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Mahābhārata • Parva 12 (Śāntiparva) • Adhyāya 138

Śāntiparva Adhyāya 138

शान्तिपर्व • अध्यायः 138

Śāntiparva Adhyāya 138 of the classical Mahābhārata with 71 verses.

Total: 71 Verses • Citations: MBh 12.138.1–71 • 250 Lexicon Terms • Page 3 of 3 (Verses 11 shown)
नासम्यक्कृतकारी स्यादप्रमत्तः सदा भवेत् । कण्टकोऽपि हि दुश्छिन्नो विकारं कुरुते चिरम् ॥
English Translation
Every work should be done completely. One should be always careful. If extracted badly, such a minute thing as a thorn leads to obstinate gangrene.
वधेन च मनुष्याणां मार्गाणां दूषणेन च । आकराणां विनाशैश्च परराष्ट्रं विनाशयेत् ॥
English Translation
By killing its inhabitants, by breaking its roads and otherwise injuring them, and by burning and pulling down its houses, a king should devastate an enemy's realm.
गृध्रदृष्टिर्बकालीनः श्वचेष्टः सिंहविक्रमः । अनुद्विग्नः काकशङ्की भुजंगचरितं चरेत् ॥
English Translation
A king should be far-sighted like the vulture, stable like a crane, watchful like a dog, brave like a lion, dreadful like a crow, and enter into the kingdom of his enemies like a snake with ease and without anxiety.
श्रेणिमुख्योपजापेषु वल्लभानुनयेषु च । अमात्यान्परिरक्षेत भेदसंघातयोरपि ॥
English Translation
He should take care to create dissension among the leaders of sects and of conciliating those that are dear to him. He should protect his ministers from dissension and destruction,
मृदुरित्यवमन्यन्ते तीक्ष्ण इत्युद्विजन्ति च । तीक्ष्णकाले च तीक्ष्णः स्यान्मृदुकाले मृदुर्भवेत् ॥
English Translation
If the king becomes mild, the people disrespect him. If he becomes stern, the people afflicted. The rule is that he should be stern when sternness is necessary, and mild when mildness is necessary.
मृदुना सुमृदुं हन्ति मृदुना हन्ति दारुणम् । नासाध्यं मृदुना किंचित्तस्मात्तीक्ष्णतरं मृदु ॥
English Translation
By mildness the mild should be conquered. By mildness one may destroy that which is dreadful. There is nothing which mildness cannot do. Therefore, mildness is said to be sharper than fierceness.
काले मृदुर्यो भवति काले भवति दारुणः । स साधयति कृत्यानि शत्रूंश्चैवाधितिष्ठति ॥
English Translation
That king who becomes mild when mildness is necessary and who becomes stern when sternness is necessary, gains all his ends, and represses his enemies.
पण्डितेन विरुद्धः सन्दूरेऽस्मीति न विश्वसेत् । दीर्घौ बुद्धिमतो बाहू याभ्यां हिंसति हिंसितः ॥
English Translation
Having created an enemy in a person endued with knowledge and wisdom, one should not be satisfied with the belief that he is at a distance from his foe. The arms of an intelligent man are extensive by which he injures when injured.
न तत्तरेद्यस्य न पारमुत्तरे;न्न तद्धरेद्यत्पुनराहरेत्परः । न तत्खनेद्यस्य न मूलमुत्खने;न्न तं हन्याद्यस्य शिरो न पातयेत् ॥
English Translation
The uncrossable should not be sought to be crossed. That which the enemy would be able to recover should not be snatched from him. One should not try to dig at all if by digging one could get at the root of the thing for which one digs. One should never strike him whose head one would not cut off.
इतीदमुक्तं वृजिनाभिसंहितं; न चैतदेवं पुरुषः समाचरेत् । परप्रयुक्तं तु कथं निशामये;दतो मयोक्तं भवतो हितार्थिना ॥
English Translation
A king should not always act in this way. The course of conduct that I have pointed out should be followed only in times of distress. Actuated with the desire of doing you good I have said this for instructing you as to how you should act when attacked by enemies.
यथावदुक्तं वचनं हितं तदा; निशम्य विप्रेण सुवीरराष्ट्रियः । तथाकरोद्वाक्यमदीनचेतनः; श्रियं च दीप्तां बुभुजे सबान्धवः ॥
English Translation
Bhishma said Hearing these words given vent to by that Brahmana with the desires of doing him good, the king of Sauviras obeyed those instructions gladly and attained with his kinsmen and friends shining prosperity.
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