भीष्म उवाच य एव तु सतो रक्षेदसतश्च निवर्तयेत्। स एव राज्ञः कर्तव्यो राजन् राजपुरोहितः॥
Bhishma said A king should appoint that person as his priest who would protect the good and punish the wicked.
अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम्। पुरूरवस ऐलस्य संवादं मातरिश्वनः॥
Regarding it is cited the old story about the discourse between Pururavas the son of Aila and Matarishvan.
पुरूरवा उवाच कुत:स्विद् ब्राह्मणो जातो वर्णाश्चापि कुतस्त्रयः। कस्माच्च भवति श्रेष्ठस्तन्मे व्याख्यातुमर्हसि॥
Pururavas said Whence has the Brahmana originated and whence the three other orders? Why also has the Brahmana become the foremost? You should tell me all this.
मातरिश्वोवाच ब्राह्मणो मुखतः सृष्टो ब्रह्मणो राजसत्तम। बाहुभ्यां क्षत्रियः सृष्ट ऊरुभ्यां वैश्य एव च।॥
Matarishvan answered The Brahmana. O best of kings, has originated from the mouth of Brahman. The Kshatriya has originated from his two arms, and the Vaishya from his two thighs.
वर्णानां परिचर्यार्थं त्रयाणां भरतर्षभ। वर्णश्चतुर्थः पश्चात् तु पद्भ्यां शूद्रो विनिर्मितः॥
For serving these three orders, O king, a fourth order, viz., the Shudra, came into being created from the feet (of Brahman).
ब्राह्मणो जायमानो हि पृथिव्यामनुजायते। ईश्वरः सर्वभूतानां धर्मकोशस्य गुप्तये॥
Thus created the Brahmana is born on Earth as the lord of all creatures, his duty being to preserve the Vedas and the other scriptures.
अतः पृथिव्या यन्तारं क्षत्रियं दण्डधारिणम्। द्वितीयं वर्णमकरोत् प्रजानामनुगुप्तये॥
Then, for ruling the Earth and holding the rod of punishment and protecting all creatures, the second order, viz., the Kshatriya was created.
वैश्यस्तु धनधान्येन त्रीन् वर्णान् विध्यादिमान्। शूद्रो ह्येतान् परिचरेदिति ब्रह्मानुशासनम्॥ ऐल उवाच
The Vaishya was created for supporting the two other orders and himself by cultivation and trade, and finally it was ordained by Brahman that the Shudra should serve the three orders as a servant.
द्विजस्य क्षत्रबन्धोर्वा कस्येयं पृथिवी भवेत्। : सह वित्तेन सम्यग् वायो प्रचक्ष्व मे॥
Pururavas said Tell me, truly, O god of Wind, to whom does this Earth fairly belong, Does it belong to the Brahmana or to the Kshatriya.
वायुरुवाच विप्रस्य सर्वमेवैतद् यत् किञ्चिज्जगतीगतम्। ज्येष्ठेनाभिजनेनेह तद्धर्मकुशला विदुः॥
The god of Wind said Everything that exists in the universe belongs to the Brahmana on account of his birth and precedence. Persons, conversant with morality, declare it.
धर्मतः सह स्वमेव ब्राह्मणो भुक्ते स्वं वस्ते स्वं ददाति च। गुरुर्हि सर्ववर्णानां ज्येष्ठः श्रेष्ठश्च वै द्विजः॥
What the Brahmana eats is his own. The place he dwells is his own. What he gives away is his own. He deserves the respect of all the (other) orders. He is the first-born and the foremost.
पत्यभावे यथैव स्त्री देवरं कुरुते पतिम्। एष ते प्रथमः कल्प आपद्यन्यो भवेत् ततः॥
As a woman, in the absence of her husband, marries his younger brother, even so the Earth, for the refusal of the Brahmana, has accepted his next-born, viz., the Kshatriya, for her master. This is the first rule. In times, however, of distress, there is exception of this.
