Mahabharata — Volume VII (Dutt edition) — Chapter 88
MBh 7 88.1
युधिष्ठिर उवाच यदा राजा समर्थोऽपि कोशार्थी स्यान्महामते। कथं प्रवर्तेत तदा तन्मे ब्रूहि पितामह॥
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca yadā rājā samartho'pi kośārthī syānmahāmate| kathaṃ pravarteta tadā tanme brūhi pitāmaha||
Tell me, O grandfather, how should the king behave if, despite his great wealth, he seeks more!
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 88.2
भीष्म उवाच यथादेशं यथाकालं यथाबुद्धि यथाबलम्। अनुशिष्यात् प्रजा राजा धर्मार्थी तद्धिते रतः॥
bhīṣma uvāca yathādeśaṃ yathākālaṃ yathābuddhi yathābalam| anuśiṣyāt prajā rājā dharmārthī taddhite rataḥ||
Bhishma said A king desirous of acquiring religious merit, should seek the good of his subjects and protect them according to considerations of place and time and to the best of his intelligence and power.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 88.3
यथा तासां च मन्येत श्रेय आत्मन एव च। तथा कर्माणि सर्वाणि राजा राष्ट्रेषु वर्तयेत्॥
yathā tāsāṃ ca manyeta śreya ātmana eva ca| tathā karmāṇi sarvāṇi rājā rāṣṭreṣu vartayet||
He should, in his kingdom, adopt such measures as would in his view secure their good as also his own.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 88.4
मधुदोहं दुहेद् राष्ट्र भ्रमरा इव पादपम्। वत्सापेक्षी दुहेच्चैव स्तनांश्च न विकुट्टयेत्॥
madhudohaṃ duhed rāṣṭra bhramarā iva pādapam| vatsāpekṣī duheccaiva stanāṃśca na vikuṭṭayet||
A king should milk his kingdom like a bee collecting honey from plants. He should act like the cow-herd who takes milk from her without boring her udders and without starving the calf.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 88.5
जलौकावत् पिबेद् राष्ट्र मृदुनैव नराधिपः। व्याघ्रीव च हरेत् पुत्रान् संदशेन्न च पीडयेत्॥
jalaukāvat pibed rāṣṭra mṛdunaiva narādhipaḥ| vyāghrīva ca haret putrān saṃdaśenna ca pīḍayet||
The king should act like the leech taking blood mildly. He should treat his subjects like a tigress carrying her cubs, touching them with her teeth but never cutting them therewith.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 88.6
यथा शल्यकवानाखुः पदं धूनयते सदा। अतीक्ष्णेनाभ्युपायेन तथा राष्ट्र समापिबेत्॥
yathā śalyakavānākhuḥ padaṃ dhūnayate sadā| atīkṣṇenābhyupāyena tathā rāṣṭra samāpibet||
He should behave like a mouse which although has got sharp and pointed teeth yet cuts the feet of sleeping animals in such a way that they do not at all become conscious of it.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 88.7
अल्पेनाल्पेन देयेन वर्धमानं प्रदापयेत्। ततो भूयस्ततो भूयः क्रमवृद्धिं समाचरेत्॥
alpenālpena deyena vardhamānaṃ pradāpayet| tato bhūyastato bhūyaḥ kramavṛddhiṃ samācaret||
Little by little should be drained from a prosperous subject. The demand should then be gradually increased till it reaches a fair amount.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 88.8
दमयत्रिव दम्यानि शश्वद् भारं विवर्धयेत्। मृदुपूर्व प्रयत्नेन पाशानभ्यवहारयेत्॥
damayatriva damyāni śaśvad bhāraṃ vivardhayet| mṛdupūrva prayatnena pāśānabhyavahārayet||
The king should increase the burden of his subjects by and by like a person gradually increasing the load of a young bullock. Treating them with care and mildness, he should at last put the reins on them.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 88.9
सकृत्पाशावकीर्णास्ते न भविष्यन्ति दुर्दमाः। उचितेनैव भोक्तव्यास्ते भविष्यन्ति यत्नतः॥
sakṛtpāśāvakīrṇāste na bhaviṣyanti durdamāḥ| ucitenaiva bhoktavyāste bhaviṣyanti yatnataḥ||
If the reins are thus put, they would not refuse to to bear them. Indeed, sufficient measures should be taken for making them obedient. Mere entreaties to bring them to subjection would be of no avail.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 88.10
तस्मात् सर्वसमारम्भो दुर्लभः पुरुषं प्रति। यथामुख्यान सान्त्वयित्वा भोक्तव्य इतरो जनः॥
tasmāt sarvasamārambho durlabhaḥ puruṣaṃ prati| yathāmukhyāna sāntvayitvā bhoktavya itaro janaḥ||
It is impossible to treat all equally. Conciliating the leaders only, the ordinary people should be reduced to obedience.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 88.11
ततस्तान् भेदयित्वा तु परस्परविवक्षितान्। भुजीत सान्त्वयंश्चैव यथासुखमयत्नतः॥
tatastān bhedayitvā tu parasparavivakṣitān| bhujīta sāntvayaṃścaiva yathāsukhamayatnataḥ||
