युधिष्ठिर उवाच अयं पितामहेनोक्तो राजधर्मः सनातनः। ईश्वरश्च महादण्डो दण्डे सर्वं प्रतिष्ठितम्॥
Yudhishthira said O grandfather, you have now finished your discourse upon the duties of kings. From what you have said it appears that punishment occupies a high position and is the master of everything, for everything depends upon punishment.
देवतानामृषीणां च पितृणां च महात्मनाम्। यक्षरक्ष:पिशाचानां साध्यानां च विशेषतः॥ सर्वेषां प्राणिनां लोके तिर्यग्योनिनिवासिनाम्। सर्वव्यापी महातेजा दण्डः श्रेयानिति प्रभो॥
It seems, O powerful one, that punishment, which is highly powerful and which is present everywhere, is the foremost of all beings among either gods and Rishis and great Pitris and Yakshas and Rakshasa and Pishachas and Sadhyas, or living beings in this world. consisting of beasts and birds.
इत्येवमुक्तं भवता दण्डे वै सचराचरम्। पश्यता लोकमासक्तं ससुरासुरमानुषम्।
You have said that the entire universe, mobile and immobile, including gods, Asuras, and men, depends upon punishment.
एतदिच्छाम्यहं ज्ञातुं तत्त्वेन भरतर्षभ॥ को दण्डः कीदृशो द डः किंरूपः किंपरायणः। किमात्मकः कथंभूतः कथंमूर्तिः कथं प्रभो॥
I now wish, O foremost of Bharata's race, to know truly who punishment is. Of what kind is he? What is his form? What is his nature?
जागर्ति च कथं दण्डः प्रजास्ववहितात्मकः। कश्च पूर्वापरमिदं जागर्ति प्रतिपालयन्॥
Of what is he made? Whence is his origin? What are his features? What is his splendour? How does he remain awake among living creatures so vigilantly?
कश्च विज्ञायते पूर्व को वरो दण्डसंज्ञितः। किंसंस्थश्च भवेद् दण्डः का वास्य गतिरुच्यते॥
Who is he that remains perpetually awake, protecting this universe? Who is he that is known to be the greatest of all things? Who, indeed, is that high person called punishment? What is that upon which Punishment depends? And what is his movement?
भीष्म उवाच शृणु कौरव्य यो दण्डो व्यवहारो यथा च सः। यस्मिन् हि सर्वमायत्तं स दण्ड इह केवलः॥
Bhishma said Listen, O scion of the Kurus, who is punishment and why is he also called Vyavahara. That upon whom all things depend is called punishment.
धर्मस्याख्या महाराज व्यवहार इतीष्यते। तस्य लोपः कथं न स्याल्लोकेष्ववहितात्मनः॥
Punishment is that by which righteousness is maintained. He is sometimes called Vyavahara. Punishment is called as such so that the righteousness of a king who is wide awake may not suffer extinction.
इत्येवं व्यवहारस्य व्यवहारत्वमिष्यते। अपि चैतत् पुरा राजन् मनुना प्रोक्तमादितः॥ सुप्रणीतेन दण्डेन प्रियाप्रियसमात्मना। प्रजा रक्षति यः सम्यग्धर्म एव स केवलः॥
It is, therefore, that the name Vyavahara is applied to it. In days of yore, Manu, O king, declared first of all this truth, viz.,-He who protects all creatures, the loved and the hated equally, by impartially holding the rod of punishment, is said to be the righteousness incarnate.
यथोक्तमेतद् सचनं प्रागेव मनुना पुरा। यन्मयोक्तं मनुष्येन्द्र ब्रह्मणो वचनं महत्॥
These words, that I have said, were, o king, first uttered in days of yore by Manu. They represent the great words of Brahmana.
प्रागिदं वचनं प्रोक्तमतः प्राग्वचनं विदुः। व्यवहारस्य चाख्यानद् व्यवहार इहोच्यते॥
And because these words were spoken first, therefore, they are known as the first. And since Punishment which stops the misappropriation of other people's wealth, therefore, Punishment has come to be called by the name of Vyavahara.
दण्डे त्रिवर्गः सततं सुप्रणीते प्रवर्तते। दैवं हि परमो दण्डो रूपतोऽग्निरिवोत्थितः॥
The aggregate of three objects always depends well-applied Punishment. Punishment is a great god. In form he looks like a burning fire.
नीलोत्पलदलश्यामश्चतुर्दष्ट्रश्चतुर्भुजः। अष्टपान्नैकनयनः शंकुकर्णोर्ध्वरोमवान्॥
His complexion is dark like that of the petals of the blue lotus. He has four teeth, four arms and eight legs and many eyes. His ears are pointed like arrows and his hair stands upright. on
जटी द्विजिह्वस्ताम्रास्यो मृगराजतनुच्छदः। एतद् रूपं बिभर्युग्रं दण्डो नित्यं दुराधरः॥
He has matted locks and two tongues. His face has the colour of copper, and he is clad in a lion's skin. That irresistible god assumes such a dreadful form.
