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Mahābhārata • Parva 12 (Śāntiparva) • Adhyāya 76

Śāntiparva Adhyāya 76

शान्तिपर्व • अध्यायः 76

Śāntiparva Adhyāya 76 of the classical Mahābhārata with 38 verses.

Total: 38 Verses • Citations: MBh 12.76.1–38 • 250 Lexicon Terms
यया वृत्त्या महीपालो विवर्धयति मानवान् । पुण्यांश्च लोकाञ्जयति तन्मे ब्रूहि पितामह ॥
English Translation
Yudhishthira said Describe to me, O grandfather, the conduct by which a king succeeds in advancing his subjects and earning regions of happiness in the other world.
दानशीलो भवेद्राजा यज्ञशीलश्च भारत । उपवासतपःशीलः प्रजानां पालने रतः ॥
English Translation
Bhishma said "The king should be liberal and should celebrate sacrifices, O Bharata. He should observe vows and penances, and should be devoted to the duty of protecting his subjects.
सर्वाश्चैव प्रजा नित्यं राजा धर्मेण पालयेत् । उत्थानेनाप्रमादेन पूजयेच्चैव धार्मिकान् ॥
English Translation
Virtuously protecting all his subjects he should honour all pious persons by standing up when they come and by making presents to them.
राज्ञा हि पूजितो धर्मस्ततः सर्वत्र पूज्यते । यद्यदाचरते राजा तत्प्रजानां हि रोचते ॥
English Translation
If the king honours it, righteousness is honoured everywhere. Whatever acts and things a king likes they are liked by his subjects.
नित्यमुद्यतदण्डश्च भवेन्मृत्युरिवारिषु । निहन्यात्सर्वतो दस्यून्न कामात्कस्यचित्क्षमेत् ॥
English Translation
The king should always be like Death to his enemies with the rod of punishment uplifted in his hands, He should root out robbers in his kingdom and never pardon any one capriciously.
यं हि धर्मं चरन्तीह प्रजा राज्ञा सुरक्षिताः । चतुर्थं तस्य धर्मस्य राजा भारत विन्दति ॥
English Translation
A fourth part of the merit which men will acquire under your protection will belong to you.
यदधीते यद्यजते यद्ददाति यदर्चति । राजा चतुर्थभाक्तस्य प्रजा धर्मेण पालयन् ॥
यद्राष्ट्रेऽकुशलं किंचिद्राज्ञोऽरक्षयतः प्रजाः । चतुर्थं तस्य पापस्य राजा भारत विन्दति ॥
English Translation
The king shares a fourth part of those righteous acts which his subjects, wellprotected by him, perform in his kingdom.
अप्याहुः सर्वमेवेति भूयोऽर्धमिति निश्चयः । कर्मणः पृथिवीपाल नृशंसोऽनृतवागपि । तादृशात्किल्बिषाद्राजा शृणु येन प्रमुच्यते ॥
English Translation
Some say that the king earns a half, and some say the full measure, of whatever sin is caused by his becoming cruel and a liar.
प्रत्याहर्तुमशक्यं स्याद्धनं चोरैर्हृतं यदि । स्वकोशात्तत्प्रदेयं स्यादशक्तेनोपजीवता ॥
English Translation
Listen now to the means by which the king may purge off such sins. If the king fails to restore to a subject the wealth that has been stolen away by thieves he should then make good the loss from his own treasury, or, in case of inability, with wealth taken from his dependants.
सर्ववर्णैः सदा रक्ष्यं ब्रह्मस्वं ब्राह्मणास्तथा । न स्थेयं विषये तेषु योऽपकुर्याद्द्विजातिषु ॥
English Translation
All the cases should protect the wealth of a Brahmana as well as his body and life. The person that offends against Brahmanas should be banished from the kingdom.
ब्रह्मस्वे रक्ष्यमाणे हि सर्वं भवति रक्षितम् । तेषां प्रसादे निर्वृत्ते कृतकृत्यो भवेन्नृपः ॥
English Translation
Everything is protected by protecting Brahmana's wealth. Through the favour of the Brahmanas, which may thus be secured, the king becomes crowned with success.
