वैशम्पायन उवाच चातुराश्रम्यधर्माश्च यतिधर्माश्च पाण्डव। लोकवेदोत्तराश्चैव क्षात्रधर्मे समाहिताः॥
Bhishma said The duties of all the four modes of life, those of Yatis, O son of Pandu and the customs followed by men in general, are all comprised in kingly duties.
सर्वाण्येतानि कर्माणि क्षात्रे भरतसत्तम। निराशिषो जीवलोकाः क्षत्रधर्मेऽव्यवस्थिते॥
All these acts, O chief of Bharatas are in Kshatriya duties. If the functions of royalty are disturbed, all creatures meet with evil.
अप्रत्यक्षं बहुद्वारं धर्ममाश्रमवासिनाम्। प्ररूपयन्ति तद्भावमागमैरेव शाश्वतम्॥
The duties of men are not clear. They have, again, many exceptions. Guided by many (false) systems, their true nature is sometimes spoiled.
अपरे वचनैः पुण्यैर्वादिनो लोकनिश्चयम्। अनिश्चयज्ञा धर्माणामदृष्टान्ते परे हताः॥
Others, who implicitly believe the decisions of men, without really knowing anything about the true nature of duties (as described in the scriptures), are at last constrained to believe in faiths whose ultimate ends are unknown.
प्रत्यक्षं सुखभूयिष्ठमात्मसाक्षिकमच्छलम्। सर्वलोकहितं धर्मं क्षत्रियेषु प्रतिष्ठितम्॥
The duties of the Kshatriyas are plain, conducive to great happiness, evident in their results, free from deceit, and beneficial to the whole world.
धर्माश्रमेऽध्यवसिनां ब्राह्मणानां युधिष्ठिर। यथा त्रयाणां वर्णानां संख्यातोपश्रुतिः पुराः॥
As the duties of the orders, as also of Brahmanas and of those that have retired from the world, O Yudhishthira, have before this been described as being included within those of that sacred mode of life viz., that of a householder so, the whole world, with all actions, is subject to kingly duties.
राजधर्मेष्वनुमता लोकाः सुचरितैः सह। उदाहृतं ते राजेन्द्र यथा विष्णुं महौजसम्॥
I have told you, O monarch, how many brave kings had, in days of yore, repaired to lord of all creatures, viz., the divine and powerful Vishnu of great prowess for removing their doubts about the science of punishment.
सर्वभूतेश्वरं देवं प्रभुं नारायणं पुरा। जग्मुः सुबहुशः शूरा राजानो दण्डनीतये॥ एकैकमात्मनः कर्म तुलयित्वाऽऽश्रमं पुरा। राजानः पर्युपासन्त दृष्टान्तवचने स्थिताः॥
Those kings, always observant of the injunctions of the scriptures enforced by examples, waited in days of yore, upon Narayana, after having compared their acts with the duties of each of the modes of life.
साध्या देवा वसवश्चाश्विनौ च रुद्राश्च विश्वे मरुतां गणाश्च। सृष्टाः पुरा ह्यादिदेवेन देवाः क्षात्रे धर्मे वर्तयन्ते च सिद्धाः॥
Those deities, viz., the Saddhyas, the Vasus, the Ashvins, the Rudras, the Vishvas, the Maruts, and the Siddhas, created in days of yore by the first of gods, always practise Kshatriya duties.
अत्र ते वर्तयिष्यामि धर्ममर्थविनिश्चयम्। निर्मर्यादे वर्तमाने दानवैकार्णवे पुरा॥ बभूव राजा राजेन्द्र मान्धाता नाम वीर्यवान्। पुरा वसुमतीपालो यज्ञं चक्रे दिदृक्षया॥ अनादिमध्यनिधनं देवं नारायणं प्रभुम्। स राजा राजशार्दूल मान्धाता परमेश्वरम्॥
I shall now recite to you a history consisting of the conclusions of both religion and profit. In days of yore when the Danavas had multiplied and done away with all impediments and distinctions, the powerful Mandhatri, O monarch, became king. That lord of the Earth, viz., king Mandhatri, celebrated a great sacrifice with a view to see the powerful Narayana, that god of gods, without beginning, middle, and end.
जगाम शिरसा पादौ यज्ञे विष्णोर्महात्मनः। दर्शयामास तं विष्णू रूपमास्थाय वासवम्॥
In that sacrifice he adored humbly the great Vishnu, assuming the form of Indra. The supreme Lord appeared before him.
स पार्थिवैर्वृतः सद्भिरर्चयामास तं प्रभुम्। तस्य पार्थिवसिंहस्य तस्य चैव महात्मनः। संवादोऽयं महानासीद् विष्णुं प्रति महाद्युतिम्॥
Accompanied by Many good kings he offered his adorations to that powerful god. This high discourse took place between that foremost of kings and that illustrious god in the form of Indra, regarding the highly effulgent Vishnu.
इन्द्र उवाच किमिष्यते धर्मभृतां वरिष्ठ यद् द्रष्टुकामोऽसि तमप्रमेयम्। अनन्तमायामितमन्त्रवीर्य नारायणं ह्यादिदेवं पुराणम्॥
Indra said What is your object, О foremost of virtuous persons, in thus trying to see that Ancient and First of gods, viz., Narayana, of inconceivable power, and numberless illusions.
नासौ देवो विश्वरूपो मयापि शक्योद्रष्टुं ब्रह्मणा वापि साक्षात्। येऽन्ये कामास्तव राजन् हृदिस्था दास्ये चैतांस्त्वं हि मर्येषु राजा॥
Neither myself, nor Brahman himself, can acquired a view of that god of universal from. I shall grant you what other objects you may desire to have for you are the foremost of mortals.
