युधिष्ठिर उवाच क्षीणस्य दीर्घसूत्रस्य सानुक्रोशस्य बन्धुषु। परिशङ्कितवृत्तस्य श्रुतमन्त्रस्य भारत॥
Yudhishthira said What, besides this, should be done by a king, who is weak and procrastinating, who does not engage in battle from anxiety for the lives of his friends, who is always stricken with fear, and who cannot keep his counsels close?
विभक्तपुरराष्ट्रस्य निर्द्रव्यनिचयस्य च। असम्भावितमित्रस्य भिन्नामात्यस्य सर्वशः॥ परचक्राभियातस्य दुर्बलस्य बलीयसा। आपन्नचेतसो ब्रूहि किं कार्यमवशिष्यते॥
What, indeed, should that king do whose cities and kingdoms have been divided and appropriated by enemies, who is divested of wealth, who cannot honour his friends and win them over to himself, whose ministers are disunited or brought over by his enemies, who is obliged to stand in the face of enemies, whose army has been diminished, and whose heart has been agitated by some strong enemy?
भीष्म उवाच बाह्यश्चेद् विजिगीषुः स्याद् धर्मार्थकुशलः शुचिः। जवेन संधिं कुर्वीत पुर्वभुक्तान् विमोचयेत्॥
If the attacking enemy be of pure heart and if he be a master of both virtue and profit, a king of the sort you have pointed out, should forthwith, make peace with the invader and secure the restoration of those parts of the kingdom which have already been conquered.
योऽधर्मविजिगीषुः स्याद् बलवान् पापनिश्चयः। आत्मनः संनिरोधेन संधिं तेनापि रोचयेत्॥
If, again, the invader be powerful and iniquitious and seek to acquire victory by unfair means, the king should inake peace with him, too, by leaving off a portion of his kingdom.
अपास्य राजधानी वा तरेद् द्रव्येण चापदम्। तद्भावयुक्तो द्रव्याणि जीवन् पुनरुपार्जयेत्॥
If the invader be reluctant to make peace, the king should then leave his very capital and all his properties for escaping from danger. If he can save his life he may expect to make similar acquisitions in future.
यास्तु कोशबलत्यागाच्छक्यास्तरितुमापदः। कस्तत्राधिकमात्मानं संत्यजेदर्थधर्मवित्॥
What man who knows virtue is there, who would sacrifice his own self, which is a more valuable property, for meeting that danger from which he can escape by abandoning his treasury and army?
अवरोधान् जुगुप्सेत का सपत्नधने दया। न त्वेवात्मा प्रदातव्यः शक्ये सति कथंचन॥
A king should protect the ladies of his seraglio. If these fall into the hands to the enemy, he should not show any mercy. As long as he can, he should never surrender his own self to the enemy.
युधिष्ठिर उवाच आभ्यन्तरे प्रकुपिते बाह्ये चोपनिपीडिते। क्षीणे कोशे श्रुते मन्त्रे किं कार्यमवशिष्यते॥
What should a king do when his own people are dissatisfied with him, when he is oppressed by invaders, when his treasury is exhausted and when his counsels are given out?
भीष्म उवाच क्षिप्रं वा संधिकाम: स्यात् क्षिप्रं वा ताणविक्रमः। तदापनयनं क्षिप्रमेतावत् साम्परायिकम्॥
Bhishma said: A king, under such circumstances, should (if his enemy be righteous) try to make peace with him. If the enemy be vicious, he should then display his courage. He should by such means, try to cause the enemy to retire from his kingdom; or, fighting bravely, he should sacrifice his life and ascend to heaven.
अनुरक्तेन चेष्टेन हृष्टेन जगतीपतिः। अल्पेनापि हि सैन्येन महीं जयति भूमिपः॥
A king can conquer the whole Earth with the help of even a small army if that army be loyal, contented, and devoted to his well-being.
हतो वा दिवमारोहेद्धत्वा वा क्षितिमावसेत्। युद्धे हि संत्यजन् प्राणान् शक्रस्यैति सलोकताम्॥
If killed in battle, he is sure to ascend to heaven. If he succeed in killing (his enemies), he is sure to enjoy the Earth. By sacrificing one's life in battle, one lives with Indra himself.'
सर्वलोकागमं कृत्वा मृदुत्वं गन्तुमेव च। विश्वासाद् विनयं कुर्याद् विश्वसेच्चाप्युपायतः॥
Pleasing all people of opposition taking them in trust with humble, king should search other means to regain previous ones.
अपचिक्रमिषुः क्षिप्रं साम्ना वा परिसान्त्वयन्। विलवयित्वा मन्त्रेण ततः स्वयमुपक्रमेत्॥
Or by the sweetest words he should please them by means of conciliation and again by the consultation with wise men he should act to regain it.