पर्जन्यमिव भूतानि महाद्रुममिव द्विजाः । नरास्तमुपजीवन्ति नृपं सर्वार्थसाधकम् ॥
English Translation
Men seek the shelter of a capable king like creatures seeking relief from the clouds or birds seeking refuge in a large tree.
न हि कामात्मना राज्ञा सततं शठबुद्धिना । नृशंसेनातिलुब्धेन शक्याः पालयितुं प्रजाः ॥
English Translation
A cruel and covetous king, always lustful and seeking the gratification of his desires can never protect his subject.'
नाहं राज्यसुखान्वेषी राज्यमिच्छाम्यपि क्षणम् । धर्मार्थं रोचये राज्यं धर्मश्चात्र न विद्यते ॥
English Translation
Yudhishthira said I do not, for a moment, seek the happiness of sovereignty itself for its own sake. I desire it, however, for the sake of the merit one may gain from it. It seems to me that it has no merit.
तदलं मम राज्येन यत्र धर्मो न विद्यते । वनमेव गमिष्यामि तस्माद्धर्मचिकीर्षया ॥
English Translation
There is no such necessity by which no merit can be acquired. I shall, therefore, retire. into the forest acquiring religious merit. Laying aside the rod of punishment and controlling my senses, I shall go to the forest which is sacred and seek to acquire the merit of righteousness by becoming an ascetic living upon fruits and roots."
तत्र मेध्येष्वरण्येषु न्यस्तदण्डो जितेन्द्रियः । धर्ममाराधयिष्यामि मुनिर्मूलफलाशनः ॥
English Translation
There is no such necessity by which no merit can be acquired. I shall, therefore, retire. into the forest acquiring religious merit. Laying aside the rod of punishment and controlling my senses, I shall go to the forest which is sacred and seek to acquire the merit of righteousness by becoming an ascetic living upon fruits and roots."
वेदाहं तव या बुद्धिरानृशंस्यगुणैव सा । न च शुद्धानृशंस्येन शक्यं महदुपासितुम् ॥
English Translation
Bhishma said 'I know, O Yudhishthira, what the nature of your heart is, and how inoffensive you are. You will not, however, by inoffensiveness alone, succeed in governing your kingdom.
अपि तु त्वा मृदुं दान्तमत्यार्यमतिधार्मिकम् । क्लीबं धर्मघृणायुक्तं न लोको बहु मन्यते ॥
English Translation
Your heart is mild by nature, you are merciful, and highly righteous. You are without energy, are virtuous and full of compassion. People, however, do not respect you.
राजधर्मानवेक्षस्व पितृपैतामहोचितान् । नैतद्राज्ञामथो वृत्तं यथा त्वं स्थातुमिच्छसि ॥
English Translation
Follow the conduct of your father and grandfather. Kings should never follow the conduct which you seek to adopt.
न हि वैक्लव्यसंसृष्टमानृशंस्यमिहास्थितः । प्रजापालनसंभूतं प्राप्ता धर्मफलं ह्यसि ॥
English Translation
Never be affected by anxiety, and never adopt such inoffensive conduct. By becoming so, you would not earn that merit of righteousness which arises from protecting subjects.
न ह्येतामाशिषं पाण्डुर्न च कुन्त्यन्वयाचत । न चैतां प्राज्ञतां तात यया चरसि मेधया ॥
English Translation
The conduct you wish to follow urged on by your intelligence and wisdom, is not quiet of a piece with those blessings which your father Pandu or your mother Kunti used to solicit for you.
शौर्यं बलं च सत्त्वं च पिता तव सदाब्रवीत् । माहात्म्यं बलमौदार्यं तव कुन्त्यन्वयाचत ॥
English Translation
Your father always prayed for your courage, might, and truth. Kunti always prayed for your high-mindedness and liberality.
नित्यं स्वाहा स्वधा नित्यमुभे मानुषदैवते । पुत्रेष्वाशासते नित्यं पितरो दैवतानि च ॥
English Translation
The offerings with Svaha and Svadha in Shraddhas and sacrifices are always solicited from children by the Pitris and the deities.
