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Mahābhārata • Parva 12 (Śāntiparva) • Adhyāya 90

Śāntiparva Adhyāya 90

शान्तिपर्व • अध्यायः 90

Śāntiparva Adhyāya 90 of the classical Mahābhārata with 26 verses.

Total: 26 Verses • Citations: MBh 12.90.1–26 • 250 Lexicon Terms
वनस्पतीन्भक्ष्यफलान्न छिन्द्युर्विषये तव । ब्राह्मणानां मूलफलं धर्म्यमाहुर्मनीषिणः ॥
English Translation
Bhishma said “Let not fruit growing trees be cut down in your dominions. Fruits and roots are the property of the Brahmanas. The sages have declared this as an injunction of religion.
ब्राह्मणेभ्योऽतिरिक्तं च भुञ्जीरन्नितरे जनाः । न ब्राह्मणोपरोधेन हरेदन्यः कथंचन ॥
English Translation
The residue, after supporting the Brahmanas, should be devoted to the support of other people, Nobody should take by inuring the Brahmanas.
विप्रश्चेत्त्यागमातिष्ठेदाख्यायावृत्तिकर्शितः । परिकल्प्यास्य वृत्तिः स्यात्सदारस्य नराधिप ॥
English Translation
If a Brahmana, for want of support, wishes to leave a kingdom for securing maintenance elsewhere, the king, O monarch, should, with love and respect, give him the means of sustenance.
स चेन्नोपनिवर्तेत वाच्यो ब्राह्मणसंसदि । कस्मिन्निदानीं मर्यादामयं लोकः करिष्यति ॥
English Translation
If he does not still abstain from leaving the kingdom, the king should repair to a concourse of Brahmanas and say-Such a Brahmana is leaving the kingdom. In whom shall my subjects then find an authority for guiding them?
असंशयं निवर्तेत न चेद्वक्ष्यत्यतः परम् । पूर्वं परोक्षं कर्तव्यमेतत्कौन्तेय शासनम् ॥
English Translation
If alter this, he does not renounce his intention of leaving, and does not say anything, the king should say to him-Forget the past!—This, O son of Kunti, is the eternal way of the royal duty.
आहुरेतज्जना ब्रह्मन्न चैतच्छ्रद्दधाम्यहम् । निमन्त्र्यश्च भवेद्भोगैरवृत्त्या चेत्तदाचरेत् ॥
English Translation
The king should further say to him,-Indeed, O Brahmana, people say that only that which is sufficient should be assigned to a Brahmana to maintain him. I, however, do not hold that opinion. On the other hand, I think that if a Brahmana seeks to abandon a kingdom for the king neglecting to provide him with means of support, such means should be assigned to him, and, further, if he wishes to take that step for procuring the means of luxury, he should still be requested to stay and supplied with those luxuries.
कृषिगोरक्ष्यवाणिज्यं लोकानामिह जीवनम् । ऊर्ध्वं चैव त्रयी विद्या सा भूतान्भावयत्युत ॥
English Translation
Agriculture, cattle-tending, and trade, suppiy all men with the means of subsistence. A knowledge of the Vedas, however, supply them with the means of acquiring heaven.
तस्यां प्रयतमानायां ये स्युस्तत्परिपन्थिनः । दस्यवस्तद्वधायेह ब्रह्मा क्षत्रमथासृजत् ॥
English Translation
They, therefore, that impede the study of the Vedas and the Vedic practices, are known as enemies of society. For exterminating these that Brahman created Kshatriyas.
शत्रूञ्जहि प्रजा रक्ष यजस्व क्रतुभिर्नृप । युध्यस्व समरे वीरो भूत्वा कौरवनन्दन ॥
English Translation
Subdue your foes, protect your subjects, adore the gods in sacrifices, and fight battles bravely, O delighter of the Kurus!
संरक्ष्यान्पालयेद्राजा यः स राजार्यकृत्तमः । ये केचित्तान्न रक्षन्ति तैरर्थो नास्ति कश्चन ॥
English Translation
A king should protect those who are worthy of protection. The king who does this is the best of rulers. Those kings who do not perform the duty of protection live uselessly.
सदैव राज्ञा बोद्धव्यं सर्वलोकाद्युधिष्ठिर । तस्माद्धेतोर्हि भुञ्जीत मनुष्यानेव मानवः ॥
English Translation
For the behoof of all his subjects the king should always seek to learn the acts and thoughts of all, O Yudhishthira; and for the reason he should engage spies and secret agents.
अन्तरेभ्यः परान्रक्षन्परेभ्यः पुनरन्तरान् । परान्परेभ्यः स्वान्स्वेभ्यः सर्वान्पालय नित्यदा ॥
English Translation
