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Mahābhārata • Parva 12 (Śāntiparva) • Adhyāya 81

Śāntiparva Adhyāya 81

शान्तिपर्व • अध्यायः 81

Śāntiparva Adhyāya 81 of the classical Mahābhārata with 42 verses.

Total: 42 Verses • Citations: MBh 12.81.1–42 • 250 Lexicon Terms • Page 1 of 2 (Verses 30 shown)
यदप्यल्पतरं कर्म तदप्येकेन दुष्करम् । पुरुषेणासहायेन किमु राज्यं पितामह ॥
English Translation
Yudhishthira said Even the most insignificant act, O grandfather, cannot be accomplished by any man without co-operation. What then need be said of the king (who has to govern a kingdom)?
किंशीलः किंसमाचारो राज्ञोऽर्थसचिवो भवेत् । कीदृशे विश्वसेद्राजा कीदृशे नापि विश्वसेत् ॥
English Translation
How should the king's minister act and behave? Upon whom should the king place confidence, and upon whom he should not?
चतुर्विधानि मित्राणि राज्ञां राजन्भवन्त्युत । सहार्थो भजमानश्च सहजः कृत्रिमस्तथा ॥
English Translation
Bhishma said Kings, O monarch, have four sorts of friends. They are-one who has the same object, one who is devoted, one who is related by birth, and one who has been won over (by gifts and kindness).
धर्मात्मा पञ्चमं मित्रं स तु नैकस्य न द्वयोः । यतो धर्मस्ततो वा स्यान्मध्यस्थो वा ततो भवेत् ॥
English Translation
A righteous person, who would serve one and not both sides, is the fifth of the king's friends. Such a person follow that side on which righteousness is, and accordingly acts righteously.
यस्तस्यार्थो न रोचेत न तं तस्य प्रकाशयेत् । धर्माधर्मेण राजानश्चरन्ति विजिगीषवः ॥
English Translation
Regarding such a person, the king should never disclose such purpose of his as would not find his sympathy, Kings who wish to attain success are compelled to adopt both kinds of roads, fair and unfair.
चतुर्णां मध्यमौ श्रेष्ठौ नित्यं शङ्क्यौ तथापरौ । सर्वे नित्यं शङ्कितव्याः प्रत्यक्षं कार्यमात्मनः ॥
English Translation
Of the four kinds of friends, the second and the third are superior, while the first and the fourth should always be looked upon with suspicion. Regarding those acts, however, which the king should do personally, he should always look with suspicion on all the four.
न हि राज्ञा प्रमादो वै कर्तव्यो मित्ररक्षणे । प्रमादिनं हि राजानं लोकाः परिभवन्त्युत ॥
English Translation
The king should never act carelessly in watching his friends. A king who is careless is always overpowered by others.
असाधुः साधुतामेति साधुर्भवति दारुणः । अरिश्च मित्रं भवति मित्रं चापि प्रदुष्यति ॥
English Translation
A wicked man puts on the appearance of honesty, and he who is honest becomes otherwise. An enemy may become a friend, and a friend may become an enemy.
अनित्यचित्तः पुरुषस्तस्मिन्को जातु विश्वसेत् । तस्मात्प्रधानं यत्कार्यं प्रत्यक्षं तत्समाचरेत् ॥
English Translation
A man cannot always be of the same mind. Who is there that would trust him implicitly? All the principal works, therefore, a king should perform in his own presence.
एकान्तेन हि विश्वासः कृत्स्नो धर्मार्थनाशकः । अविश्वासश्च सर्वत्र मृत्युना न विशिष्यते ॥
English Translation
An absolute confidence (in his ministers) destroys both morality and profit. A want of confidence again in all worse is than death.
अकालमृत्युर्विश्वासो विश्वसन्हि विपद्यते । यस्मिन्करोति विश्वासमिच्छतस्तस्य जीवति ॥
English Translation
Over-confidence is premature death. One incurs danger by over-confidence, If one trusts another completely, he is said to live by the favour of the trusted person.
तस्माद्विश्वसितव्यं च शङ्कितव्यं च केषुचित् । एषा नीतिगतिस्तात लक्ष्मीश्चैव सनातनी ॥
English Translation
Therefore every one should be trusted as also mistrusted. This rule of policy, O sire, should always be kept in view.
यं मन्येत ममाभावादिममर्थागमः स्पृशेत् । नित्यं तस्माच्छङ्कितव्यममित्रं तं विदुर्बुधाः ॥
English Translation
One should always mistrust that person who would upon one's death, obtain one's wealth. The wise men describe such a person to be one's enemy.
यस्य क्षेत्रादप्युदकं क्षेत्रमन्यस्य गच्छति । न तत्रानिच्छतस्तस्य भिद्येरन्सर्वसेतवः ॥
English Translation
