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Mahābhārata • Parva 12 (Śāntiparva) • Adhyāya 71

Śāntiparva Adhyāya 71

शान्तिपर्व • अध्यायः 71

Śāntiparva Adhyāya 71 of the classical Mahābhārata with 15 verses.

Total: 15 Verses • Citations: MBh 12.71.1–15 • 250 Lexicon Terms
केन वृत्तेन वृत्तज्ञ वर्तमानो महीपतिः । सुखेनार्थान्सुखोदर्कानिह च प्रेत्य चाप्नुयात् ॥
English Translation
Yudhishthira said By following what conduct, O you who are a master of every kind of behaviour, can a king succeed in easily acquiring, both in this world and in the next, objects which yield happiness in the end?
इयं गुणानां षट्त्रिंशत्षट्त्रिंशद्गुणसंयुता । यान्गुणांस्तु गुणोपेतः कुर्वन्गुणमवाप्नुयात् ॥
English Translation
Bhishma said There are thirty-six virtues which a king should practise. There are another thirty-six related with these.. A virtuous person, by following these virtues, can certainly acquire great merit.
चरेद्धर्मानकटुको मुञ्चेत्स्नेहं न नास्तिकः । अनृशंसश्चरेदर्थं चरेत्काममनुद्धतः ॥
English Translation
The king should follow his duties without any malice. He should not cast off mercy. He should have faith. He should earn wealth without persecution and cruelty. He should seek pleasure without attachment.
प्रियं ब्रूयादकृपणः शूरः स्यादविकत्थनः । दाता नापात्रवर्षी स्यात्प्रगल्भः स्यादनिष्ठुरः ॥
English Translation
He should cheerfully speak out what is pleasant, and be brave without brag. He should be liberal, but should not make gifts to unworthy persons. He should exercise power without cruelty.
संदधीत न चानार्यैर्विगृह्णीयान्न बन्धुभिः । नानाप्तैः कारयेच्चारं कुर्यात्कार्यमपीडया ॥
English Translation
He should make alliances, but not with the wicked. He should not act inimically towards his friends. He should never employ persons who are not devoted to him as his spies and secret emissaries. He should never accomplish his works by oppression.
अर्थान्ब्रूयान्न चासत्सु गुणान्ब्रूयान्न चात्मनः । आदद्यान्न च साधुभ्यो नासत्पुरुषमाश्रयेत् ॥
English Translation
He should never give out his purposes before the wicked persons. He should speak of the merits of others but never his own. He should take money from his subjects but never from those who are good. He should never take the assistance of wicked persons.
नापरीक्ष्य नयेद्दण्डं न च मन्त्रं प्रकाशयेत् । विसृजेन्न च लुब्धेभ्यो विश्वसेन्नापकारिषु ॥
English Translation
He should never inflict punishment without making careful enquiry. He should never give out his counsels. He should distribute money, but not amongst covetous persons. He should place confidence in others, but never in those who have injured him.
अनीर्षुर्गुप्तदारः स्याच्चोक्षः स्यादघृणी नृपः । स्त्रियं सेवेत नात्यर्थं मृष्टं भुञ्जीत नाहितम् ॥
English Translation
He should not entertain malice. He should protect his married wives. He should be pure and should not always be exercised by compassion. He should not seek too much female companionship. He should take wholesome food and never that which is bad.
अस्तब्धः पूजयेन्मान्यान्गुरून्सेवेदमायया । अर्चेद्देवान्न दम्भेन श्रियमिच्छेदकुत्सिताम् ॥
English Translation
He should without pride pay respect to worthy persons, and serve his preceptors and seniors with sincerity. He should seek prosperity, but never do anything that brings calumny.
सेवेत प्रणयं हित्वा दक्षः स्यान्न त्वकालवित् । सान्त्वयेन्न च भोगार्थमनुगृह्णन्न चाक्षिपेत् ॥
English Translation
He should serve his elders with humility. He should be clever in business but should always wait for the opportune moment. He should solace men and never send them away with empty words. Having favoured a person, he should not case him off.
प्रहरेन्न त्वविज्ञाय हत्वा शत्रून्न शेषयेत् । क्रोधं कुर्यान्न चाकस्मान्मृदुः स्यान्नापकारिषु ॥
English Translation
He should never strike in ignorance. Having killed his enemy he should never be sorry. He should display anger, but should never do so when there is no occasion. He should be mild, but never to the offenders.
एवं चरस्व राज्यस्थो यदि श्रेय इहेच्छसि । अतोऽन्यथा नरपतिर्भयमृच्छत्यनुत्तमम् ॥
English Translation
Behave thus while ruling your kingdom if you wish to enjoy prosperity. The king that behaves otherwise is visited by great calamities.
इति सर्वान्गुणानेतान्यथोक्तान्योऽनुवर्तते । अनुभूयेह भद्राणि प्रेत्य स्वर्गे महीयते ॥
English Translation
That king, who observes all these virtues that I have mentioned, enjoys many blessings of Earth and great rewards in heaven.'
इदं वचः शांतनवस्य शुश्रुवा;न्युधिष्ठिरः पाण्डवमुख्यसंवृतः । तदा ववन्दे च पितामहं नृपो; यथोक्तमेतच्च चकार बुद्धिमान् ॥
English Translation
Vaishampayana said Hearing these words of Shantanu's son, king Yudhishthira, always obedient in receiving instructions, endued with great intelligence, and protected by Bhima and others, then adored his grandfather and from that time began to rule according to his dictates.
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