यदि स्वर्ग परं स्थानं स्वधर्मं परिमार्गसि। यत् किञ्चिज्जयसे भूमिं ब्राह्मणाय निवेदया॥ श्रुतवृत्तोपपन्नाय धर्मज्ञाय तपस्विने। स्वधर्मपरितृप्ताय यो न वित्तपरो भवेत्॥
If you try to satisfy the duties of your order and wish to acquire the highest place in heaven, then give to the Brahmana all the land you may conquer, to him who is learned and of virtuous conduct, who is conversant with duties and observant of penances, who is contented with the duties of his order and not covetous of wealth.
यो राजानं नयेद् बुद्ध्या सर्वतः परिपूर्णया। ब्राह्मणो हि कुले जातः कृतप्रज्ञो विनीतवान्॥
The well-born Brahmana, wise and humble, guides the king in every matter by his own great intelligence.
श्रेयो नयति राजानं ब्रुवंश्चित्रां सरस्वतीम्। राजा चरति यद् धर्मं ब्राह्मणेन निदर्शितम्॥
By sound advice he makes the king acquire prosperity. The Brahmana points out to the king his duties.
शुश्रूषुरनहंवादी क्षत्रधर्मव्रते स्थितः। तावता सत्कृतः प्राज्ञश्चिरं यशसि तिष्ठति॥ तस्य धर्मस्य सर्वस्य भागी राजपुरोहितः।
As long as a wish king, observant of the duties of his order, and shorn of pride, is desirous of listening to the advice of the Brahmana, so long is he respected and so long does he enjoy fame. The priest of the king, therefore, partakes, of the merit that the king acquires.
एवमेव प्रजाः सर्वा राजानमभिसंश्रिताः॥ सम्यग्वृत्ताः स्वधर्मस्था न कुतश्चिद् भयान्विताः।
When the king behaves himself thus, all his subjects, depending upon him, become virtuous in their behaviour, follow their duties, and are freed from every fear.
राष्ट्रे चरन्ति यं धर्म राज्ञा साध्वभिरक्षिताः॥ चतुर्थं तस्य धर्मस्य राजा भागं तु विन्दति।
The king shares a fourth part of those righteous acts which his subjects, wellprotected by him, perform in his kingdom.
देवा मनुष्याः पितरो गन्धर्वोरगराक्षसाः॥ यज्ञमेवोपजीवन्ति नास्ति चेष्टमराजके।
The gods, men, Pitris, Gandharvas, Uragas, and Rakshasas, all derive their support from sacrifices. In a country having no king, their can be no sacrifice.
इतो दत्तेन जीवन्ति देवताः पितरस्तथा॥ राजन्येवास्य धर्मस्य योगक्षेमः प्रतिष्ठितः।
The gods and the Pitris live upon the offerings made in sacrifices. Sacrifice, however, dependants upon the king.
छायायामप्सु वायौ च सुखमुष्णेऽधिगच्छति॥ अग्नौ वाससि सूर्ये च सुखं शीतेऽधिगच्छति।
In summer, men seek comfort from the shade of trees, cool water, and cool breezes. In winter, they derive comfort from fire, warm clothing and the sun.
शब्दे स्पर्शे रसे रूपे गन्धे च रमते मनः॥ तेषु भोगेषु सर्वेषु न भीतो लभते सुखम्।
The heart of man finds pleasure in sound, touch, taste, vision, and smell. The man, however, who is filled with fear, finds no pleasure in all these things.
अभयस्य हि यो दाता तस्यैव सुमहत् फलम्। न हि प्राणसमं दानं त्रिषु लोकेषु विद्यते॥
That person, who removes the fears of men, acquires great merit. There is no present so valuable in three worlds as that of life.
इन्द्रो राजा यमो राजा धर्मो राजा तथैव च। राजा बिभर्ति रूपाणि राज्ञा सर्वमिदं धृतम्॥
The king is Indra. The king is Yama. The king is Dharma. The king puts on different forms. The king preserves and supports every things.
अभयस्य हि यो दाता तस्यैव सुमहत् फलम्। न हि प्राणसमं दानं त्रिषु लोकेषु विद्यते॥
That person, who removes the fears of men, acquires great merit. There is no present so valuable in three worlds as that of life.
इन्द्रो राजा यमो राजा धर्मो राजा तथैव च। राजा बिभर्ति रूपाणि राज्ञा सर्वमिदं धृतम्॥
The king is Indra. The king is Yama. The king is Dharma. The king puts on different forms. The king preserves and supports every things.