धृतराष्ट्र उवाच संधिविग्रहमप्यत्र पश्येथा राजसत्तम। द्वियोनि विविधोपायं बहुकल्पं युधिष्ठिर॥
O best of kings you should, also, reflect properly on war and peacc. Each is of war kinds. The means are various, and the circumstances also, under which war or peace may be made, are various, O Yudhishthira.
कौरव्य पर्युपासीथाः स्थित्वा द्वैविध्यमात्मनः। तुष्टपुष्टबलः शत्रुरात्मवानिति च स्मरेत्॥
O you of Kuru's race, you should, with coolness, reflect on the two (viz., thy strength and weakness) with regard to yourself. You should not suddenly march against an enemy who has contented and healthy soldiers, and who is gifted with intelligence. On the other hand, you should think carefully of the means of defeating him.
पर्युपासनकाले तु विपरीतं विधीयते। आमर्दकाले राजेन्द्र व्यपसर्पेत् ततः परम्॥
You should march against an enemy who is not provided with contented and healthy combatants. When everything's is favourable, the enemy may be beaten. After that however, the victor should retire.
व्यसनं भेदनं चैव शत्रूणां कारयेत् ततः। कर्षणं भीषणं चैव युद्धे चैव बलक्षयम्॥
He should next cause the enemy to be plunged into various calamities, and show dissension's among his allies. He should afflict the enemy and inspire terror in his heart, and, attacking him, weaken his forces.
प्रयास्यमानो नृपतिस्त्रिविधां परिचिन्तयेत्। आत्मनश्चैव शत्रोश्च शक्तिं शास्त्रविशारदः॥
The king, conversant with the scriptures, who marches against an enemy should think of the three kinds of strength, and, indeed, reflect on his own strength and the strength of his enemy.
उत्साहप्रभुशक्तिभ्यां मन्त्रशक्त्या च भारत। उपपन्नो नृपो यायाद् विपरीतं च वर्जयेत्॥
Only that king, O Bharata, who is gifted with alacrity, discipline, and strength of counsels should march against an enemy. When his position is otherwise, he should avoid offensive works.
आददीत बलं राजा मौलं मित्रबलं तथा। अटवीबलं भृतं चैव तथा श्रेणीबलं प्रभो॥
The king should provide himself with power of wealth, power of allies, power of foresters, power of paid soldiery, and the inechanical and trading classes, powerful power of one.
तत्र मित्रबलं राजन् मौलं चैव विशिष्यते। श्रेणीबलं भृतं चैव तुल्ये एवेति मे मतिः॥
Among all these, power of allies and power of riches are superior to the rest. The power of classes and that of the standing army are equal.
तथाऽचारबलं चैव परस्परसमं नृप। विज्ञेयं बहुकालेषु राज्ञा काल उपस्थिते॥
The power of spies is considered by the king as equal in efficacy to either of the above, on many occasions, when the tiine comes for applying each.
आपदश्चापि बोद्वव्या बहुरूपा नराधिप। भवन्ति राज्ञा कौरव्य यास्ताः पृथगतः शृणु॥
Calamity, O king, with which rulers are overtaken, is of many forms. Listen, O you of Kuru's race, as to what those various forms are.
विकल्पा बहुधा राजन्नापदां पाण्डुनन्दन। सामादिभिरुपन्यस्य गणयेत् तान् नृपः सदा॥
Indeed, calamities, O son of Pandu, are many. You should, always, count them, distinguishing their forms, o king, and try to meet them by applying the well-known ways of conciliation and the rest.
यात्रां गच्छेद् बलैर्युक्तो राजा सद्भिः परंतप) युक्तश्च देशकालाभ्यां बलैरात्मगुणैस्तथा॥
The king should, when possessed of a good arıny, march (out against a foc), O scorcher of enemics. He should, also, mark the considerations of time and place, while preparing to march, as also the forces he has collected and his own merits.
हृष्टपुष्टबलो गच्छेद् राजा वृद्ध्युदये रतः। अकृशश्चाप्यथो यायादनृतावपि पाण्डव॥
That king who seeks his own growth and advancement should not march unless he has cheerful and healthy warriors. When strong, O son of Pandu, he may march in even an unfavourable season.
तूणाश्मानं वानिरथप्रवाहां ध्वजद्रुमैः संवृतकूलरोधसम्। पदातिनागैर्बहुकर्दमां नदी सपत्ननाशे नृपतिः प्रयोजयेत्॥
The king should make a river having quivers for its stones, horses and cars for its current, and standards for the trees which cover its banks, and which is miry with foot-soldiers and elephants. Such a river should the king apply for the destruction of his enemy.
अथोपपत्त्या शकटं पद्मवज्रं च भारत। उशना वेद यच्छास्त्रं तत्रेतद् विहितं विभो॥
According to the science known to Ushanas, arrays called Shakata, Padma, and Vajra, should be formed, O Bharata, for fighting the enemy.
चारयित्वा परबलं कृत्वा स्वबलदर्शनम्। स्वभूमौ योजयेद् युद्धं परभूमौ तथैव च॥
Knowing every thing about the enemy's sirength through spies, and examining his own strength himself, the king should begin war either within his own territories or within those of his cncmy.
बलं प्रसादयेद् राजा निक्षिपेद् बलिनो नरान्। ज्ञात्वा स्वविषयं तत्र सामादिभिरुपक्रमेत्॥
The king should, always, please, his army, and hurl all his strongest warriors (against the cncmy). First determine the state of his kingdom, he should apply conciliation or the other well-known mean.
सर्वथैव महाराज शरीरं धारयेदिह। प्रेत्य चेह च कर्तव्यमात्मनिःश्रेयसं परम्॥
By all means, O king, should the body be protected. One should do what is highly beneficial for one both in this world and in the next.
एवमेतन्महाराज राजा सम्यक् समाचरन्। प्रेत्य स्वर्गमवाप्नोति प्रजा धर्मेण पालयन्॥
The king, O monarch, by acting properly according to these ways, attains to Heaven hereafter, after ruling his subjects piously in this world.
एवं त्वया कुरुश्रेष्ठ वर्तितव्यं प्रजाहितम्। उभयोर्लोकयोस्तात प्राप्तये नित्यमेव हि॥
O foremost one of Kurus' race, it is thus that you should always seek the well-being of your subjects for attaining to both the worlds.
भीष्मेण सर्वमुक्तोऽसि कृष्णेन विदुरेण च। मयाप्यवश्यं वक्तव्यं प्रीत्या ते नृपसत्तम॥
You have been instructed in all duties by Bhishma, by Krishna, and by Vidura, I should, also, O best of kings, from the affection I bear you, give you these instructions.
एतत् सर्वं यथान्यायं कुर्वीथा भूरिदक्षिणा प्रियस्तथा प्रजानां त्वं स्वर्गे सुखमवाप्स्यसि॥
O giver of profuse presents in sacrifices, you should duly do all this. You shall, by acting thus, become dear to your subjects and acquire happiness in the celestial region.
अश्वमेधसहस्रेण यो यजेत् पृथिवीपतिः। पालयेद् वापि धर्मेण प्रजास्तुल्यं फलं लभेत्॥
That king who worships the celestials in a hundred horse-sacrifices, and he who rules his subjects piously, acquire merit that is equal.