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Mahābhārata • Parva 12 (Śāntiparva) • Adhyāya 56

Śāntiparva Adhyāya 56

शान्तिपर्व • अध्यायः 56

Śāntiparva Adhyāya 56 of the classical Mahābhārata with 61 verses.

Total: 61 Verses • Citations: MBh 12.56.1–61 • 250 Lexicon Terms • Page 1 of 3 (Verses 30 shown)
प्रणिपत्य हृषीकेशमभिवाद्य पितामहम् । अनुमान्य गुरून्सर्वान्पर्यपृच्छद्युधिष्ठिरः ॥
English Translation
Having saluted Hrishikesha, and Bhishma, and taken the permission of all the elders assembled there, Yudhishthira began to question Bhishma.
राज्यं वै परमो धर्म इति धर्मविदो विदुः । महान्तमेतं भारं च मन्ये तद्ब्रूहि पार्थिव ॥
English Translation
Yudhishthira said 'Persons conversant with duty and morality lecture that royal duties are the highest science of duty. I also regard the burden of those duties as being highly heavy. Do you, therefore, O king, describe those duties.
राजधर्मान्विशेषेण कथयस्व पितामह । सर्वस्य जीवलोकस्य राजधर्माः परायणम् ॥
English Translation
O grandfather, do you speak fully on the duties of kings. The science of royal duties is the refuge of all creatures.
त्रिवर्गोऽत्र समासक्तो राजधर्मेषु कौरव । मोक्षधर्मश्च विस्पष्टः सकलोऽत्र समाहितः ॥
English Translation
O you of Kuru's race, Religion, Profit, and Pleasure depend on royal duties. It is also clear that the practices that lead to liberation equally depend on them.
यथा हि रश्मयोऽश्वस्य द्विरदस्याङ्कुशो यथा । नरेन्द्रधर्मो लोकस्य तथा प्रग्रहणं स्मृतम् ॥
English Translation
As the reins govern the horse or the iron goad the elephant, so the science of royal duties forms the reins for restraining the world.
अत्र वै संप्रमूढे तु धर्मे राजर्षिसेविते । लोकस्य संस्था न भवेत्सर्वं च व्याकुलं भवेत् ॥
English Translation
If one becomes bewildered regarding the duties observed by kings, disorder would prevail on Earth and everything will be in confusion.
उदयन्हि यथा सूर्यो नाशयत्यासुरं तमः । राजधर्मास्तथालोक्यामाक्षिपन्त्यशुभां गतिम् ॥
English Translation
As the Sun rising removes darkness, so this science destroys all the evil consequences of the world.
तदग्रे राजधर्माणामर्थतत्त्वं पितामह । प्रब्रूहि भरतश्रेष्ठ त्वं हि बुद्धिमतां वरः ॥
English Translation
Therefore, O grandfather, do you, for my sake, discourse on royal duties first of all, for you, O chief of the Bharatas, are the foremost of all persons conversant with duties.
आगमश्च परस्त्वत्तः सर्वेषां नः परंतप । भवन्तं हि परं बुद्धौ वासुदेवोऽभिमन्यते ॥
English Translation
O destroyer of foes, Vasudeva considers you as the foremost of all intelligent persons. Therefore, all of us expect the best knowledge from you.'
नमो धर्माय महते नमः कृष्णाय वेधसे । ब्राह्मणेभ्यो नमस्कृत्य धर्मान्वक्ष्यामि शाश्वतान् ॥
English Translation
Bhishma said 'Saluting Dharma who is Supreme, Krishna who is Brahma in full, and the Brahmanas, I shall discourse on the eternal duties (of men).
शृणु कार्त्स्न्येन मत्तस्त्वं राजधर्मान्युधिष्ठिर । निरुच्यमानान्नियतो यच्चान्यदभिवाञ्छसि ॥
English Translation
Hear from me, O Yudhishthira, with rapt attention, all the royal duties described accurately and fully and other duties that you may wish to know.
आदावेव कुरुश्रेष्ठ राज्ञा रञ्जनकाम्यया । देवतानां द्विजानां च वर्तितव्यं यथाविधि ॥
English Translation
In the first place, O chief of Kuru's race, the king should, for pleasing (his subjects), wait humbly upon the gods and the Brahmanas, always following implicitly the ordinance.
दैवतान्यर्चयित्वा हि ब्राह्मणांश्च कुरूद्वह । आनृण्यं याति धर्मस्य लोकेन च स मान्यते ॥
English Translation
By adoring the celestials and the Brahmanas, O increaser of Kuru's race, the king satisfies his debt to duty and morality, and acquires the respect of his subjects.
उत्थाने च सदा पुत्र प्रयतेथा युधिष्ठिर । न ह्युत्थानमृते दैवं राज्ञामर्थप्रसिद्धये ॥
English Translation
O son, you should always exert promptly, O Yudhishthira, for without exertion and manliness mere destiny never accomplishes the objects the kings wish to achieve.
साधारणं द्वयं ह्येतद्दैवमुत्थानमेव च । पौरुषं हि परं मन्ये दैवं निश्चित्यमुच्यते ॥
English Translation