दानमध्ययनं यज्ञः प्रजानां परिपालनम् । धर्ममेतमधर्मं वा जन्मनैवाभ्यजायिथाः ॥
English Translation
Whether gifts, study, sacrifices and the protection of subjects, virtuous of sinful you are born to practise and perform them.
काले धुरि नियुक्तानां वहतां भार आहिते । सीदतामपि कौन्तेय न कीर्तिरवसीदति ॥
English Translation
The fame of men never suffers, even it they fail in bearing the burden which is placed on them and to which they are wedded for life.
समन्ततो विनियतो वहत्यस्खलितो हि यः । निर्दोषकर्मवचनात्सिद्धिः कर्मण एव सा ॥
English Translation
Even a horse, if properly trained, succeeds in carrying without dropping down a burden. One incurs no blame if only his acts and words be proper, for success depends upon them,
नैकान्तविनिपातेन विचचारेह कश्चन । धर्मी गृही वा राजा वा ब्रह्मचार्यथ वा पुनः ॥
English Translation
No person, be he a virtuous house-holder, or be he a king, or be he a Brahmacharin, has ever succeeded in conducting himself without failure.
अल्पं तु साधुभूयिष्ठं यत्कर्मोदारमेव तत् । कृतमेवाकृताच्छ्रेयो न पापीयोऽस्त्यकर्मणः ॥
English Translation
It is better to do an act which is good and which carries but limited merit than to totally abstain from all acts, for perfect inaction is very culpable.
यदा कुलीनो धर्मज्ञः प्राप्नोत्यैश्वर्यमुत्तमम् । योगक्षेमस्तदा राजन्कुशलायैव कल्पते ॥
English Translation
When a high-born and righteous person acquires profuse wealth the king then succeeds in obtaining prosperity in all his works.
दानेनान्यं बलेनान्यमन्यं सूनृतया गिरा । सर्वतः परिगृह्णीयाद्राज्यं प्राप्येह धार्मिकः ॥
English Translation
A virtuous king, having obtained a kingdom, should try to subdue some by presents, some by force, and some by sweet words.
यं हि वैद्याः कुले जाता अवृत्तिभयपीडिताः । प्राप्य तृप्ताः प्रतिष्ठन्ति धर्मः कोऽभ्यधिकस्ततः ॥
English Translation
There is no one more virtuous than he, upon whom high-born and learned persons depend from fear of losing their means of sustenance and depending upon upon whom they live contentedly.
किं न्वतः परमं स्वर्ग्यं का न्वतः प्रीतिरुत्तमा । किं न्वतः परमैश्वर्यं ब्रूहि मे यदि मन्यसे ॥
English Translation
Yudhishthira said What acts, O sir, lead to heaven? What is the nature of the great happiness that is derived from them? What also is the high prosperity that may be obtained from them? Tell me all this, if you know.
यस्मिन्प्रतिष्ठिताः सम्यक्क्षेमं विन्दन्ति तत्क्षणम् । स स्वर्गजित्तमोऽस्माकं सत्यमेतद्ब्रवीमि ते ॥
English Translation
Bhishma said That man, from whom a person assailed by fear obtains even a momentary relief, deserves heaven from amongst the best of us. What I tell you is very true.
त्वमेव प्रीतिमांस्तस्मात्कुरूणां कुरुसत्तम । भव राजा जय स्वर्गं सतो रक्षासतो जहि ॥
English Translation
Be you gladly the king of the Kurus, O foremost one of Kuru's race, acquire heaven, protect the good, and kill the wicked.
अनु त्वा तात जीवन्तु सुहृदः साधुभिः सह । पर्जन्यमिव भूतानि स्वादुद्रुममिवाण्डजाः ॥
English Translation
Let your friends, together with all honest man, derive their support from you, like all creatures from the god of the clouds and like birds from a large tree with sweet fruits.
धृष्टं शूरं प्रहर्तारमनृशंसं जितेन्द्रियम् । वत्सलं संविभक्तारमनु जीवन्तु त्वां जनाः ॥
English Translation
Men seek refuge with that person who is dignified, courageous, capable of striking, merciful, has under control, is affectionate towards all, the impartial and just. senses
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