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Mahābhārata • Parva 12 (Śāntiparva) • Adhyāya 120

Śāntiparva Adhyāya 120

शान्तिपर्व • अध्यायः 120

Śāntiparva Adhyāya 120 of the classical Mahābhārata with 55 verses.

Total: 55 Verses • Citations: MBh 12.120.1–55 • 250 Lexicon Terms • Page 1 of 2 (Verses 30 shown)
राजवृत्तान्यनेकानि त्वया प्रोक्तानि भारत । पूर्वैः पूर्वनियुक्तानि राजधर्मार्थवेदिभिः ॥
English Translation
Yudhishthira said You have, O Bharata, described the many duties of king-craft, which were observed and laid down in days of yore by persons of ancient times conversant with royal duties.
तदेव विस्तरेणोक्तं पूर्वैर्दृष्टं सतां मतम् । प्रणयं राजधर्माणां प्रब्रूहि भरतर्षभ ॥
English Translation
You have, indeed, described fully those duties as approved by the wise. Do you, however, O foremost of Bharata's race give us an abridgement of the same, so that we may keep it in memory.
रक्षणं सर्वभूतानामिति क्षत्रे परं मतम् । तद्यथा रक्षणं कुर्यात्तथा शृणु महीपते ॥
English Translation
Bhishma said The protection of all creatures is considered the highest duty of the Kshatriya. Listen now to me, o king, as to how the duty of protection to be performed.
यथा बर्हाणि चित्राणि बिभर्ति भुजगाशनः । तथा बहुविधं राजा रूपं कुर्वीत धर्मवित् ॥
English Translation
A king conversant with his duties should put on many forms and the peacock displays plumes of various hues.
तैक्ष्ण्यं जिह्मत्वमादान्त्यं सत्यमार्जवमेव च । मध्यस्थः सत्त्वमातिष्ठंस्तथा वै सुखमृच्छति ॥
English Translation
Keenness, crookedness, truth, and sincerity, are the qualities which should be present in him. He should practise impartially the qualities of goodness if he is to acquire happiness.
यस्मिन्नर्थे हितं यत्स्यात्तद्वर्णं रूपमाविशेत् । बहुरूपस्य राज्ञो हि सूक्ष्मोऽप्यर्थो न सीदति ॥
English Translation
He must assume that particular colour or form which is beneficial for the particular object which he tries to achieve. A king who can put on various forms succeeds in achieving even the most subtile objects.
नित्यं रक्षितमन्त्रः स्याद्यथा मूकः शरच्छिखी । श्लक्ष्णाक्षरतनुः श्रीमान्भवेच्छास्त्रविशारदः ॥
English Translation
Dumb like the peacock in autumn, he should keep his counsels close. He should speak little and that little should be sweet. He should be of good features and well-read in the scriptures.
आपद्द्वारेषु यत्तः स्याज्जलप्रस्रवणेष्विव । शैलवर्षोदकानीव द्विजान्सिद्धान्समाश्रयेत् ॥
English Translation
He should always be very careful about those gates through which dangers may come and befall him, like men guarding breaks in embankments through which the waters of large tanks may rush and flood their fields and houses. He should seek the protection of Brahmanas crowned with ascetic success as men seek the refuge of powerful rivers caused by the rain-water deposited within mountain lakes. That king, who wishes to amass riches should act like religious hypocrites who keep Sikha or tuft of hair.
अर्थकामः शिखां राजा कुर्याद्धर्मध्वजोपमाम् । नित्यमुद्यतदण्डः स्यादाचरेच्चाप्रमादतः । लोके चायव्ययौ दृष्ट्वा वृक्षाद्वृक्षमिवाप्लवन् ॥
English Translation
The king should always have the rod of Punishment uplifted in his hands. He should always levy taxes carefully after examining the incomes and expenses of his subjects, like men going to a full-grown palmyra for drawing juice.
मृजावान्स्यात्स्वयूथ्येषु भावानि चरणैः क्षिपेत् । जातपक्षः परिस्पन्देद्रक्षेद्वैकल्यमात्मनः ॥
English Translation
He should treat equitably his own subjects; cause the crops of his enemies to be crushed by the foot of his cavalry, march against enemies when his own wings have become strong; and mark all the sources of his own weakness.
दोषान्विवृणुयाच्छत्रोः परपक्षान्विधूनयेत् । काननेष्विव पुष्पाणि बर्हीवार्थान्समाचरेत् ॥
English Translation
He should announce the faults of his enemies; crush those who are their partisans; and collect riches from outside like a person plucking flowers from the forest.
उच्छ्रितानाश्रयेत्स्फीतान्नरेन्द्रानचलोपमान् । श्रयेच्छायामविज्ञातां गुप्तं शरणमाश्रयेत् ॥
English Translation
He should kill those foremost of kings who are puffed up with might and stand with upraised heads like mountains; by bribing the governors of the forests and by ambuscades and sudden attacks.
प्रावृषीवासितग्रीवो मज्जेत निशि निर्जने । मायूरेण गुणेनैव स्त्रीभिश्चालक्षितश्चरेत् । न जह्याच्च तनुत्राणं रक्षेदात्मानमात्मना ॥
