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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 2 of 3 (Verses 30 shown)
विनश्यमानं धर्मं हि यो रक्षति स धर्मवित् । न तेन भ्रूणहा स स्यान्मन्युस्तं मनुमृच्छति ॥
एवं चैव नरश्रेष्ठ रक्ष्या एव द्विजातयः । स्वपराद्धानपि हि तान्विषयान्ते समुत्सृजेत् ॥
English Translation
The Kshatriya, observant of his duties, who maintains righteousness when it is trespassed against, does not by that act, commit sin, for the anger of the assailant justifies the anger of the punisher. With these restrictions only, O foremost of kings, the Brahmanas should be protected. If they commit any offence they should be banished out of the country.
अभिशस्तमपि ह्येषां कृपायीत विशां पते । ब्रह्मघ्ने गुरुतल्पे च भ्रूणहत्ये तथैव च ॥
English Translation
Even when they deserve punishment you should, O king, show them mercy. If a Brahmana becomes guilty of Brahmanicide, or of violating the bed of his preceptor or other elders, or of causing miscarriage, or of treason against the king, he should be punished with banishment from your territories. No corporal punishment is laid down for them.
राजद्विष्टे च विप्रस्य विषयान्ते विसर्जनम् । विधीयते न शारीरं भयमेषां कदाचन ॥
English Translation
Even when they deserve punishment you should, O king, show them mercy. If a Brahmana becomes guilty of Brahmanicide, or of violating the bed of his preceptor or other elders, or of causing miscarriage, or of treason against the king, he should be punished with banishment from your territories. No corporal punishment is laid down for them.
दयिताश्च नरास्ते स्युर्नित्यं पुरुषसत्तम । न कोशः परमो ह्यन्यो राज्ञां पुरुषसंचयात् ॥
English Translation
Those persons who revere the Brahmanas should be favoured by you. There is no wealth more valuable to kings than the proper selection of servants.
दुर्गेषु च महाराज षट्सु ये शास्त्रनिश्चिताः । सर्वेषु तेषु मन्यन्ते नरदुर्गं सुदुस्तरम् ॥
English Translation
Among the six kinds of forts described in the scriptures, among every kind of other forts the service and the love of the subjects is of the most impregnable.
तस्मान्नित्यं दया कार्या चातुर्वर्ण्ये विपश्चिता । धर्मात्मा सत्यवाक्चैव राजा रञ्जयति प्रजाः ॥
English Translation
Therefore, a wise king should always show mercy towards the four orders of his subjects. The righteous and truthful king succeeds in pleasing his subjects.
न च क्षान्तेन ते भाव्यं नित्यं पुरुषसत्तम । अधर्म्यो हि मृदू राजा क्षमावानिव कुञ्जरः ॥
English Translation
You should not, however, O son, always forgive everybody, for a mild king is regarded as the worst like an elephant shorn of fierceness.
बार्हस्पत्ये च शास्त्रे वै श्लोका विनियताः पुरा । अस्मिन्नर्थे महाराज तन्मे निगदतः शृणु ॥
English Translation
In the Samhita of Brihaspati, a Sloka was recited in days of yore applicable to the present subject. Hear, O king, I shall recite it.
क्षममाणं नृपं नित्यं नीचः परिभवेज्जनः । हस्तियन्ता गजस्येव शिर एवारुरुक्षति ॥
English Translation
If the king becomes always forgiving, the lowest of persons influences him, as the driver who sits on the head of the elephant he guides.
तस्मान्नैव मृदुर्नित्यं तीक्ष्णो वापि भवेन्नृपः । वसन्तेऽर्क इव श्रीमान्न शीतो न च घर्मदः ॥
English Translation
The king, therefore, should not always be mild. Nor should be always be terrific. He should be like the vernal sun, neither too cold nor too hot.
प्रत्यक्षेणानुमानेन तथौपम्योपदेशतः । परीक्ष्यास्ते महाराज स्वे परे चैव सर्वदा ॥
English Translation
By the direct evidence of the senses, by conjecture, by comparisons, and by the injunctions of the scriptures, O monarch, the king should study friends and enemies.
व्यसनानि च सर्वाणि त्यजेथा भूरिदक्षिण । न चैव न प्रयुञ्जीत सङ्गं तु परिवर्जयेत् ॥
English Translation
O noble king, you should renounce all those evil practices which are called Vyasanas. It is not incumbent that you should never indulge in them. What, however, is necessary is that you should not be attached to them.
नित्यं हि व्यसनी लोके परिभूतो भवत्युत । उद्वेजयति लोकं चाप्यतिद्वेषी महीपतिः ॥
English Translation
He that is attached to those practices is under the influence of every one. The king who does not love his subjects fills the latter with anxiety.
भवितव्यं सदा राज्ञा गर्भिणीसहधर्मिणा । कारणं च महाराज शृणु येनेदमिष्यते ॥
English Translation
The king should always treat his subjects as a mother does the child of her womb. Hear, O king, why this is desirable.
