पारिपार्श्वकाः ॥
English Translation
Men, who are honest, born in high family, brave, learned, shorn of malice and envy, noble, pure in conduct, and clever in business, deserve to be appointed as minister.
न्यग्भूतास्तत्पराः क्षान्ताश्चौक्षाः प्रकृतिजाः शुभाः । स्वे स्वे स्थानेऽपरिक्रुष्टास्ते स्यू राज्ञो बहिश्चराः ॥
English Translation
Persons, who are humble, always ready to perform their duties, of a peaceful nature, pure in mind, adorned with various other gifts of nature, and are never spoken ill of for the offices they hold should be the intimate companions of the king.
सिंहस्य सततं पार्श्वे सिंह एव जनो भवेत् । असिंहः सिंहसहितः सिंहवल्लभते फलम् ॥
English Translation
A lion should always associate with a lion, If one that is not a lion associates with a lion, it acquires all the advantages that belong to a lion.
यस्तु सिंहः श्वभिः कीर्णः सिंहकर्मफले रतः । न स सिंहफलं भोक्तुं शक्तः श्वभिरुपासितः ॥
English Translation
That lion, however who while performing the duties of a lion, has a pack of dogs only for his companions, never succeeds for such companionship, in performing those duties.
एवमेतैर्मनुष्येन्द्र शूरैः प्राज्ञैर्बहुश्रुतैः । कुलीनैः सह शक्येत कृत्स्नां जेतुं वसुंधराम् ॥
English Translation
Thus, O monarch, a king may succeed in subjugating the entire Earth if he has for his ministers men endued with courage, wisdom, great learning, and high-birth.
नावैद्यो नानृजुः पार्श्वे नाविद्यो नामहाधनः । संग्राह्यो वसुधापालैर्भृत्यो भृत्यवतां वर ॥
English Translation
O foremost of kings, kings should never keep a servant who is shorn of learning, sincerity, wisdom and great wealth.
बाणवद्विसृता यान्ति स्वामिकार्यपरा जनाः । ये भृत्याः पार्थिवहितास्तेषां सान्त्वं प्रयोजयेत् ॥
English Translation
Those men who are devoted to the master proceed unimpeded like arrows. Kings should always speak sweet words to those servants who are always busy with doing good to their masters.
कोशश्च सततं रक्ष्यो यत्नमास्थाय राजभिः । कोशमूला हि राजानः कोशमूलकरो भव ॥
English Translation
Kings, should, always, diligently look after their treasuries. Indeed, kings depend on their treasuries A king should, always, try to swell his treasures.
कोष्ठागारं च ते नित्यं स्फीतं धान्यैः सुसंचितम् । सदास्तु सत्सु संन्यस्तं धनधान्यपरो भव ॥
English Translation
Let your barns, O king, be filled with corn. And let them be entrusted to honest servants. Do your try to increase your wealth and corn.
नित्ययुक्ताश्च ते भृत्या भवन्तु रणकोविदाः । वाजिनां च प्रयोगेषु वैशारद्यमिहेष्यते ॥
English Translation
Let your servants, skilled in battle, always attend to their duties. It is desirable that they should be skilful in the management of horses.
ज्ञातिबन्धुजनावेक्षी मित्रसंबन्धिसंवृतः । पौरकार्यहितान्वेषी भव कौरवनन्दन ॥
English Translation
O delighter of the Kurus, Look to the wants of your kinsmen and friends. Be encircled by friends and relatives. Seek the good of your city.
एषा ते नैष्ठिकी बुद्धिः प्रज्ञा चाभिहिता मया । श्वा ते निदर्शनं तात किं भूयः श्रोतुमिच्छसि ॥
English Translation
By mentioning the example of the dog I have instructed you about the duties you should adopt towards your subjects. What further do you wish to hear?'
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