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Mahābhārata • Parva 12 (Śāntiparva) • Adhyāya 97

Śāntiparva Adhyāya 97

शान्तिपर्व • अध्यायः 97

Śāntiparva Adhyāya 97 of the classical Mahābhārata with 24 verses.

Total: 24 Verses • Citations: MBh 12.97.1–24 • 250 Lexicon Terms
नाधर्मेण महीं जेतुं लिप्सेत जगतीपतिः । अधर्मविजयं लब्ध्वा कोऽनुमन्येत भूमिपः ॥
English Translation
Bhishma said “A king should never desire to conquer the Earth by unfair means even if such subjugation would secure him the sovereignty of the whole Earth. What king is there who becomes happy after acquiring victory by unfair means?
अधर्मयुक्तो विजयो ह्यध्रुवोऽस्वर्ग्य एव च । सादयत्येष राजानं महीं च भरतर्षभ ॥
English Translation
A victory sullied by unrighteousness is uncertain and never leads to heaven. Such a victory, O foremost of Bharata's race, weakens both the king and the Earth.
विशीर्णकवचं चैव तवास्मीति च वादिनम् । कृताञ्जलिं न्यस्तशस्त्रं गृहीत्वा न विहिंसयेत् ॥
English Translation
A warrior whose armour has slipped off of his body, or who prays for rescue, saying-I am yours,-or joining his hands, or who has thrown off his weapon, may simply be captured but never killed.
बलेनावजितो यश्च न तं युध्येत भूमिपः । संवत्सरं विप्रणयेत्तस्माज्जातः पुनर्भवेत् ॥
English Translation
If a hostile king be defeated by the army of the invader, the latter should not himself fight his defeated enemy. O the other hand, he should bring him to his place and induce him for whole year to say-I to say-I am your slave!-Whether he says or does not say this, the defeated enemy, by living for a year in the house of his victor, indeed gains a new life.
नार्वाक्संवत्सरात्कन्या स्प्रष्टव्या विक्रमाहृता । एवमेव धनं सर्वं यच्चान्यत्सहसाहृतम् ॥
English Translation
If a king carries forcibly a maiden from the house of his defeated foe, he should keep her for a year and ask her whether she would a : marry him or any one else. If she does not agree, she should then be returned. He should likewise deal with all other kinds of wealth that are acquired by force.
न तु वन्ध्यं धनं तिष्ठेत्पिबेयुर्ब्राह्मणाः पयः । युञ्जीरन्वाप्यनडुहः क्षन्तव्यं वा तदा भवेत् ॥
English Translation
The king should never appropriate the riches confiscated from thieves and others awaiting execution. The kine captured from the enemy by force should be given away to the Brahmanas so that they may drink their milk. The bulls taken from the enemy should be engaged in agricultural work or returned to the enemy. It is laid down that a king should fight with a king. One who is not a king should never strike a king.
राज्ञा राजैव योद्धव्यस्तथा धर्मो विधीयते । नान्यो राजानमभ्यसेदराजन्यः कथंचन ॥
अनीकयोः संहतयोर्यदीयाद्ब्राह्मणोऽन्तरा । शान्तिमिच्छन्नुभयतो न योद्धव्यं तदा भवेत् । मर्यादां शाश्वतीं भिन्द्याद्ब्राह्मणं योऽभिलङ्घयेत् ॥
English Translation
If a Brahmana, with a view to secure peace, fearlessly intervenes between the two contending armies, both should immediately stop fighting.
अथ चेल्लङ्घयेदेनां मर्यादां क्षत्रियब्रुवः । अप्रशस्यस्तदूर्ध्वं स्यादनादेयश्च संसदि ॥
या तु धर्मविलोपेन मर्यादाभेदनेन च । तां वृत्तिं नानुवर्तेत विजिगीषुर्महीपतिः । धर्मलब्धाद्धि विजयात्को लाभोऽभ्यधिको भवेत् ॥
English Translation
A king, desirous of winning victory, should never behave thus. What gain can be greater than victory won fairly.
सहसा नाम्य भूतानि क्षिप्रमेव प्रसादयेत् । सान्त्वेन भोगदानेन स राज्ञां परमो नयः ॥
