भीष्म उवाच नित्योद्युक्तेन वै राज्ञा भवितव्यं युधिष्ठिर। प्रशस्यते न राजा हि नारीवोद्यमवर्जितः॥
'The king, O Yudhishthira, should always address himself for action. That king does not deserve praise who, like a woman, is destitute of exertion.
भगवानुशना चाह श्लोकमत्र विशाम्पते। तदिहैकमना राजन् गदतस्तं निबोध मे॥
On this subject, the holy Ushanas has recited a Sloka, o king, Listen to it with attention, O king, as I recite it to you.
द्वाविमौ ग्रसते भूमिः सर्पो बिलशयानिव। राजानं चाविरोद्धारं ब्राह्मणं चाप्रवासिनम्॥
Like a snake swallowing up mice, the Earth swallows up those two, viz., the king who does not like to fight and the Brahmana who is exceedingly found of his wives and children.
तदेतत्ररशार्दूल हृदि त्वं कर्तुमर्हसि। संधेयानभिसंधत्स्व विरोध्यांश्च विरोधया।४।।
You should, O foremost of kings, always remember it. Make peace with those enemies with whom peace should be made, and fight with them with whom war should be waged.
सप्ताङ्गस्य च राज्यस्य विपरीतं य आचरेत्। गुरुर्वा यदि वा मित्रं प्रतिहन्तव्य एव सः॥
He, who acts inimically towards your kingdom consisting of seven limbs, should be killed, may he be your preceptor or friend.
मरुत्तेन हि राज्ञा वै गीत: श्लोकः पुरातनः। राजाधिकारे राजेन्द्र बृहस्पतिमते पुरा॥
There is an ancient Sloka recited by king Marutta, quite of a piece with Brihaspati's view, O king, about the duty of kings.
गुरोरप्यवलिप्तस्य कार्याकार्यमजानतः। उत्पथप्रतिपन्नस्य दण्डो भवित शाश्वत:॥ बाहोः पुत्रेण राज्ञा च सगरेण च धीमता। असमञ्जाः सुतो ज्येष्ठस्त्यक्तः पौरहितैषिणा॥
According to the scriptural injunction, there is punishment for even the preceptor if he becomes haughty and disregardful of his duty, and if he transgresses all restrictions. Vahu's son, the highly intelligent king Sagara, from desire of doing good to the citizens, banished his own eldest son Asamanjas.
असमंजाः सरय्वां स पौराणां बालकान् नृप। न्यमज्जयदत: पित्रा निर्भर्त्य स विवासितः॥
Asamanjas, O king, used to drown the children of the citizens in the Sarayu. His father, therefore, remonstrated with and exiled him.
ऋषिणोद्दालकेनापि श्वेतकेतुर्महातपाः। मिथ्या विप्रानुपचरन् संत्यक्तो दयितः सुतः॥
The Rishi Uddalaka renounced his favourite son Svetaketu of rigid penances, because the latter used to invite Brahmanas with false promises of entertainment.
लोकरञ्जनमेवात्र राज्ञां धर्मः सनातनः। सत्यस्य रक्षणं चैव व्यवहारस्य चार्जवम्॥
To make their subjects happy, to observe truth and to act sincerely are the eternal duties of kings.
न हिंस्यात् परवित्तानि देयं काले च दापयेत्। विक्रान्तः सत्यवाक क्षान्तो नृपो न चलते पथः॥
The king should not hanker after the wealth of others. He should in time give what should be given. If the king be comes endued with prowess, truthful in speech, and forgiving in temper, he would never be shorn of prosperity.
आत्मवांश्च जितक्रोधः शास्त्रार्थकृतनिश्चयः। धर्मे चार्थे च कामे च मोक्षे च सततं रतः॥
With soul purged off sins the king should be able to govern his anger and all his conclusions should be according to the scriptures. He should also always follow morality, worldly profit, pleasure and emancipation.
त्रय्यां संवृतमन्त्रश्च राजा भवितुमर्हति। वृजिनं न नरेन्द्राणां नान्यच्चारक्षणात् परम्॥
The king should always keep his counsels close regarding these three. No greater misfortune can betake the king than the giving out of his counsels.
चातुर्वर्ण्यस्य धर्माश्च रक्षितव्या महीक्षिता। धर्मसंकररक्षा च राज्ञां धर्मः सनातनः॥
Kings should protect the four castes in the discharge of their duties. it is the eternal duty of kings not to allow the confusion of duties of the different orders.
