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Mahābhārata • Parva 12 (Śāntiparva) • Adhyāya 104

Śāntiparva Adhyāya 104

शान्तिपर्व • अध्यायः 104

Śāntiparva Adhyāya 104 of the classical Mahābhārata with 53 verses.

Total: 53 Verses • Citations: MBh 12.104.1–53 • 250 Lexicon Terms • Page 1 of 2 (Verses 30 shown)
कथं मृदौ कथं तीक्ष्णे महापक्षे च पार्थिव । अरौ वर्तेत नृपतिस्तन्मे ब्रूहि पितामह ॥
English Translation
Yudhishthira said Tell me, O grandfather, how should a king treat a mild foe, one who is fierce, and one who has many allies and a large army.
अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम् । बृहस्पतेश्च संवादमिन्द्रस्य च युधिष्ठिर ॥
English Translation
'Regarding it, O Yudhishthira, is cited the old story of the discourse between Ambarisha and Indra.
बृहस्पतिं देवपतिरभिवाद्य कृताञ्जलिः । उपसंगम्य पप्रच्छ वासवः परवीरहा ॥
English Translation
Once on a time, that destroyer of hostile heroes, viz., Vasava, the king of the gods, joining his hands, approached Brihaspati, and saluting him, said these words.
अहितेषु कथं ब्रह्मन्वर्तयेयमतन्द्रितः । असमुच्छिद्य चैवेनान्नियच्छेयमुपायतः ॥
English Translation
Indra said How, O twice-born one, should I treat my enemies? How should I subdue them by various contrivances, without rooting them out?
सेनयोर्व्यतिषङ्गेण जयः साधारणो भवेत् । किं कुर्वाणं न मां जह्याज्ज्वलिता श्रीः प्रतापिनी ॥
English Translation
In a collision between two arinies, victory may be achieved by either side. In what way should I behave so that this shining prosperity that I have acquired and that scorches all my enemies, may not leave me?
ततो धर्मार्थकामानां कुशलः प्रतिभानवान् । राजधर्मविधानज्ञः प्रत्युवाच पुरंदरम् ॥
English Translation
Thus addressed, Brihaspati, skilled in Virtue, Profit, and Pleasure, endued with a knowledge of royal duties, and great intelligence, answered Indra as follows.
न जातु कलहेनेच्छेन्नियन्तुमपकारिणः । बालसंसेवितं ह्येतद्यदमर्षो यदक्षमा । न शत्रुर्विवृतः कार्यो वधमस्याभिकाङ्क्षता ॥
English Translation
One should never wish to vanquish his enemies by quarrel. Worked up with anger and shom of forgiveness, boys only seek quarrel.
क्रोधं बलममर्षं च नियम्यात्मजमात्मनि । अमित्रमुपसेवेत विश्वस्तवदविश्वसन् ॥
प्रियमेव वदेन्नित्यं नाप्रियं किंचिदाचरेत् । विरमेच्छुष्कवैरेभ्यः कण्ठायासं च वर्जयेत् ॥
यथा वैतंसिको युक्तो द्विजानां सदृशस्वनः । तान्द्विजान्कुरुते वश्यांस्तथा युक्तो महीपतिः । वशं चोपनयेच्छत्रून्निहन्याच्च पुरंदर ॥
English Translation
One should avoid useless acts of hostility as also insolent speech. As a fowler, carefully uttering cries like those of the birds he wishes to catch, or destroy, captures and brings them under his control, even so should a king, O Purandara, bring his enemies under subjection and then kill them if he likes.
न नित्यं परिभूयारीन्सुखं स्वपिति वासव । जागर्त्येव च दुष्टात्मा संकरेऽग्निरिवोत्थितः ॥
English Translation
Having defeated one's enemies, one should not sleep at ease. A wicked enemy rises up against like a fire carelessly extinguished reappearing itself.
न संनिपातः कर्तव्यः सामान्ये विजये सति । विश्वास्यैवोपसंन्यास्यो वशे कृत्वा रिपुः प्रभो ॥
English Translation
When victory may be achieved by either side, a hostile collision of arms should be avoided. Having made an enemy feel security, one should subdue him and active one's end.
संप्रधार्य सहामात्यैर्मन्त्रविद्भिर्महात्मभिः । उपेक्षमाणोऽवज्ञाते हृदयेनापराजितः ॥
English Translation
Having consulted his ministers and intelligent persons conversant with policy, an enemy that is disregarded and neglected, never owning submission at heart, strikes the disregarder at the proper season, especially when the latter takes a false step. By engaging trustworthy agents of his own, such an enemy would also make the other's forces inefficient by creating disunion.
अथास्य प्रहरेत्काले किंचिद्विचलिते पदे । दण्डं च दूषयेदस्य पुरुषैराप्तकारिभिः ॥
English Translation
Having consulted his ministers and intelligent persons conversant with policy, an enemy that is disregarded and neglected, never owning submission at heart, strikes the disregarder at the proper season, especially when the latter takes a false step. By engaging trustworthy agents of his own, such an enemy would also make the other's forces inefficient by creating disunion.
आदिमध्यावसानज्ञः प्रच्छन्नं च विचारयेत् । बलानि दूषयेदस्य जानंश्चैव प्रमाणतः ॥
English Translation