English Translation
The sections of men who are liable to excite people (in a newly conquered kingdom) should forthwith, be conciliated with soothing words and presents. This is a good policy which the king should adopt.
भुज्यमाना ह्ययोगेन स्वराष्ट्रादभितापिताः । अमित्रान्पर्युपासीरन्व्यसनौघप्रतीक्षिणः ॥
English Translation
It instead of doing this, a king tries to govern them with impolicy, they would then leave the kingdom and side with his foes and wait for calamities to overwhelm him.
अमित्रोपग्रहं चास्य ते कुर्युः क्षिप्रमापदि । संदुष्टाः सर्वतो राजन्राजव्यसनकाङ्क्षिणः ॥
English Translation
Watching for the calamities of the king, discontented men promptly side with the latter's enemies, O monarch, in time of danger.
नामित्रो विनिकर्तव्यो नातिच्छेद्यः कथंचन । जीवितं ह्यप्यतिच्छिन्नः संत्यजत्येकदा नरः ॥
English Translation
An enemy should not be imposed on by unfair means. Nor should he be wounded morally. For if struck morally, his very life may disappear.
अल्पेनापि हि संयुक्तस्तुष्यत्येवापराधिकः । शुद्धं जीवितमेवापि तादृशो बहु मन्यते ॥
English Translation
If a king is satisfied with little resources he considers life alone as valuable.
यस्य स्फीतो जनपदः संपन्नः प्रियराजकः । संतुष्टभृत्यसचिवो दृढमूलः स पार्थिवः ॥
English Translation
The power of that king whose territories are vast and contain immense wealth, whose subjects are loyal and contented, and who has a large number of officers, is said to be confirmed.
ऋत्विक्पुरोहिताचार्या ये चान्ये श्रुतसंमताः । पूजार्हाः पूजिता यस्य स वै लोकजिदुच्यते ॥
English Translation
That king whose Ritvijas, priests, preceptors and others about him that are wellversed in the scriptures and worthy of honours are all duly honoured, is considered as the master of the worldly ways.
एतेनैव च वृत्तेन महीं प्राप सुरोत्तमः । अन्वेव चैन्द्रं विजयं व्यजिगीषन्त पार्थिवाः ॥
English Translation
It was by such conduct that Indra became the king of the world. It is by this conduct that earthly kings attain to the dignity of Indra.
भूमिवर्जं पुरं राजा जित्वा राजानमाहवे । अमृताश्चौषधीः शश्वदाजहार प्रतर्दनः ॥
English Translation
Defeating his enemies in great battle, King Pratardana took all their wealth, including their very grain and medicinal herbs, but left their land untouched.
अग्निहोत्राण्यग्निशेषं हविर्भाजनमेव च । आजहार दिवोदासस्ततो विप्रकृतोऽभवत् ॥
English Translation
After subjugating his foes, King Divodasa brought away the very residue of their sacrificial fires, their clarified butter, and their food. Therefore he was deprived of the merit of his conquests.
सराजकानि राष्ट्राणि नाभागो दक्षिणां ददौ । अन्यत्र श्रोत्रियस्वाच्च तापसस्वाच्च भारत ॥
English Translation
King Nabhaga gave away whole kingdoms with their rulers as sacrificial presents to the Brahmanas, save the wealth of learned Brahmanas and ascetics.
उच्चावचानि वृत्तानि धर्मज्ञानां युधिष्ठिर । आसन्राज्ञां पुराणानां सर्वं तन्मम रोचते ॥
English Translation
The conduct, O Yudhishthira, of all the righteous kings of yore, was excellent, and I approve of it wholly.
सर्वविद्यातिरेकाद्वा जयमिच्छेन्महीपतिः । न मायया न दम्भेन य इच्छेद्भूतिमात्मनः ॥
English Translation
That king who wishes for his own prosperity should try to make conquests by fair means, but never with deceit but ones on or with pride.'
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