न विश्वसेच्च नृपतिर्न चात्यर्थं च विश्वसेत्। पाड्गुण्यगुणदोषांश्च नित्यं बुद्ध्यावलोकयेत्॥
The king should not confide (in others than his own servants), nor should he place too much confidence (in even his servants). He should, by own intelligence, find out the merits and short-comings of the six principal works of sovereignty.
द्विछिद्रदर्शी नृपतिर्नित्यमेव प्रशस्यते। त्रिवर्ग विदितार्थश्च युक्तचारोपधिसश्च यः॥
The king who marks the short-comings of his enemies and cleverly follows morality, profit, and pleasure, who engages intelligent spies for determining secrets and tries to win over the officers of his enemies by presents of wealth is indeed praise-worthy.
कोशस्योपार्जनरतिर्यमवैश्रवणोपमः। वेत्ता च दशवर्गस्य स्थानवृद्धिक्षयात्मनः॥
The king should administer justice like the Regent of Death and amass riches like the god of wealth. He should also mark the merits and short-comings of his on acquisitions and losses and of his own territories.
अभृतानां भवेद् भर्ता भृतानामन्ववेक्षकः। नृपतिः सुमुखश्च स्यात् स्मितपूर्वाभिभापिता॥
He should feed those who have not been fed, and enquire of those who have been fed. Always sweet-speeched he should spcak with a smiling face.
उपासिता च वृद्धानां जिततन्द्रिरलोलुपः। सतां वृत्ते स्थितमति: संतोष्यश्चारुदर्शन: :॥
He should always wait upon his elders and put down procrastination. He should never covet others' properties.
न चाददीत वित्तानि सतां हस्तात् कदाचन। असभ्यश्च समादद्यात् सद्भ्यस्तु प्रतिपादयेत्॥
He should strictly follow the conduct of the righteous. He should never take money from the righteous. Taking the wealth of those who are not righteous he should give it to them who are righteous.
स्वयं प्रहर्ता दाता च वश्यात्मा रम्यसाधनः। काले दाता च भोक्ता च शुद्धाचारस्तथैव च॥
The king should himself be clever in smitting. He should be liberal. He should have his mind under control. He should dress himself gorgeously. He should make presents in proper time and be regular in his meals. He should also be of good conduct.
शूरान् भक्तानसंहार्यान् कुले जातानरोगिणः। शिष्टाशिष्टाभिसम्बन्धान्मानिनोऽनवमानिनः॥ विद्याविदो लोकविदः परलोकान्ववेक्षकान्। धर्मे च निरतान् साधूनचलानचलानिव॥ सहायान् सततं कुर्याद् राजा भूतिपुरष्कृतः। तैश्च तुल्यो भवेद् भोगैश्छत्रमात्राज्ञयाधिकः॥
The king who seeks to acquire prosperity should always engage the services of men who are brave, devoted, and incapable of being imposed on by enemies well-born, healthy, well-behaved, and connected with wellbehaved and respectable families, families, never inclined to insult others, well read in all the sciences, possessing a knowledge of the worldly affairs, never unmindful of future life, always observant of their duties, honest, and firm like mountains. The objects of enjoyments should be the same with him and them. The only difference should be in his umbrella and his power of passing orders.
प्रत्यक्षा च परोक्षा च वृत्तिश्चास्य भवेत् समा। एवं कुर्वन् नरेन्द्रोऽपि न खेदमिह विन्दति॥
He should always treat them equally before or behind. The king, who behaves in this way, is never overtaken by calamity.
सर्वाभिशङ्की नृपतिर्यश्च सर्वहरो भवेत्। स क्षिप्रमनृजुर्लुब्धः स्वजनेनैव बध्यते॥
That crooked and covetous king, who suspect ever body and who imposes heavy taxes on his subjects, is soon killed by his own servants and relatives.
शुचिस्तु पृथिवीपालो लोकचित्तग्रहे रतः। न पतत्यरिभिर्ग्रस्तः पतितश्चावतिष्ठते॥
That king, however, who is righteous and who is ever engaged in attracting the hearts of his people, is never ruined when attacked by foes. If defeated, he soon regains his position.
अक्रोधनो ह्यव्यसनी मृदुदण्डो जितेन्द्रियः। राजा भवति भूतानां विश्वास्यो हिमवानिव॥
If the king is not angry by nature, if he is not addicted to evil habits and not severe in his punishment, if he succeeds in keeping his passions under restraint he becomes an object of confidence to all like the Himavat mountains.
