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Mahābhārata • Parva 12 (Śāntiparva) • Adhyāya 57

Śāntiparva Adhyāya 57

शान्तिपर्व • अध्यायः 57

Śāntiparva Adhyāya 57 of the classical Mahābhārata with 46 verses.

Total: 46 Verses • Citations: MBh 12.57.1–46 • 250 Lexicon Terms • Page 1 of 2 (Verses 30 shown)
नित्योद्युक्तेन वै राज्ञा भवितव्यं युधिष्ठिर । प्रशाम्यते च राजा हि नारीवोद्यमवर्जितः ॥
English Translation
'The king, O Yudhishthira, should always address himself for action. That king does not deserve praise who, like a woman, is destitute of exertion.
भगवानुशना चाह श्लोकमत्र विशां पते । तमिहैकमना राजन्गदतस्त्वं निबोध मे ॥
English Translation
On this subject, the holy Ushanas has recited a Sloka, o king, Listen to it with attention, O king, as I recite it to you.
द्वावेतौ ग्रसते भूमिः सर्पो बिलशयानिव । राजानं चाविरोद्धारं ब्राह्मणं चाप्रवासिनम् ॥
English Translation
Like a snake swallowing up mice, the Earth swallows up those two, viz., the king who does not like to fight and the Brahmana who is exceedingly found of his wives and children.
तदेतन्नरशार्दूल हृदि त्वं कर्तुमर्हसि । संधेयानपि संधत्स्व विरोध्यांश्च विरोधय ॥
English Translation
You should, O foremost of kings, always remember it. Make peace with those enemies with whom peace should be made, and fight with them with whom war should be waged.
सप्ताङ्गे यश्च ते राज्ये वैपरीत्यं समाचरेत् । गुरुर्वा यदि वा मित्रं प्रतिहन्तव्य एव सः ॥
English Translation
He, who acts inimically towards your kingdom consisting of seven limbs, should be killed, may he be your preceptor or friend.
मरुत्तेन हि राज्ञायं गीतः श्लोकः पुरातनः । राज्याधिकारे राजेन्द्र बृहस्पतिमतः पुरा ॥
English Translation
There is an ancient Sloka recited by king Marutta, quite of a piece with Brihaspati's view, O king, about the duty of kings.
गुरोरप्यवलिप्तस्य कार्याकार्यमजानतः । उत्पथप्रतिपन्नस्य परित्यागो विधीयते ॥
बाहोः पुत्रेण राज्ञा च सगरेणेह धीमता । असमञ्जाः सुतो ज्येष्ठस्त्यक्तः पौरहितैषिणा ॥
English Translation
According to the scriptural injunction, there is punishment for even the preceptor if he becomes haughty and disregardful of his duty, and if he transgresses all restrictions. Vahu's son, the highly intelligent king Sagara, from desire of doing good to the citizens, banished his own eldest son Asamanjas.
असमञ्जाः सरय्वां प्राक्पौराणां बालकान्नृप । न्यमज्जयदतः पित्रा निर्भर्त्स्य स विवासितः ॥
English Translation
Asamanjas, O king, used to drown the children of the citizens in the Sarayu. His father, therefore, remonstrated with and exiled him.
ऋषिणोद्दालकेनापि श्वेतकेतुर्महातपाः । मिथ्या विप्रानुपचरन्संत्यक्तो दयितः सुतः ॥
English Translation
The Rishi Uddalaka renounced his favourite son Svetaketu of rigid penances, because the latter used to invite Brahmanas with false promises of entertainment.
लोकरञ्जनमेवात्र राज्ञां धर्मः सनातनः । सत्यस्य रक्षणं चैव व्यवहारस्य चार्जवम् ॥
English Translation
To make their subjects happy, to observe truth and to act sincerely are the eternal duties of kings.
न हिंस्यात्परवित्तानि देयं काले च दापयेत् । विक्रान्तः सत्यवाक्क्षान्तो नृपो न चलते पथः ॥
English Translation
The king should not hanker after the wealth of others. He should in time give what should be given. If the king be comes endued with prowess, truthful in speech, and forgiving in temper, he would never be shorn of prosperity.
गुप्तमन्त्रो जितक्रोधो शास्त्रार्थगतनिश्चयः । धर्मे चार्थे च कामे च मोक्षे च सततं रतः ॥
English Translation
With soul purged off sins the king should be able to govern his anger and all his conclusions should be according to the scriptures. He should also always follow morality, worldly profit, pleasure and emancipation.
त्रय्या संवृतरन्ध्रश्च राजा भवितुमर्हति । वृजिनस्य नरेन्द्राणां नान्यत्संवरणात्परम् ॥
English Translation
The king should always keep his counsels close regarding these three. No greater misfortune can betake the king than the giving out of his counsels.