यथा हि गर्भिणी हित्वा स्वं प्रियं मनसोऽनुगम् । गर्भस्य हितमाधत्ते तथा राज्ञाप्यसंशयम् ॥
English Translation
As the mother, even not caring for those objects which she likes best, seeks the wellbeing of her child alone, so, forsooth, should kings treat their subjects.
वर्तितव्यं कुरुश्रेष्ठ नित्यं धर्मानुवर्तिना । स्वं प्रियं समभित्यज्य यद्यल्लोकहितं भवेत् ॥
English Translation
A righteous king, O foremost one of Kuru's race, should always act in such a manner, as to sacrifice what he loves most for the sake of securing the well-being of his people.
न संत्याज्यं च ते धैर्यं कदाचिदपि पाण्डव । धीरस्य स्पष्टदण्डस्य न ह्याज्ञा प्रतिहन्यते ॥
English Translation
You should never, O son of Pandu, abandon fortitude. The king who is crowned with fortitude and who punished wrong-doers, has no cause of fear.
परिहासश्च भृत्यैस्ते न नित्यं वदतां वर । कर्तव्यो राजशार्दूल दोषमत्र हि मे शृणु ॥
English Translation
O foremost of speakers, you should never cut jokes with your servants. O foremost of kings, listen to the short-comings of such an act.
अवमन्यन्ति भर्तारं संहर्षादुपजीविनः । स्वे स्थाने न च तिष्ठन्ति लङ्घयन्ति हि तद्वचः ॥
English Translation
If the master mixes too freely with them, servants begin to disregard him. They forget their own position and do not care their master.
प्रेष्यमाणा विकल्पन्ते गुह्यं चाप्यनुयुञ्जते । अयाच्यं चैव याचन्तेऽभोज्यान्याहारयन्ति च ॥
English Translation
Ordered to do a thing, they hesitate, and give out the master's secrets. They ask for unbecoming things and take the food that is intended for the master.
क्रुध्यन्ति परिदीप्यन्ति भूमिमध्यासतेऽस्य च । उत्कोचैर्वञ्चनाभिश्च कार्याण्यनुविहन्ति च ॥
English Translation
They even display their anger and try to excel their master. They even try to reign supreme over the king, and taking bribes and practising deceit, hinder the business of the state.
जर्जरं चास्य विषयं कुर्वन्ति प्रतिरूपकैः । स्त्रीरक्षिभिश्च सज्जन्ते तुल्यवेषा भवन्ति च ॥
English Translation
They ruin the state with abuses by falsifications and forgeries. They make love with the female warders of the palace and dress in the same way as their master.
वातं च ष्ठीवनं चैव कुर्वते चास्य संनिधौ । निर्लज्जा नरशार्दूल व्याहरन्ति च तद्वचः ॥
English Translation
They become so shameless as to pass wind and spit before the very eyes of their master, O foremost of kings, and they do not fear even to speak of him lightly before others.
हयं वा दन्तिनं वापि रथं नृपतिसंमतम् । अधिरोहन्त्यनादृत्य हर्षुले पार्थिवे मृदौ ॥
English Translation
If the king becomes mild and cuts jokes, his servants, disobeying him, ride on horses and elephants and cars as good as the king's.
इदं ते दुष्करं राजन्निदं ते दुर्विचेष्टितम् । इत्येवं सुहृदो नाम ब्रुवन्ति परिषद्गताः ॥
English Translation
His counsellors, in court, plainly say-This is beyond your power. This is a wicked attempt.
क्रुद्धे चास्मिन्हसन्त्येव न च हृष्यन्ति पूजिताः । संघर्षशीलाश्च सदा भवन्त्यन्योन्यकारणात् ॥
English Translation
If the king becomes angry, they laugh; nor are they pleased if favours be conferred upon them, though they may express joy for other reasons.
विस्रंसयन्ति मन्त्रं च विवृण्वन्ति च दुष्कृतम् । लीलया चैव कुर्वन्ति सावज्ञास्तस्य शासनम् । अलंकरणभोज्यं च तथा स्नानानुलेपनम् ॥
English Translation
They give out the secret counsels of their master and speak of his evil deeds. Without the least anxiety they disregard the king's commands.
हेलमाना नरव्याघ्र स्वस्थास्तस्योपशृण्वते । निन्दन्ति स्वानधीकारान्संत्यजन्ति च भारत ॥
न वृत्त्या परितुष्यन्ति राजदेयं हरन्ति च । क्रीडितुं तेन चेच्छन्ति ससूत्रेणेव पक्षिणा । अस्मत्प्रणेयो राजेति लोके चैव वदन्त्युत ॥
English Translation
They wish to sport with the king as with a bird tied in a rope, and always make the people understand that the king is on very intimate terms with them and loves them dearly.
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