Creating dissensions among the common people who are to carry the burdens, the king should himself come forward to conciliate them and then enjoy happily what he would draw from them.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 88.12
न चास्था ने न चाकाले करांस्तेभ्यो निपातयेत्। आनुपूर्वेण सान्त्वेन यथाकालं यथाविधि॥
na cāsthā ne na cākāle karāṃstebhyo nipātayet| ānupūrveṇa sāntvena yathākālaṃ yathāvidhi||
The king should never impose taxes in a bad form and on persons who cannot pay them. He should impose them gradually and with mildness, in proper time and according to due forms.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 88.13
उपायान् प्रब्रवीम्येतान् न मे माया विवक्षिता। अनुपायेन दमयन् प्रकोपयति वाजिनः॥
upāyān prabravīmyetān na me māyā vivakṣitā| anupāyena damayan prakopayati vājinaḥ||
The ways I suggest you are the legitimate means of king craft. They are not known as deceitful means. One who tries to control horses by unfair methods only makes them furious.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 88.14
पानागारनिवेशाच वेश्याः प्रापणिकास्तथा। कुशीलवाः सकितवा ये चान्ये केचिदीदृशाः॥ नियम्याः सर्व एवैते ये राष्ट्रस्योपघातकाः। एते राष्ट्रेऽभितिष्ठन्तो बाधन्ते भद्रिकाः प्रजाः॥
pānāgāraniveśāca veśyāḥ prāpaṇikāstathā| kuśīlavāḥ sakitavā ye cānye kecidīdṛśāḥ|| niyamyāḥ sarva evaite ye rāṣṭrasyopaghātakāḥ| ete rāṣṭre'bhitiṣṭhanto bādhante bhadrikāḥ prajāḥ||
Drinking-shops, public women, pimps, actors, gamblers, and keepers of gambling houses, and other persons, of this sort, who always create disorders to the states, should all be checked. Living within the kingdom, these afflict and injure the better classes of the subjects.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 88.15
न केनचिद् याचितव्यः कश्चित्किञ्चिदनापदि। इति व्यवस्था भूतानां पुरस्तान्मनुना कृता॥
na kenacid yācitavyaḥ kaścitkiñcidanāpadi| iti vyavasthā bhūtānāṃ purastānmanunā kṛtā||
No one should ask anything of any one when on distress prevails. Manu himself in days of yore has laid down this injunction regarding all men.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 88.16
सर्वे तथानुजीवेयुर्न कुर्युः कर्म चेदिह। सर्व एव इमे लोका न भवेयुरसंशयम्॥
sarve tathānujīveyurna kuryuḥ karma cediha| sarva eva ime lokā na bhaveyurasaṃśayam||
If all men were to live on alms and abstain from work, the world would, forsooth, come to an end.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 88.17
प्रभुर्नियमने राजा य एतान् न नियच्छति। भुक्कते स तस्य पापस्य चतुर्भागपिति श्रुतिः॥
prabhurniyamane rājā ya etān na niyacchati| bhukkate sa tasya pāpasya caturbhāgapiti śrutiḥ||
The king alone is able to restrain and check. That king who does not prevent his subjects (from committing sins) is visited by a fourth part of the sins committed by them. This is the injunction of the Shrutis.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 88.18
भोक्ता तस्य तु पापस्य सुकृतस्य यथा तथा। नियन्तव्याः सदा राज्ञा पापा ये स्युनराधिप॥
bhoktā tasya tu pāpasya sukṛtasya yathā tathā| niyantavyāḥ sadā rājñā pāpā ye syunarādhipa||
Since the king shares the sins of his subjects like their merits, he should, therefore, O king, check his sinful subjects.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 88.19
कृतपापस्त्वसौ राजा य एतान् न नियच्छति। तथा कृतस्य धर्मस्र चतुर्भागमुपारनुते॥
kṛtapāpastvasau rājā ya etān na niyacchati| tathā kṛtasya dharmasra caturbhāgamupāranute||
The king who fails to restrain himself commits a sin. He is visited by a fourth part of their sins as he does acquire a fourth part of their merits.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 88.20
स्थानान्येतानि संयम्य प्रसंगो भूतिनाशनः। कामे प्रसक्तः पुरुषः किमकार्यं विवर्जयेत्॥
sthānānyetāni saṃyamya prasaṃgo bhūtināśanaḥ| kāme prasaktaḥ puruṣaḥ kimakāryaṃ vivarjayet||
The following sins of which I speak should be checked. they are such as bring on penury on every one. What wicked act is there that a person under the influence of passion would not commit.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 88.21
मद्यमांसपरस्वानि तथा दारा धनानि च। आहरेद् रागवशगस्तथा शास्त्रं प्रदर्शयेत्॥
madyamāṃsaparasvāni tathā dārā dhanāni ca| āhared rāgavaśagastathā śāstraṃ pradarśayet||
A person under the control of passion indulges in stimulants and meat, and appropriates the wives and the wealth of other people, and sets a bad example to others.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 88.22
