भीष्म उवाच एतत् ते राजधर्माणां नवनीतं युधिष्ठिर। बृहस्पतिर्हि भगवान् न्याय्यं धर्मं प्रशंसति॥
'Protection of the subjects, O Yudhishthira, is the quintessence of duties. the divine Brihaspati does not speak so highly of any other duty.
विशालाक्षश्च भगवान् काव्यश्चैव महातपाः। सहस्राक्षो महेन्द्रश्च तथा प्राचेतसो मनुः॥ भरद्वाजश्च भगवांस्तथा गौरशिरा मुनिः। राजशास्त्रप्रणेतारो ब्रह्मण्या ब्रह्मवादिनः॥
The divine Kavi (Ushanas) of large eyes and austere penances, the thousand-eyed Indra, and Manu, the son of Prachetas, the divine Bharadwaja, and the sage Gaurasiras all devoted to Brahma and utterers of Brahma, have composed works on the duties of kings.
रक्षामेव प्रशंसन्ति धर्मं धर्मभृतां वर। राज्ञां राजीवताम्राक्ष साधनं चात्र मे शृणु॥
All of them speak highly of the duty of protection, O foremost of virtuous persons regarding the kings. O you having eyes like lotus petals and copper-coloured, listen to the means by which protection may be obtained.
चारश्च प्रणिधिश्चैव काले दानममत्सरात्। युक्त्यादानं न चादानमयोगेन युधिष्ठिर॥ सतां संग्रहणं शौर्यं दाक्ष्यं सत्यं प्रजाहितम्। अनार्जवैरार्जवैश्च शत्रुपक्षस्य भेदनम्॥ केतनानां च जीर्णानामवेक्षा चैव सीदताम्। द्विविधस्य च दण्डस्य प्रयोगः कालचोदितः॥ साधूनामपरित्यागः कुलीनानां च धारणम्। निचयश्च निचेयानां सेवा बुद्धिमतामपि॥ बलानां हर्षणं नित्यं प्रजानामन्ववेक्षणम्। कार्येष्वखेदः कोशस्य तथैव च विवर्धनम्॥ पुरगुप्तिरविश्वास: पौरसंघातभेदनम्। अरिमध्यस्थमित्राणां यथावच्चान्ववेक्षणम्॥ उपजापश्च भृत्यानामात्मनः पुरदर्शनम्। अविश्वासः स्वयं चैव परस्याश्वासनं तथा।॥ नीतिधर्मानुसरणं नित्यमुत्थानमेव च। रिपूणामनवज्ञानं नित्यं चानार्यवर्जनम्॥
They consist of the employment of spies and servants, paying them their just dues without pride, the realisation of taxes with mercy, never taking anything whimsically and unjustifiably. O Yudhishthira, the selection of honest men, heroism, skill and cleverness, truth, seeking the good of the people, creating discord and disunion among the enemy by fair or unfair means, the repair of old and dilapedated buildings, the infliction of corporal punishments and imposition of just fines, never abandoning the honest, giving employment and protection to respectable persons, the keeping in reserve of what should be kept, living in the company of intelligent persons, always gratifying the soldiers, supervision over the subjects, steadiness in the transaction of business, filling the treasury, absence of blind confidence on the guards of the city, creating disloyalty among the citizens of a hostile town, carefully looking after the friends and allies living in the midst of the enemy's country, keeping a strict eye on the servants and officers of the state, personal supervision of the city, distrust of servants, comforting the enemy with assurance, steadily following the settled policy, readiness for action, never disregarding an enemy, and driving away the wicked.
उत्थानं हि नरेन्द्राणां बृहस्पतिरभाषत। राजधर्मस्य तन्मूलं श्लोकांश्चात्र निबोध मे॥
Readiness for action in kings is the root of royal duties. This has been said by Brihaspati. Listen to the verses recited by him.
उत्थानेनामृतं लब्धमुत्थानेनासुरा हताः। उत्थानेन महन्द्रेण श्रेष्ठ्यं प्राप्तं दिवीह च॥
By exertion the ambrosia was obtained; by exertion the Asuras were killed; by exertion Indra himself acquired sovereignty in heaven and on earth.
उत्थानवीरः पुरुषो वाग्वीरानधितिष्ठति। उत्थानवीरान् वाग्वीरा रमयन्त उपासते॥
The hero who works is superior to one who speaks. The heroes who speak, gratify and worship the heroes who work.
उत्थानहीनो राजा हि बुद्धिमानपि नित्यशः। प्रधर्षणीयः शत्रूणां भुजङ्ग इव निर्विषः॥
The king, who is shorn of exertion, even if endued with intelligence, is always defeated by foes like a snake that is shorn of poison.