प्राज्ञस्त्यागगुणोपेतः पररन्ध्रेषु तत्परः। सुदर्शः सर्ववर्णानां नयापनयवित् तथा॥ क्षिप्रकारी जितक्रोधः सुप्रसादो महामनाः। अरोषप्रकृतिर्युक्तः क्रियावानविकत्थनः॥ आरब्धान्येव कार्याणि सुपर्यवसितानि च। यस्य राज्ञः प्रदृश्यन्ति स राजा राजसत्तमः॥
He is the best of kings who is wise, who is liberal, who is ready to take advantage of the short-comings of foes, who has an agreeable countenance, who is conversant with what is good and what is bad for each of the four orders of his subjects, who is prompt in action, who has anger under control, who is not vindictive, who is high-minded, who is angry by nature, who performs sacrifices and other religious acts, who does not brag and who vigorously brings to close all works by him.
पुत्रा इव पितुर्गेहे विषये यस्य मानवाः। निर्भया विचरिष्यन्ति स राजा राजसत्तमः॥
He is best of kings in whose kingdom men live fearlessly like sons in the house of their father.
अगूढविभवा यस्य पौरा राष्ट्रनिवासिनः। नयापनयवेत्तारः स राजा राजसत्तमः॥
He is the best of kings whose subjects have not to hide their wealth and know what is good and what is bad for them.
स्वकर्मनिरता यस्य जना विषयवासिनः। असंघातरता दान्ताः पाल्यमाना यथाविधि॥ वष्टा नेया विधेयाश्च न च संघर्षशालिनः। विषये दानरुचयो नरा यस्य स पार्थिवः॥ न यस्य कूटं कपटं न माया न च मत्सरः। विषये भूमिपालस्य तस्य धर्मः सनातनः॥
He, indeed, is a king whose subjects follow their respective duties and do not fear to renounce their bodies for duty's call; whose subjects protected properly, are all of peaceful conduct, obedient, docile, governable, reluctant to dispute and liberal. That king carns eternal merit in whose kingdom kingdom there is wickedness, dissimulation, deception and envy.
यः सत्करोति ज्ञानानि ज्ञेये परहिते रतः। सतां वानुगस्त्यागी स राजा राज्यमर्हति॥
That king truly deserves to govern who honours knowledge, who is devoted to the no scriptures and the good of his people, who wends the path of the righteous, and who is liberal.
यस्य चाराश्च मन्त्राश्च नित्यं चैव कृताकृताः। न ज्ञायन्ते हि रिपुभिः स राजा राज्यमर्हति॥
That king deserves to rule whose counsels and acts done and undone remain close to his enemies.
श्लोकश्चायं पुरा गीतो भार्गवेण महात्मना। आख्याते राजचरिते नृपति प्रति भारत॥
The following verse was recited in days of yore by Ushanas of Bhrigu's race, in the narrative called Ramacharita, on the subject, O Bharata, of royal duties.
राजानं प्रथम विन्देत् ततो भार्यां ततो धनम्। राजन्यसति लोकस्य कुतो भार्या कुतो धनम्॥
One should first select a king. Then should he select a wife, and then acquire wealth. If there be no king, what would become of his wife and properties?
तद्राज्ये राज्यकामानां नान्यो धर्मः सनातनः। ऋते रक्षां तु विस्पशं रक्षा लोकस्य धारिणी॥
About those who seek kingdom, there is no other eternal duty than the protection of subjects). The protection the king grants of his subjects maintains the world.
प्राचेतसेन मनुना श्लोकौ चेमावुदाहृतौ। राजधर्मेषु राजेन्द्र ताविहैकमनाः शृणु।॥
Manu, the son of Prachetas, recited these two verses regarding the duties of kings. Listen to them with attention.
षडेतान् पुरुषो जह्याद् भिन्नां नावमिवार्णवे। अप्रवक्तारमाचार्यमनधीयानमृत्विजम्॥ अरक्षितारं राजानं भार्यां चाप्रियवादिनीम्। ग्रामकामं च गोपालं वनकामं च नापितम्॥
These six persons should be shunned like a leaky boat on the sea, viz., a preceptor who does not speak, a priest who has not studied the scriptures, a king who does not give protection, herd who likes to rove within the village and a barber who wishes to go to the forest.