चातुर्वर्ण्यस्य धर्माश्च रक्षितव्या महीक्षिता । धर्मसंकररक्षा हि राज्ञां धर्मः सनातनः ॥
English Translation
Kings should protect the four castes in the discharge of their duties. it is the eternal duty of kings not to allow the confusion of duties of the different orders.
न विश्वसेच्च नृपतिर्न चात्यर्थं न विश्वसेत् । षाड्गुण्यगुणदोषांश्च नित्यं बुद्ध्यावलोकयेत् ॥
English Translation
The king should not confide (in others than his own servants), nor should he place too much confidence (in even his servants). He should, by own intelligence, find out the merits and short-comings of the six principal works of sovereignty.
द्विट्छिद्रदर्शी नृपतिर्नित्यमेव प्रशस्यते । त्रिवर्गविदितार्थश्च युक्तचारोपधिश्च यः ॥
English Translation
The king who marks the short-comings of his enemies and cleverly follows morality, profit, and pleasure, who engages intelligent spies for determining secrets and tries to win over the officers of his enemies by presents of wealth is indeed praise-worthy.
कोशस्योपार्जनरतिर्यमवैश्रवणोपमः । वेत्ता च दशवर्गस्य स्थानवृद्धिक्षयात्मनः ॥
English Translation
The king should administer justice like the Regent of Death and amass riches like the god of wealth. He should also mark the merits and short-comings of his on acquisitions and losses and of his own territories.
अभृतानां भवेद्भर्ता भृतानां चान्ववेक्षकः । नृपतिः सुमुखश्च स्यात्स्मितपूर्वाभिभाषिता ॥
English Translation
He should feed those who have not been fed, and enquire of those who have been fed. Always sweet-speeched he should spcak with a smiling face.
उपासिता च वृद्धानां जिततन्द्रीरलोलुपः । सतां वृत्ते स्थितमतिः सन्तो ह्याचारदर्शिनः ॥
English Translation
He should always wait upon his elders and put down procrastination. He should never covet others' properties.
न चाददीत वित्तानि सतां हस्तात्कदाचन । असद्भ्यस्तु समादद्यात्सद्भ्यः संप्रतिपादयेत् ॥
English Translation
He should strictly follow the conduct of the righteous. He should never take money from the righteous. Taking the wealth of those who are not righteous he should give it to them who are righteous.
स्वयं प्रहर्तादाता च वश्यात्मा वश्यसाधनः । काले दाता च भोक्ता च शुद्धाचारस्तथैव च ॥
English Translation
The king should himself be clever in smitting. He should be liberal. He should have his mind under control. He should dress himself gorgeously. He should make presents in proper time and be regular in his meals. He should also be of good conduct.
शूरान्भक्तानसंहार्यान्कुले जातानरोगिणः । शिष्टाञ्शिष्टाभिसंबन्धान्मानिनो नावमानिनः ॥
विद्याविदो लोकविदः परलोकान्ववेक्षकान् । धर्मेषु निरतान्साधूनचलानचलानिव ॥
सहायान्सततं कुर्याद्राजा भूतिपुरस्कृतः । तैस्तुल्यश्च भवेद्भोगैश्छत्रमात्राज्ञयाधिकः ॥
प्रत्यक्षा च परोक्षा च वृत्तिश्चास्य भवेत्सदा । एवं कृत्वा नरेन्द्रो हि न खेदमिह विन्दति ॥
English Translation
He should always treat them equally before or behind. The king, who behaves in this way, is never overtaken by calamity.
सर्वातिशङ्की नृपतिर्यश्च सर्वहरो भवेत् । स क्षिप्रमनृजुर्लुब्धः स्वजनेनैव बाध्यते ॥
English Translation
That crooked and covetous king, who suspect ever body and who imposes heavy taxes on his subjects, is soon killed by his own servants and relatives.
शुचिस्तु पृथिवीपालो लोकचित्तग्रहे रतः । न पतत्यरिभिर्ग्रस्तः पतितश्चावतिष्ठते ॥
English Translation
That king, however, who is righteous and who is ever engaged in attracting the hearts of his people, is never ruined when attacked by foes. If defeated, he soon regains his position.
अक्रोधनोऽथाव्यसनी मृदुदण्डो जितेन्द्रियः । राजा भवति भूतानां विश्वास्यो हिमवानिव ॥
English Translation
If the king is not angry by nature, if he is not addicted to evil habits and not severe in his punishment, if he succeeds in keeping his passions under restraint he becomes an object of confidence to all like the Himavat mountains.
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