English Translation
Like the peacock in the rains, he should enter his nightly habitations alone and unseen. Indeed, he should enjoy, like the peacock, within his inner apartments, the company of his wives.
चारभूमिष्वभिगमान्पाशांश्च परिवर्जयेत् । पीडयेच्चापि तां भूमिं प्रणश्येद्गहने पुनः ॥
हन्यात्क्रुद्धानतिविषान्ये जिह्मगतयोऽहितान् । नाश्रयेद्बालबर्हाणि सन्निवासानि वासयेत् ॥
सदा बर्हिनिभः कामं प्रसक्तिकृतमाचरेत् । सर्वतश्चाददेत्प्रज्ञां पतंगान्गहनेष्विव । एवं मयूरवद्राजा स्वराष्ट्रं परिपालयेत् ॥
आत्मवृद्धिकरीं नीतिं विदधीत विचक्षणः । आत्मसंयमनं बुद्ध्या परबुद्ध्यावतारणम् । बुद्ध्या चात्मगुणप्राप्तिरेतच्छास्त्रनिदर्शनम् ॥
English Translation
By dint of his own intelligence, he should determine what he is to do. By consulting with others he should either leave off or conform such resolution. Helped by that intelligence which is sharpened by the scriptures, one can fix his courses of action. Herein consists the utility of the scriptures.
परं चाश्वासयेत्साम्ना स्वशक्तिं चोपलक्षयेत् । आत्मनः परिमर्शेन बुद्धिं बुद्ध्या विचारयेत् । सान्त्वयोगमतिः प्राज्ञः कार्याकार्यविचारकः ॥
English Translation
By following the means of conciliation, he should create confidence in the hearts of his enemies. He should show his own strength. By judging of various courses of action in his own mind he should by dint of his own intelligence, make his decision.
निगूढबुद्धिर्धीरः स्याद्वक्तव्ये वक्ष्यते तथा । संनिकृष्टां कथां प्राज्ञो यदि बुद्ध्या बृहस्पतिः । स्वभावमेष्यते तप्तं कृष्णायसमिवोदके ॥
अनुयुञ्जीत कृत्यानि सर्वाण्येव महीपतिः । आगमैरुपदिष्टानि स्वस्य चैव परस्य च ॥
क्षुद्रं क्रूरं तथा प्राज्ञं शूरं चार्थविशारदम् । स्वकर्मणि नियुञ्जीत ये चान्ये वचनाधिकाः ॥
English Translation
A king, who knows well the means of acquiring riches, should always engage in his acts such men as are mild by nature and endued with wisdom, courage and great strength.
अप्यदृष्ट्वा नियुक्तानि अनुरूपेषु कर्मसु । सर्वांस्ताननुवर्तेत स्वरांस्तन्त्रीरिवायता ॥
English Translation
Seeing his servants employed in acts for which each is fit, the king should act in unision with them like the strings of a musical instrument, set to proper tension, according with their notes.
धर्माणामविरोधेन सर्वेषां प्रियमाचरेत् । ममायमिति राजा यः स पर्वत इवाचलः ॥
English Translation
The king should do good to all persons without violating the injunctions of Righteousness. That king stands firm as a rock whom everybody regards-He is mine.
व्यवसायं समाधाय सूर्यो रश्मिमिवायताम् । धर्ममेवाभिरक्षेत कृत्वा तुल्ये प्रियाप्रिये ॥
English Translation
While settling the claims of litigants, the king, without making any difference between persons who are liked and those who are disliked by him, should preserve justice.
कुलप्रकृतिदेशानां धर्मज्ञान्मृदुभाषिणः । मध्ये वयसि निर्दोषान्हिते युक्ताञ्जितेन्द्रियान् ॥
अलुब्धाञ्शिक्षितान्दान्तान्धर्मेषु परिनिष्ठितान् । स्थापयेत्सर्वकार्येषु राजा धर्मार्थरक्षिणः ॥
English Translation
The king should appoint in all his offices such men as know very well the characteristics of particular families of the people in general and of various countries; as are mild in words; as are of middle age; as have no shortcomings, as are devoted to good acts; as are never careless; as are free from rapacity; as are possessed of learning and self-control; and as are firm in virtue and always ready to preserve the interests of both virtue and profit.
एतेनैव प्रकारेण कृत्यानामागतिं गतिम् । युक्तः समनुतिष्ठेत तुष्टश्चारैरुपस्कृतः ॥
English Translation
In this way, having determined the course of actions and their final ends, the king should accomplish them carefully; and instructed in all matters by his spies, he may live happily.
अमोघक्रोधहर्षस्य स्वयं कृत्यान्ववेक्षिणः । आत्मप्रत्ययकोशस्य वसुधैव वसुंधरा ॥
English Translation
That king, who never yields to anger and joy without sufficient cause, who looks after all his acts himself, and who superintends his income and expenditure with his own eyes, succeeds in acquiring great wealth from the Earth.
व्यक्तश्चानुग्रहो यस्य यथार्थश्चापि निग्रहः । गुप्तात्मा गुप्तराष्ट्रश्च स राजा राजधर्मवित् ॥
English Translation
That king is a master of his royal duties who rewards his officers and subjects publicly, who punishes those who deserve punishment, who protects his own self, and who protects his kingdom from very evil.
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