असिर्धनुर्गदा शक्तिस्त्रिशूलं मुद्गरः शरः। मुसलं परशुश्चक्रं पाशो दण्डष्टितोमराः॥ सर्वप्रहरणीयानि सन्ति यानीह कानिचित्। दण्ड एव स सर्वात्मा लोके चरति मूर्तिमान्॥
Assuming again the form of the sword, the bow, the mace, the dart, the trident, the mallet, the arrow, the thick and short club, the battleaxe, the discus, the noose, the heavy bludgeon, the rapier, the lance, and, in fact, of every sort of weapon that exist on Earth, Punishment moves in the world.
भिन्दंश्छिन्दन् रुजन् कृन्तन् दारयन् पाटयंस्तथा। घातयन्नभिधावंश्च दण्ड एव चरत्युत॥
Indeed, Punishment moves on Earth, piercing and cutting and assenting and looping off and dividing and striking and killing and rushing against its victims.
असिर्विशसनो धर्मस्तीक्ष्णवर्मा दुराधरः। श्रीगर्भो विजयः शास्ता व्यवहारः सनातनः॥ शास्त्रं ब्राह्मणमन्त्राश्च शास्ता प्राग्वदतां वरः। धर्मपालोऽक्षरो देवः सत्यगो नित्यगोऽग्रजः॥ असंगो रुद्रतनयो मनुर्येष्ठः शिवंकरः। नामान्येतानि दण्डस्य कीर्तितानि युधिष्ठिर॥
These, O Yudhishthira, are some of the names of Punishment viz., sword, Sabre, Righteousness, Fury, the Irresistible, the father of prosperity, Victory, Punisher, Checker, the Eternal, the Scriptures, Brahmana, Mantra, Avenger, the Foremost of first Legislators, Judge, the Undecaying, god, the individual of irresistible course, the Ever-going, the Firstborn, the individual without love the Soul of Rudra, the eldest Manu, and the great Benefiter.
दण्डो हि भगवान् विष्णुर्दण्डो नारायणः प्रभुः। शश्वद् रूपं महद् बिभ्रन्महान् पुरुष उच्यते॥
Punishment is the holy Vishnu. He is the powerful Narayana. And because he always puts on dreadful from, therefore he is called Mahapurusha.
तथोक्ता ब्रह्मकन्येति लक्ष्मीर्वृत्तिः सरस्वती। दण्डनीतिर्जगद्धात्री दण्डो हि बहुविग्रहः॥
His wife Morality passes by the names of Brahman's daughter, Lakshmi, Vritti, Sarasvati, and Mother of the universe. Punishment has thus many forms.
अर्थानौँ सुखं दुःखं धर्माधर्मों बलाबले। दौर्भाग्यं भागधेयं च पुण्यापुण्ये गुणागुणौ॥ कामाकामावृतुर्मासः शर्वरी दिवसः क्षणः। अप्रमादः प्रमादश्च हर्षक्रोधौ शमो दमः॥ दैवं पुरुषकारच मोक्षामोक्षौ भयाभये। हिंसाहिसे तपो यज्ञः संयमोऽथ विषाविषम्॥ अन्तश्चादिश्च मध्यं च कृत्यानां च प्रपञ्चनम्। मदः प्रमादो दर्पश्च दम्भो धैर्यं नयानयौ॥ अशक्तिः शक्तिरित्येवं मानस्तम्भौ व्ययाव्ययौ। विनयश्च विसर्गश्च कालाकालौ च भारत॥ अनृतं ज्ञानिता सत्यं श्रद्धाश्रद्धे तथैव च। क्लीबता व्यवसायश्च लाभालाभौ जयाजयौ॥ तीक्ष्णता मृदुता मृत्युरागमानागमौ तथा। विरोधशाविरोधश्च कार्याकार्य बलाबले॥ असूया चानसूया च धर्माधर्मों तथैव च। अपत्रपानपत्रपे ह्रीश्च सम्पद्विपत्पदम्॥ तेजः कर्माणि पाण्डित्यं वाक्शक्तिस्तत्त्वबुद्धिता। एवं दण्डस्य कौरव्य लोकेऽस्मिन् बहुरूपता॥
Blessing and curse, pleasure and pain, righteousness and unrighteousness strength and weakness, fortune and misfortune, merit and demerit, virtue and fault, liking and disliking, season and month, night and day and hour, carefulness and carelessness, joy and anger, peace and self-control, destiny and manliness, salvation and damnation, fear and intrepidity, injury and abstention from injury, penances and sacrifice and rigid abstinence, poison and wholesome food, the beginning, the middle, and the end, the result of all murderous acts, insolence, insanity, arrogance, pride, patience, policy, impolicy, powerlessness and power, respect, disrespect decay and firmness, humility, tharity, fitness of time and unfitness of time, falsehood, wisdom, truth, belief, disbelief, importance, trade, profit, loss, success, defeat, fierceness, mildness, death, acquisition and non-acquisition, agreement, and disagreement, what would be done and what should not be done, strength and weakness, malice and good will, righteousness and unrighteousness, shame and shamelessness, modesty, prosperity, and adversity, energy, acts, learning, eloquence, keenness of understanding,—all these, O Yudhishthira, are forms of Punishment in this world. Therefore, punishment has many forms.