आपद्येव त याचन्ते येषां नास्ति परिग्रहः। दातव्यं धर्मतस्तेभ्यस्त्वनुक्रोशाद् भयान तु॥
āpadyeva ta yācante yeṣāṃ nāsti parigrahaḥ| dātavyaṃ dharmatastebhyastvanukrośād bhayāna tu||
They who do not live upon alms may beg at the time of distress. The righteous king should make gifts to them from mercy but not from fear.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 88.23
मा ते राष्ट्रे याचनका भूवनमा चापि दस्यवः। एषां दातार एवैते नैते भूतस्य भावकाः॥
mā te rāṣṭre yācanakā bhūvanamā cāpi dasyavaḥ| eṣāṃ dātāra evaite naite bhūtasya bhāvakāḥ||
Let there be no beggars or robbers in your kingdom. It is only the robbers who give to the beggars. Such givers are not benefactors of men.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 88.24
ये भूतान्यनुगृह्णन्ति वर्धयन्ति च ये प्रजाः। ते ते राष्ट्रेषु वर्तन्त मा भूतानामभावकाः॥
ye bhūtānyanugṛhṇanti vardhayanti ca ye prajāḥ| te te rāṣṭreṣu vartanta mā bhūtānāmabhāvakāḥ||
Let such men live in your kingdom as advance the interests of others and do them good, but not such as root out others.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 88.25
दण्ड्यास्ते च महाराज धनादानप्रयोजकाः। प्रयोगं कारयेयुस्तान् यथाबलिकरांस्तथा॥
daṇḍyāste ca mahārāja dhanādānaprayojakāḥ| prayogaṃ kārayeyustān yathābalikarāṃstathā||
Those officers, O king, who realize from the subjects more than what is due should be punished. You should then appoint others who will take only what is due.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 88.26
कृषिगोरक्ष्यवाणिज्यं यच्चान्यत् किंचिदीदृशम्। पुरुषैः कारयेत् कर्म बहुभिः कर्मभेदतः॥
kṛṣigorakṣyavāṇijyaṃ yaccānyat kiṃcidīdṛśam| puruṣaiḥ kārayet karma bahubhiḥ karmabhedataḥ||
Agriculture, tending of cattle trade and similar other acts, should be pursued by many persons in such a way that tey may not suffer injury.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 88.27
नरश्चेत्कृषिगोरक्ष्यवाणिज्यं चाप्यनुष्ठितः। संशयं लभते किंचित् तेन राजा विगीते॥
naraścetkṛṣigorakṣyavāṇijyaṃ cāpyanuṣṭhitaḥ| saṃśayaṃ labhate kiṃcit tena rājā vigīte||
If a person engaged in agriculture, cattletending, or trade, feels a sense of insecurity, the king, incirs infamy thereby.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 88.28
धनिनः पूजयेन्नित्यं पानाच्छादनभोजनैः। वक्तव्य.शानुगृह्णीध्वं प्रजाः सह मयेति वै॥
dhaninaḥ pūjayennityaṃ pānācchādanabhojanaiḥ| vaktavya.śānugṛhṇīdhvaṃ prajāḥ saha mayeti vai||
The king should always honour his rich su.bjects and should say to them,-Do you, with me, advance the interests of the people!
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 88.29
अङ्गमेतन्महद् राज्ये धनिनो नाम भारत। ककुदं सर्वभूतानां धनस्थो नात्र संशयः॥
aṅgametanmahad rājye dhanino nāma bhārata| kakudaṃ sarvabhūtānāṃ dhanastho nātra saṃśayaḥ||
In every kingdom, the wealthy form an estate in the realm. Forsooth, a wealthy person is the foremost of men.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 88.30
प्राज्ञः शूरो धनस्थश्च स्वामी धार्मिक एव च। तपस्वी सत्यवादी च बुद्धिमांश्चापि रक्षति॥
prājñaḥ śūro dhanasthaśca svāmī dhārmika eva ca| tapasvī satyavādī ca buddhimāṃścāpi rakṣati||
He who is wise, or brave or rich. a influential, or righteous, or engaged in penances or truthful in speech, or endued with intelligence, assists in protecting his fellowsubjects,
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 88.31
तस्मात् सर्वेषु भूतेषु प्रीतिमान् भव पार्थिव सत्यमार्जवमक्रोधमानृशस्यं च पालय॥
tasmāt sarveṣu bhūteṣu prītimān bhava pārthiva satyamārjavamakrodhamānṛśasyaṃ ca pālaya||
For these reasons, O king, do you love all creatures, and show the qualities of truth, creatures, and show the qualities of truth, men. sincerity, absence of anger and abstention from injury.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 88.32
एवं दण्डं च कोशं च मित्रं भूमि च लप्स्यसि। सत्यार्जवपरो राजन् मित्रकोशबलान्वितः॥
evaṃ daṇḍaṃ ca kośaṃ ca mitraṃ bhūmi ca lapsyasi| satyārjavaparo rājan mitrakośabalānvitaḥ||
You should thus hold the rod of punishment, and multiply your treasury. and support your friends and consolidate your kingdom thus, practising the qualities of truthfulness and sincerity and supported by your friends, treasury, and army. sincerity, absence of anger and abstention from injury.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)