Knowing the beginning, the middle, and the end of his enemy, a king should secretly entertain feelings of hostility towards them. He should corrupt the forces of his enemy, determine everything by positive evidence, creating disunion, making gifts, and administering poison. A king should never live with his foes.
भेदेनोपप्रदानेन संसृजन्नौषधैस्तथा । न त्वेव चेलसंसर्गं रचयेदरिभिः सह ॥
दीर्घकालमपि क्षान्त्वा विहन्यादेव शात्रवान् । कालाकाङ्क्षी यामयेच्च यथा विस्रम्भमाप्नुयुः ॥
English Translation
A king should wait long and then kill his enemies. Indeed, he should wait, for the opportunity, so that he might attack his enemy at a time when the latter would not expect him in the least. A king should never kill a large number of the enemy's army, although he should certainly do that which would secure him decisive victory.
न सद्योऽरीन्विनिर्हन्याद्दृष्टस्य विजयोऽज्वरः । न यः शल्यं घट्टयति नवं च कुरुते व्रणम् ॥
प्राप्ते च प्रहरेत्काले न स संवर्तते पुनः । हन्तुकामस्य देवेन्द्र पुरुषस्य रिपुं प्रति ॥
English Translation
The king should never do such an injury to his enemy as would remain in the latter's heart. Nor should he afflict him with wordy darts and arrows. If the opportunity comes, he should strike him, without letting it slip. In this way, O king of the gods, should a king, desirous of killing his foes, treat them.
यः कालो हि व्यतिक्रामेत्पुरुषं कालकाङ्क्षिणम् । दुर्लभः स पुनः कालः कालधर्मचिकीर्षुणा ॥
English Translation
If an opportunity, with respect to the man who waits for it, once goes away it can never be secured again by the person desirous of acting.
और्जस्थ्यं विजयेदेवं संगृह्णन्साधुसंमतान् । कालेन साधयेन्नित्यं नाप्राप्तेऽभिनिपीडयेत् ॥
English Translation
Acting according to the advice of the wise, a king should only break the strength of his enemy. He should never, when the opportunity is not favourable, try to achieve his end. Nor should he, when the opportunity arises, persecute his enemy.
विहाय कामं क्रोधं च तथाहंकारमेव च । युक्तो विवरमन्विच्छेदहितानां पुरंदर ॥
English Translation
Giving up lust, anger and pride, the king should carefully and continually watch for the shortcomings of his foes,
मार्दवं दण्ड आलस्यं प्रमादश्च सुरोत्तम । मायाश्च विविधाः शक्र साधयन्त्यविचक्षणम् ॥
English Translation
His own mildness, the hardship of his punishments, his inactivity and carelessness. O king of the gods, and the deceitful means well applied (by his foes), ruin a foolish king.
निहत्यैतानि चत्वारि मायां प्रतिविधाय च । ततः शक्नोति शत्रूणां प्रहर्तुमविचारयन् ॥
English Translation
That king who can overcome these four shortcomings and counteract the deceitful expedients of his enemies, succeeds, forsooth, in smiting them all.
यदैवैकेन शक्येत गुह्यं कर्तुं तदाचरेत् । यच्छन्ति सचिवा गुह्यं मिथो विद्रावयन्त्यपि ॥
English Translation
When only one minister is capable to perform a secret object, the king should consult with that one minister only regarding such secret object. Many ministers, if consulted, try to throw the burden of the task upon the another's shoulders and even give out that object which should be kept close.
अशक्यमिति कृत्वा वा ततोऽन्यैः संविदं चरेत् । ब्रह्मदण्डमदृष्टेषु दृष्टेषु चतुरङ्गिणीम् ॥
English Translation
If consultation with one is not proper, then only should the king consult with many. When enemies are not seen, he should invoke divine punishment upon them; when seen, the army, consisting of fourfold forces, should be set in motion.
भेदं च प्रथमं युञ्ज्यात्तूष्णींदण्डं तथैव च । काले प्रयोजयेद्राजा तस्मिंस्तस्मिंस्तदा तदा ॥
English Translation
The king should first use the means of creating disunion, as also those of conciliation. When the time for each particular means arrives, that particular expedient should be made use of.
प्रणिपातं च गच्छेत काले शत्रोर्बलीयसः । युक्तोऽस्य वधमन्विच्छेदप्रमत्तः प्रमाद्यतः ॥
English Translation
Occasionally the king should even prostrate himself before a powerful enemy. It is again desirable that acting with every care, he should try to bring about the victor's destruction when the latter becomes careless.
प्रणिपातेन दानेन वाचा मधुरया ब्रुवन् । अमित्रमुपसेवेत न तु जातु विशङ्कयेत् ॥
English Translation
By prostrating one's self, by giving tribute, by uttering sweet words, one should humble one's self before a more powerful king. One should never do anything that may create the suspicions of one's powerful enemy.
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