न स्याद् यदीह दण्डो वै प्रमथेयुः परस्परम्। भयाद् दण्डस्य नान्योन्यं मन्ति चैव युधिष्ठिर॥
If punishment had not existed, all creatures would have struck one another. Through fear of punishment, O Yudhishthira, living creatures do not kill one another.
दण्डेन रक्ष्यमाणा हि राजनहरहः प्रजाः। राजानं वर्धयन्तीह तस्माद् दण्डः परायणम्॥
O king, always protected by punishment, the subjects, increase the might of their ruler. It is for this that punishment is regarded as the highest refuge of all.
व्यवस्थापयति क्षिप्रमिमं लोकं नरेश्वर। सत्ये व्यवस्थितो धर्मो ब्राह्मणेष्ववतिष्ठते॥
Punishment, o king, quickly sets the world on the path of righteousness. Depend upon truth, righteousness exits in Brahmanas.
धर्मयुक्ता द्विजश्रेष्ठा वेदयुक्ता भवन्ति च। बभूव यज्ञो वेदेभ्यो यज्ञः प्रीणाति देवताः॥
Filled with righteousness, leading Brahmanas take to the study of the Vedas. From the Vedas the sacrifices originate. Sacrifices please the gods.
प्रीताश्च देवता नित्यमिन्द्रे परिवदन्त्यपि। अन्नं ददाति शऋचाप्यनुगृह्णन्निमाः प्रजाः॥
The gods being gratified, commend the dwellers of the Earth to Indra. For benefiting the inhabitants of the Earth, Indra gives them food.
प्राणाश्च सर्वभूतानां नित्यमन्ने प्रतिष्ठिताः। तस्मात् प्रजाः प्रतिष्ठन्ते दण्डो जागर्ति तासु च॥
The life of all creatures depends upon food. From food creatures derive their support and growth. Punishment in the shape of king remains wakeful amongst them.
एवं प्रयोजनश्चैव दण्डः क्षत्रियतां गतः। रक्षन् प्रजाः स जागर्ति नित्यं स्ववहितोऽक्षरः॥
For serving this object, punishment assumes the form of a Kshatriya among men. Protecting men he remains awake, always careful and never decaying.
ईश्वरः पुरुषः प्राणः सत्त्वं चित्तं प्रजापतिः। भूतात्मा जीव इत्येवं नामभिः प्रोच्यतेऽष्टभिः॥
Punishment has again these other eight names, viz., God, Men, Life, Power, Heart, the Lord of all creatures, the Soul of all things, and the Living creature.
धृतमैश्वर्यमेव च। बलेन यश्च संयुक्तः सदा पञ्चविधात्मकः॥
God gave both prosperity and the rod of punishment to the king who is possessed of strength and who is a combination of five expedients.
कुलं बहुधनामात्याः प्रज्ञा प्रोक्ता बलानि तु। आहार्यमष्टकैर्द्रव्यैर्बलमन्यद् युधिष्ठिर॥
Nobility of blood, rich ministers, knowledge, the various kinds of forces with the eight objects mentioned below, and the other forces, should be sought for by the king, o Yudhishthira.
हस्तिनोऽश्वा रथाः पत्ति वो विष्टिस्तथैव च। दैशिकाश्चाविकाश्चैव तदष्टाङ्गं बलं स्मृतम्॥ अददद् दण्डमेवास्मै
a Those eight objects are elephants, horses, cars, infantry, boats, impressed labourers, increase of population, and cattle such as sheep, etc.
अथवाङ्गस्य युक्तस्य रथिनो हस्तियायिनः। अश्वारोहा: पदाताश्च मन्त्रिणो रसदाश्च ये॥
Well-armed soldiers car-warriors, elephantwarriors, cavalry, infantry officers and surgeons form the limbs.