न च शत्रुरवज्ञेयो दुर्बलोऽपि बलीयसा। अल्पोऽपि हि दहत्यग्निविषमल्पं हिनस्ति च॥
The king, even if very powerful, should not neglect a foe however weak. A scintillation of fire can produce a conflagration and a particle of Poison can kill.
एकाङ्गेनापि सम्भूतः शत्रुर्दुर्गमुपाश्रितः। सर्वं तापयते देशमपि राज्ञः समृद्धिनः॥
With only one kind of force, an enemy, from within a fort, can assail the whole country of even a powerful and prosperous king.
राज्ञो रहस्यं यद् वाक्यं जयार्थं लोकसंग्रहः। हृदि यच्चास्य जिह्यं स्यात्कारणेन च यद् भवेत्॥ यच्चास्य कार्यं वृजिनमार्जवेनैव धारयेत्। दम्भनार्थं च लोकस्य धर्मिष्ठामाचरेत् क्रियाम्॥
The secret speeches of a king, the collecting of troops for the purposes of victory, the wily purposes in his heart, desires for accomplishing particular objects, and the wrong acts he does or intends to do, should be concealed by assuming a bold appearance. He should act righteously for keeping his people under control.
राज्यं हि सुमहत् तन्त्रं धार्यते नाकृतात्मभिः। न शक्यं मृदुना वोढुमायासस्थानमुत्तमम्॥
Wily persons can not govern an extensive empire, A king who is mild cannot acquire superior rank the acquisition of which depends upon exertion.
राज्यं सर्वामिषं नित्यमार्जवेनेह धार्यते। तस्मान्मिश्रेण सततं वर्तितव्यं युधिष्ठिर॥
A kingdom, which is sought for by all like meat can never be protected by candour and simplicity. A king, O Yudhishthira, should, therefore, always resort to both candour and wiliness.
यद्यप्यस्य विपत्तिः स्याद् रक्षमाणस्य वै प्रजाः। सोऽप्यस्य विपुलो धर्म एवंवृत्ता हि भूमिपाः॥
Even while protecting his subjects a king is beset with danger, he earns great merit. Such should be the conduct of kings.
एष ते राजधर्माणां लेशः समनुवर्णितः। भूयस्ते यत्र संदेहस्तद् ब्रूहि कुरुसत्तम॥
I have now told you a part only of the duties of kings. Tell me, O best of Kurus, what more you wish to know.
वैशम्पायन उवाच ततो व्यासश्च भगवान् देवस्थानोऽश्म एव च। वासुदेवः कृपश्चैव सात्यकिः संजयस्तथा॥ साधु साध्विति संहृष्टाः पुष्ष्यमाणैरिवाननैः। अस्तुवंश्च नरव्याघ्रं भीष्मं धर्मभृतां वरम्॥
Vaishampayana said The illustrious Vyasa, Devasthana, Ashva, Vasudeva, Kripa, Satyaki and Sanjaya, filled with joy, and with faces resembling full-blown flowers, said,-Excellent! Excellent!' and sang the praises of that best of men, viz., Bhishma, that foremost of virtuous persons.
ततो दीनमना भीष्ममुवाच कुरुसत्तमः। नेत्राभ्यामश्रुपूर्णाभ्यां पादौ तस्य शनैः स्पृशन्॥ श्व इदानीं स्वसन्देहं प्रक्ष्यामि त्वां पितामह। उपैति सविता शस्तं रसमापीय पार्थिवम्॥
Then Yudhishthira, that chief of Kuru's race, with a depressed heart and eyes bathed in tears, gently touched Bhishma's feet and said,—'O grandsire, I shall tomorrow enquire after those points about which I have my doubts, for today the sun, having sucked the moisture of the earth, is about to set.
ततो द्विजातीनभिवाद्य केशवः कृपश्व ते चैव युधिष्ठिरादयः। प्रदक्षिणीकृत्य महानदीसुतं ततो रथानारुरुहुर्मुदान्विताः॥
Then Keshava, Kripa, Yudhishthira and others, saluting the Brahmanas and circumambulating Bhishma, gladly got on their cars.
दृषद्वतीं चाप्यवगाह्य सुव्रताः कृतोदकार्थाः कृतजष्यमङ्गलाः। उपास्य संध्यां विधिवत् परंतर्पा स्तत: पुरं ते विविशुर्गजाह्वयम्॥
All of them, observant of excellent vows, then bathed in the river Drishadvati-Having offered oblations of water to their departed manes and silently recited the sacred mantras and performed other auspicious rites, and having adored the evening twilight with due rites, those scorchers of enemies entered the city of Hastinapur.