From the field of any person the water enters into the other's field, the ridge should not be brocken without owner's wish.
तथैवात्युदकाद्भीतस्तस्य भेदनमिच्छति । यमेवंलक्षणं विद्यात्तममित्रं विनिर्दिशेत् ॥
English Translation
Terrified with the fear of huge quantity of water that might fill up in the field, one who wants to break the ridge, he is said as enemy.
यः समृद्ध्या न तुष्येत क्षये दीनतरो भवेत् । एतदुत्तममित्रस्य निमित्तमभिचक्षते ॥
English Translation
A person whose joy knows no limit upon seeing the advancement of the king and who feels pain upon seeing the king's decay, is one of the best friends of the king.
यं मन्येत ममाभावादस्याभावो भवेदिति । तस्मिन्कुर्वीत विश्वासं यथा पितरि वै तथा ॥
तं शक्त्या वर्धमानश्च सर्वतः परिबृंहयेत् । नित्यं क्षताद्वारयति यो धर्मेष्वपि कर्मसु ॥
क्षताद्भीतं विजानीयादुत्तमं मित्रलक्षणम् । ये तस्य क्षतमिच्छन्ति ते तस्य रिपवः स्मृताः ॥
व्यसनान्नित्यभीतोऽसौ समृद्ध्यामेव तृप्यते । यत्स्यादेवंविधं मित्रं तदात्मसममुच्यते ॥
English Translation
That friend is like your own self who is filled with fear when calamity befalls you and with joy when prosperity smiles on you.
रूपवर्णस्वरोपेतस्तितिक्षुरनसूयकः । कुलीनः शीलसंपन्नः स ते स्यात्प्रत्यनन्तरः ॥
English Translation
A person endued with beauty, fair complexion, sweet voice, liberality, highmindedness, and good birth, cannot be such a friend.
मेधावी स्मृतिमान्दक्षः प्रकृत्या चानृशंसवान् । यो मानितोऽमानितो वा न संदूष्येत्कदाचन ॥
English Translation
That person who is endued with intelligence and memory, who is smart in transacting business, who is by nature shorn of cruelty, who is never wrathful, and who whether honoured or neglected is never dissatisfied, be he your priest or preceptor or trusted friend, should always receive your adoration if he accepts the office of your counsellor and lives in your palace.
ऋत्विग्वा यदि वाचार्यः सखा वात्यन्तसंस्तुतः । गृहे वसेदमात्यस्ते यः स्यात्परमपूजितः ॥
English Translation
That person who is endued with intelligence and memory, who is smart in transacting business, who is by nature shorn of cruelty, who is never wrathful, and who whether honoured or neglected is never dissatisfied, be he your priest or preceptor or trusted friend, should always receive your adoration if he accepts the office of your counsellor and lives in your palace.
स ते विद्यात्परं मन्त्रं प्रकृतिं चार्थधर्मयोः । विश्वासस्ते भवेत्तत्र यथा पितरि वै तथा ॥
English Translation
You may communicate to such a person your most secret counsels and the true state of never all your affairs, spiritual or temporal. You may trust him as you may your own father.
नैव द्वौ न त्रयः कार्या न मृष्येरन्परस्परम् । एकार्थादेव भूतानां भेदो भवति सर्वदा ॥
English Translation
One person should be appointed to one work, and not two or three. These may not tolerate each other. It is always seen that several persons, if engaged in one and the same work, disagree with one another.
कीर्तिप्रधानो यश्च स्याद्यश्च स्यात्समये स्थितः । समर्थान्यश्च न द्वेष्टि समर्थान्कुरुते च यः ॥
यो न कामाद्भयाल्लोभात्क्रोधाद्वा धर्ममुत्सृजेत् । दक्षः पर्याप्तवचनः स ते स्यात्प्रत्यनन्तरः ॥
English Translation
That person who acquires fame, who observes all restraints, who is never jealous of able and competent persons, who never does any evil act, who renounces righteousness from lust or fear or covetousness or wrath, who is smart in transaction business, and who always speaks wise and weighty words, should be your foremost of ministers.
शूरश्चार्यश्च विद्वांश्च प्रतिपत्तिविशारदः । कुलीनः शीलसंपन्नस्तितिक्षुरनसूयकः ॥
एते ह्यमात्याः कर्तव्याः सर्वकर्मस्ववस्थिताः । पूजिताः संविभक्ताश्च सुसहायाः स्वनुष्ठिताः ॥
English Translation
Well-behaved persons and born in good families, who are liberal and never given to brag, who are brave and respectable, and learned and full of resources, should be appointed as ministers for supervising all your affairs. Respected by you and gratified with riches, they would act for your well-being and be of great help to you.
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