सत्ये स्थितो धर्मपरो जितेन्द्रियः शूरो दृढप्रीतिरत: सुराणाम्। बुद्ध्या भक्त्या चोत्तमश्रद्धया च ततस्तेऽहं दधि वरान् यथेष्टम्॥
Your soul rests on peace; you are devoted to righteousness; you have your senses under control; and you are heroic. You always try your best to do what is agreeable to the gods. For the sake also of your intelligence, devotion, and great faith, I shall grant you whatsoever boons you may with to have.
मान्धातोवाच असंशयं भगवन्नादिदेवं द्रक्ष्यामित्वाहं शिरसा सम्प्रसाद्य। त्यक्त्वा कामान् धर्मकामो ह्यरमे मिच्छे गन्तुं सत्पथं लोकदृष्टम्॥
Mandhatri said I bend my head for pleasing you; forsooth however, I wish to see the first of gods, O divine lord. Renouncing all (earthly) desires, I wish to acquire religious merit, and to lead the foremost mode of life, that path of the good held in highest esteem by all.
क्षात्राद् धर्माद् विपुलादप्रमेय ल्लोकाः प्राप्ताः स्थापितं स्वं यशश्च। धर्मो योऽसावादिदेवात् प्रवृत्तो लोकश्रेष्ठं तं न जानामि कर्तुम्॥
By performing the great duties of a Kshatriya, I have acquired many regions of endless merit in the other world, and I have also, through those duties, spread my fame. I do not, however, know how to satisfy those duties the highest in the world emanating from the first of gods.
इन्द्र उवाच असैनिका धर्मपराश्च धर्म परां गतिं न नयन्ते ह्ययुक्तम्। क्षात्रो धर्मो ह्यादिदेवात्प्रवृत्तः पश्चादन्ये शेषभूताश्च धर्माः॥
Indra said Those who are not kings, even if then satisfy their duties, cannot easily attain the highest meed of duty. Kingly duties first emanated from the original god. Other duties sprang afterwards from his body.
शेषाः सृष्टा ह्यन्तवन्तो ह्यनन्ताः सप्रस्थानाः क्षात्रधर्मा विशिष्टाः। स्तस्माद् धर्मं श्रेष्ठमिमं वदन्ति॥
Numberless other duties, with those of the Vanaprastha mode of life, were created afterwards. The fruits of all those are endless. Kingly duties however, are superior to them. They include all other duties. Therefore Kshatriya duties are described to be the foremost of all.
कर्मणा वै पुरा देवा ऋषयश्चामितौजसः। त्राता: सर्वं प्रसह्यारीन्क्षत्रधर्मेण विष्णुना॥
In days of yore Vishnu, by acting according to Kshatriya duties, forcibly suppressed and killed his enemies. Accordingly he have relief to the gods and the Rishis of immeasurable power.
यदि ह्यसौ भगवान्नाहनिष्यद् रिपून् सर्वानसुरानप्रमेयः। न ब्राह्मणा न च लोकादिकर्ता नायं धर्मो नादिधर्मोऽभविष्यत्॥
If the divine Vishnu of inconceivable energy had not killed all his enemies among the Asuras, then the Brahmanas, and (Brahman) the Creator of the worlds and Kshatriya duties, and the duties that first originated from the Supreme deity, would all have been lost.
इमामुर्वी नाजयद्विक्रमेण देवश्रेष्ठः सासुरामादिदेवः। चातुर्वण्र्यं चातुराश्रम्यधर्माः सर्वे न स्युर्ब्राह्मणानां विनाशात्॥
If that first and foremost of gods had not, by displaying his prowess, subjugated the Earth with all her Asuras, then all the duties of the four orders and all the duties of the four modes of life would all have been destroyed owing to the destruction of Brahmanas.
नष्टा धर्माः शतधा शाश्वतास्ते क्षात्रेण धर्मेण पुनः प्रवृद्धाः। युगे युगे ह्यादिधर्माः प्रवृत्ता लोकज्येष्ठं क्षात्रधर्मं वदन्ति॥
The eternal duties (of men) had all been destroyed but by the exercise of Kshatriya duties they were revived. In every cycle of duties of Brahmanas regarding the atainment to Brahma first set in. These however, are all protected by kingly duties. The later, on this account, are regarded as highest.
आत्मत्यागः सर्वभूतानुकम्पा लोकज्ञानं पालनं मोक्षणं च। विषण्णानां मोक्षणं पीडिताना क्षात्रे धर्मे विद्यते पार्थिवानाम्॥ निर्मर्यादा: काममन्युप्रवृत्ता भीता राज्ञो नाधिगच्छन्ति पापम्। शिष्टाश्चान्ये सर्वधर्मोपपन्नाः साध्वाचाराः साधु धर्मं वदन्ति॥
Casting away life in battle, mercy for all creatures, knowledge of earthly affairs, protection of men, saving them from danger, relieving the distressed and the oppressed,-all these are included in the category of Kshatriya duties. Persons that do not obey healthy restraints and who are under the influence of anger and lust, do not openly sin from fear of kings. Others who are docile and righteous succeed, for the same influence, in satisfying all their duties. Therefore the Kshatriya duties are regarded to be righteous.
पुत्रवत् पाल्यमानानि राजधर्मेण पार्थिवैः। लोके भूतानि सर्वाणि चरन्ते नात्र संशयः॥
Forsooth, all creatures live happily in the world, protected by kings exercising Kshatriya duties like children protected by their parents.
सर्वधर्मपरं क्षात्रं लोकश्रेष्ठं सनातनम्। शश्वदक्षरपर्यन्तमक्षरं सर्वतोमुखम्॥
Kshatriya duties are the highest of all duties. Those eternal duties, regarded as the first in the world, include the protection of every creature. Themselves eternal, they bring on liberation.