युधिष्ठिर उवाच केन वृत्तेन वृत्तज्ञ वर्तमानो महीपतिः। सुखेनार्थान् सुखोदर्कानिह च प्रेत्य चाप्नुयात्॥
Yudhishthira said By following what conduct, O you who are a master of every kind of behaviour, can a king succeed in easily acquiring, both in this world and in the next, objects which yield happiness in the end?
भीष्म उवाच अयं गुणानां षट्त्रिंशत्पट्त्रिंशद्गुणसंयुतः। यान् गुणांस्तु गुणोपेतः कुर्वन् गुणमवाप्नुयात्॥
Bhishma said There are thirty-six virtues which a king should practise. There are another thirty-six related with these.. A virtuous person, by following these virtues, can certainly acquire great merit.
रेद् धर्मानकटुको मुञ्चेत् स्नेहं न चास्तिकः। अनृशंसश्चरेदर्थं चरेत् काममनुद्धतः॥
The king should follow his duties without any malice. He should not cast off mercy. He should have faith. He should earn wealth without persecution and cruelty. He should seek pleasure without attachment.
प्रियं ब्रूयादकृपणः शूरः स्यादविकत्थनः। दाता नापात्रवर्षी स्यात् प्रगल्भः स्यादनिष्ठुरः॥
He should cheerfully speak out what is pleasant, and be brave without brag. He should be liberal, but should not make gifts to unworthy persons. He should exercise power without cruelty.
संदधीत न चानायैर्विगृह्णीयान्न बन्धुभिः। नाभक्तं चारयेच्चारं कुर्यात् कार्यमपीडया॥
He should make alliances, but not with the wicked. He should not act inimically towards his friends. He should never employ persons who are not devoted to him as his spies and secret emissaries. He should never accomplish his works by oppression.
अर्थं ब्रूयान्न चासत्सु गुणान् ब्रूयान्न चात्मनः। आदद्यान्न च साधुभ्यो नासत्पुरुषमाश्रयेत्॥
He should never give out his purposes before the wicked persons. He should speak of the merits of others but never his own. He should take money from his subjects but never from those who are good. He should never take the assistance of wicked persons.
नापरीक्ष्य नयेद् दण्डं न च मन्त्रं प्रकाशयेत्। विसृजेन्न च लुब्धेभ्यो विश्वसेन्नापकारिषु॥
He should never inflict punishment without making careful enquiry. He should never give out his counsels. He should distribute money, but not amongst covetous persons. He should place confidence in others, but never in those who have injured him.
अनीर्षुर्गुप्तदारः स्याच्चोक्षः स्यादघृणी नृपः। स्त्रियः सेवेत नात्यर्थं मृष्टं भुञ्जीत नाहितम्॥
He should not entertain malice. He should protect his married wives. He should be pure and should not always be exercised by compassion. He should not seek too much female companionship. He should take wholesome food and never that which is bad.
अस्तब्धः पूजयेन्मान्यान् गुरून् सेवेदमायया। अर्चेद् देवानदम्भेन श्रियमिच्छेदकुत्सिताम्॥
He should without pride pay respect to worthy persons, and serve his preceptors and seniors with sincerity. He should seek prosperity, but never do anything that brings calumny.
सेवेत प्रणयं हित्वा दक्षः स्यान्न त्वकालवित्। सान्त्वयेन च मोक्षाय अनुगृह्णन्न चाक्षिपेत्॥
He should serve his elders with humility. He should be clever in business but should always wait for the opportune moment. He should solace men and never send them away with empty words. Having favoured a person, he should not case him off.
प्रहरेन्न त्वविज्ञाय हत्वा शत्रून् न शोचयेत्। क्रोधं कुर्यान्न चाकस्मान्मृदुः स्यान्नापकारिषु॥
He should never strike in ignorance. Having killed his enemy he should never be sorry. He should display anger, but should never do so when there is no occasion. He should be mild, but never to the offenders.
एवं चरस्व राज्यस्थो यदि श्रेय इहेच्छसि। अतोऽन्यथा नरपतिर्भयमृच्छत्यनुत्तमम्॥
Behave thus while ruling your kingdom if you wish to enjoy prosperity. The king that behaves otherwise is visited by great calamities.
इति सर्वान् गुणानेतान् यथोक्तान् योऽनुवर्तते। अनुभूयेह भद्राणि प्रेत्य स्वर्गे महीयते॥
That king, who observes all these virtues that I have mentioned, enjoys many blessings of Earth and great rewards in heaven.'
वैशम्पायन उवाच इदं वचः शान्तनवस्य शुश्रुवान् युधिष्ठिरः पाण्डवमुख्यसंवृतः। तदा ववन्दे च पितामहं नृपो यथोक्तमेतच्च चकार बुद्धिमान्॥
Vaishampayana said Hearing these words of Shantanu's son, king Yudhishthira, always obedient in receiving instructions, endued with great intelligence, and protected by Bhima and others, then adored his grandfather and from that time began to rule according to his dictates.