Protecting others from your own, and your own from others, as also others from others, and your own from your own, do you always maintain your subjects.
आत्मानं सर्वतो रक्षन्राजा रक्षेत मेदिनीम् । आत्ममूलमिदं सर्वमाहुर्हि विदुषो जनाः ॥
English Translation
Guarding his own self first from every one, the king should protect the Earth. Men of knowledge have said that everything originate from self.
किं छिद्रं कोऽनुषङ्गो मे किं वास्त्यविनिपातितम् । कुतो मामास्रवेद्दोष इति नित्यं विचिन्तयेत् ॥
English Translation
The king should always think of these, viz.,-What are his shortcomings to what evil habits he is addicted, what are the sources of his weakness, and what are the sources of his follies.
गुप्तैश्चारैरनुमतैः पृथिवीमनुचारयेत् । सुनीतं यदि मे वृत्तं प्रशंसन्ति न वा पुनः । कच्चिद्रोचेज्जनपदे कच्चिद्राष्ट्रे च मे यशः ॥
English Translation
Indeed, he should know whether his conduct is or is not, generally applauded, or is, or is not, liked by the people of the provinces, and whether he has, or has not, succeeded in gaining a good name in his kingdom.
धर्मज्ञानां धृतिमतां संग्रामेष्वपलायिनाम् । राष्ट्रं च येऽनुजीवन्ति ये च राज्ञोऽनुजीविनः ॥
अमात्यानां च सर्वेषां मध्यस्थानां च सर्वशः । ये च त्वाभिप्रशंसेयुर्निन्देयुरथ वा पुनः । सर्वान्सुपरिणीतांस्तान्कारयेत युधिष्ठिर ॥
English Translation
Amongst the virtuous and wise, amongst those who never retreat from battle, and those who do not live in your kingdom, those who depend on you, and those who are your ministers, as well as those who do not follow party, they who praise or blame you should never be disregarded by you, O Yudhishthira!
एकान्तेन हि सर्वेषां न शक्यं तात रोचितुम् । मित्रामित्रमथो मध्यं सर्वभूतेषु भारत ॥
English Translation
No man, O sire, can acquire the golden opinion of all persons in the world. All persons have friends, foes, and indifferent ones, O Bharata.
तुल्यबाहुबलानां च गुणैरपि निषेविनाम् । कथं स्यादधिकः कश्चित्स तु भुञ्जीत मानवान् ॥
English Translation
Yudhishthira said Of persons all of whom are equal in strength of arms and accomplishments' how does one reign supreme over all the others, and how does he succeed in lording over them all.
ये चरा ह्यचरानद्युरदंष्ट्रान्दंष्ट्रिणस्तथा । आशीविषा इव क्रुद्धा भुजगा भुजगानिव ॥
English Translation
Bhishma said The mobile creatures devour things that are immobile; animals having teeth devour those that have none; angry snakes of dreadful venom devour smaller ones of their own species.
एतेभ्यश्चाप्रमत्तः स्यात्सदा यत्तो युधिष्ठिर । भारुण्डसदृशा ह्येते निपतन्ति प्रमाद्यतः ॥
English Translation
The king, O Yudhishthira, should always be careful of his subjects as also of his eremies. If he becomes careless, they attack him like vultures.
कच्चित्ते वणिजो राष्ट्रे नोद्विजन्ते करार्दिताः । क्रीणन्तो बहु वाल्पेन कान्तारकृतनिश्रमाः ॥
English Translation
Take care, O king, that the traders in your kingdom, who purchase articles for purposes of trade at prices high and low, and who while itenerating have to sleep or take rest in forests and inaccessible regions, may not suffer from the imposition of heavy taxes.
कच्चित्कृषिकरा राष्ट्रं न जहत्यतिपीडिताः । ये वहन्ति धुरं राज्ञां संभरन्तीतरानपि ॥
English Translation
Let not the agriculturists in your kingdom leave it through oppression; they, who bear the burden of the king, support the other residents also of the kingdom.
इतो दत्तेन जीवन्ति देवाः पितृगणास्तथा । मनुष्योरगरक्षांसि वयांसि पशवस्तथा ॥
English Translation
The gifts made by you in this world support the gods, Pitris, men, Nagas, Rakshasas, birds, and animals.
एषा ते राष्ट्रवृत्तिश्च राष्ट्रगुप्तिश्च भारत । एतमेवार्थमाश्रित्य भूयो वक्ष्यामि पाण्डव ॥
English Translation
These, O Bharata, are the instruments of governing a kingdom and protecting its king. I shall again talk to you on the subject, son of Pandu."
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