These two, viz., exertion and destiny, are equal. Of them, I consider exertion to be superior for destiny is determined from the results of exertion.
विपन्ने च समारम्भे संतापं मा स्म वै कृथाः । घटते विनयस्तात राज्ञामेष नयः परः ॥
English Translation
Do not be sorry if what is undertaken ends disastrously, for you should then exert yourself in the same work with redoubled attention. This is the highest of royal duties.
न हि सत्यादृते किंचिद्राज्ञां वै सिद्धिकारणम् । सत्ये हि राजा निरतः प्रेत्य चेह च नन्दति ॥
English Translation
There is nothing which leads so much to the success of kings as Truth. The king who is devoted to Truth enjoys happiness both here and hereafter.
ऋषीणामपि राजेन्द्र सत्यमेव परं धनम् । तथा राज्ञः परं सत्यान्नान्यद्विश्वासकारणम् ॥
English Translation
Even to the Rishis, O king, Truth, is the greatest wealth. Likewise for the kings, there is nothing that so much creates confidence in them as Truth.
गुणवाञ्शीलवान्दान्तो मृदुर्धर्म्यो जितेन्द्रियः । सुदर्शः स्थूललक्ष्यश्च न भ्रश्येत सदा श्रियः ॥
English Translation
The king who is endued with all accomplishments and good conduct, who is self-controlled, Humble, and righteous, who has his passions under control, who is of a beautiful countenance and not too enquiring, never loses prosperity.
आर्जवं सर्वकार्येषु श्रयेथाः कुरुनन्दन । पुनर्नयविचारेण त्रयीसंवरणेन च ॥
English Translation
By administering justice, by following these three expedients, viz., concealment of his own shortcomings, ascertainment of the loop-holes of foes, and keeping is own counsel close, as also by acting straight-forwardly, the king, O delighter of the Kurus, acquires prosperity.
मृदुर्हि राजा सततं लङ्घ्यो भवति सर्वशः । तीक्ष्णाच्चोद्विजते लोकस्तस्मादुभयमाचर ॥
English Translation
If the king becomes mild, everybody disobey him. On the other hand, if he becomes fierce his subjects always fear him. Therefore, do you conduct yourself in both the ways.
अदण्ड्याश्चैव ते नित्यं विप्राः स्युर्ददतां वर । भूतमेतत्परं लोके ब्राह्मणा नाम भारत ॥
English Translation
O foremost of liberal men, the Brahmanas should never be punished by you, for the Brahmana, O son of Pandu, is the foremost of human beings on the Earth.
मनुना चापि राजेन्द्र गीतौ श्लोकौ महात्मना । धर्मेषु स्वेषु कौरव्य हृदि तौ कर्तुमर्हसि ॥
English Translation
The great Manu, O king of kings, has written two Slokas. As regards your duties, O you of Kuru's race, you should always remember them. Fire has originated from water, the Kshatriya from the Brahmana, and iron from stone. The three, viz., fire, Kshatriya, and iron, can act on every other thing, but coming into contact with their respective origins, their force becomes neutralised.
अद्भ्योऽग्निर्ब्रह्मतः क्षत्रमश्मनो लोहमुत्थितम् । तेषां सर्वत्रगं तेजः स्वासु योनिषु शाम्यति ॥
English Translation
The great Manu, O king of kings, has written two Slokas. As regards your duties, O you of Kuru's race, you should always remember them. Fire has originated from water, the Kshatriya from the Brahmana, and iron from stone. The three, viz., fire, Kshatriya, and iron, can act on every other thing, but coming into contact with their respective origins, their force becomes neutralised.
अयो हन्ति यदाश्मानमग्निश्चापोऽभिपद्यते । ब्रह्म च क्षत्रियो द्वेष्टि तदा सीदन्ति ते त्रयः ॥
एतज्ज्ञात्वा महाराज नमस्या एव ते द्विजाः । भौमं ब्रह्म द्विजश्रेष्ठा धारयन्ति शमान्विताः ॥
एवं चैव नरव्याघ्र लोकतन्त्रविघातकाः । निग्राह्या एव सततं बाहुभ्यां ये स्युरीदृशाः ॥
English Translation
But they, O foremost of kings, who wish to have such honour, though they may be obstacles to the three worlds, should always be repressed by the strength of your arms.
श्लोकौ चोशनसा गीतौ पुरा तात महर्षिणा । तौ निबोध महाप्राज्ञ त्वमेकाग्रमना नृप ॥
उद्यम्य शस्त्रमायान्तमपि वेदान्तगं रणे । निगृह्णीयात्स्वधर्मेण धर्मापेक्षी नरेश्वरः ॥
English Translation
The great Rishi Ushanas, O son, recited two Slokas in days of yore. Listen to them, O king, with rapt attention. The true Kshatriya, ever observant of his duties, should punish a Brahmana, inspite of his being the master of the Vedas if he rushes to battle with an uplifted weapon.
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