भिक्षुकाः प्राड्विवाकाश्च मौहूर्ता दैवचिन्तकाः। कोशो मित्राणि धान्यं च सर्वोपकरणानि च॥ सप्तप्रकृति चाष्टाङ्गं शरीरमिह यद् विदुः। राज्यस्य दण्डमेवाङ्गं दण्डः प्रभव एव च।॥
Beggars, principal judges, judges, astrologers, performers of propitiatory and Atharvan rites, treasury, allies, grain, and all other requisites, form the body, composed of seven attributes and eight limbs, of a kingdom. Punishment is another powerful limb of kingdom. Punishment is the creator of a kingdom.
ईश्वरेण प्रयत्नेन कारणात् क्षत्रियस्य च। दण्डो दत्तः समानात्मा दण्डो हीदं सनातनम्॥
God himself has, with great care, sent Punishment for the use of the Kshatriya. This eternal universe is impartial Punishment's self.
राज्ञां पूज्यतमो नान्यो यथा धर्मः प्रदर्शितः। ब्रह्मणा लोकरक्षार्थं स्वधर्मस्थापनाय च॥
There is nothing which deserves greater respect from kings than Punishment by which the ways of Righteousness are marked out. Brahman himself, for the protection of the world and for establishing the duties of different orders, sent down Punishment.
भर्तृप्रत्यय उत्पन्नो व्यवहारस्तथापरः। तस्माद् यः स हितो दृष्टो भर्तुप्रत्ययलक्षणः॥
There is another kind of Vyavahara (Law) originating from the disputes of litigants which also has sprung from Brahman. Principally marked by a belief in either of the two parties, that Vyavahara, (Law) yields great good.
व्यवहारस्तु वेदात्मा वेदप्रत्यय उच्यते। मौलश्च नरशार्दूल शास्त्रोक्तश्च तथा परः॥
There is another kind of Vyavahara which has the Veda for its soul. It also originates from the Veda. There is, O foremost of kings, a third kind of Vyavahara (Law) which is connected with family customs but which is quite of a piece with the scriptures.
उक्तो यश्चापि दण्डोऽसौ भर्तृप्रत्ययलक्षणः। ज्ञेयो नः स नरेन्द्रस्थौ दण्डः प्रत्यय एव च॥
That Vyavahara (Law) which has, as above, been said to be marked by a belief in either of two litigant parties, should be known by us as being inherent in the king. It should be also known by the name of Punishment, as also by the name of Evidence.
दण्डः प्रत्ययदृष्टोऽपि व्यवहारात्मकः स्मृतः। व्यवहारः स्मृतो यश्च स वेदविषयात्मकः॥
Although Punishment is regulated by Evidence, yet it depends upon Law. Vyavahara (law) is really based upon Vedic precepts.
यश्च वेदप्रसूतात्मा स धर्मो गुणदर्शनः। धर्मप्रत्यय उद्दिष्टो यथाधर्मं कृतात्मभिः॥
That Vyavahara (Law), which originates from the Vedas, is Morality or duty. It yields good to persons believing in duty and morality; men of purified souls have spoken of that Vyavahara (Law) as they have done of ordinary law.
व्यवहारः प्रजागोप्ता ब्रह्मदिष्टो युधिष्ठिर। त्रीन् धारयति लोकान् वै सत्यात्मा भूतिवर्धनः॥
The third kind of Vyavahara is also a protector of men, and it also originates from the Veda, O Yudhishthira! It keeps up the three worlds. It has Truth for its soul and yields prosperity.
यश्च दण्डः स दृष्टो नो व्यवहारः सनातनः। व्यवहारश्च दृष्टो यः स वेद इति निश्चितम्॥
That which is punishment is eternal Vyavahara. That which has been said to be Vyavahara is really the Veda.
यश्च वेदः स वै धर्मो यश्च धर्मः स सत्पथः। ब्रह्मा पितामहः पूर्वं बभूवाथ प्रजापतिः॥
That which is the Veda is morality and duty. What is morality and duty is the path of Righteousness. This last in the beginning had been the Grandfather Brahman, that Lord of all creatures.
लोकानां स हि सर्वेषां ससुरासुररक्षसाम्। समनुष्योरगवतां कर्ता चैव स भूतकृत्॥
Brahman is the Creator of the entire universe with the gods and Asuras and Rakshasas and human beings and snakes, and of every other things.
ततोऽन्यो व्यवहारोऽयं भर्तृप्रत्ययलक्षणः। तस्मादिदमथोवाच व्यवहारनिदर्शनम्॥
Hence that law which is characterised by a belief in either of two litigant parties has also originated from him. Therefore, he has laid down the following regarding Vyavahara.
माता पिता च भ्राता च भार्या चैव पुरोहिताः। नादण्ड्यो विद्यते राज्ञो यः स्वधर्मे न तिष्ठति॥
Neither mother, nor father, nor brother, nor wife, nor priest, is unpunishable with that king who governs agreeable to his duty.'