Dhritarashtra's Lesson on the Circle of States

Verse 1 (15.7.1)

मण्डलानि च बुध्येथाः परेषामात्मनस्तथा । उदासीनगुणानां च मध्यस्थानां च भारत ॥

maṇḍalāni ca budhyethāḥ pareṣāmātmanastathā | udāsīnaguṇānāṃ ca madhyasthānāṃ ca bhārata

"You must understand the circles of states, both your enemies' and your own, and those of the neutral and the intermediate powers, O Bharata.

Verse 2 (15.7.2)

चतुर्णां शत्रुजातानां सर्वेषामाततायिनाम् । मित्रं चामित्रमित्रं च बोद्धव्यं तेऽरिकर्शन ॥

caturṇāṃ śatrujātānāṃ sarveṣāmātatāyinām | mitraṃ cāmitramitraṃ ca boddhavyaṃ te'rikarśana

Of the four kinds of enemies and of all the aggressors, the friend and the enemy's friend must be known by you, scourge of your foes.

Verse 3 (15.7.3)

अथ नानाजनपदा दुर्गाणि विविधानि च । बलानि च कुरुश्रेष्ठ भवत्येषां यथेच्छकम् ॥

atha nānājanapadā durgāṇi vividhāni ca | balāni ca kuruśreṣṭha bhavatyeṣāṃ yathecchakam

Then there are the many realms, the fortresses of many kinds, and the armies; these come to them, best of the Kurus, as each wishes.

Verse 4 (15.7.4)

ते च द्वादश कौन्तेय राजानो विविधात्मकाः । मन्त्रिप्रधानाश्च गुणाः षष्टिर्द्वादश च प्रभो ॥

te ca dvādaśa kaunteya rājāno vividhātmakāḥ | mantripradhānāśca guṇāḥ ṣaṣṭirdvādaśa ca prabho

These are twelve kings, son of Kunti, of various natures; and the qualities, headed by counsel, are sixty and twelve besides, my lord.

Verse 5 (15.7.5)

एतन्मण्डलमित्याहुराचार्या नीतिकोविदाः । अत्र षाड्गुण्यमायत्तं युधिष्ठिर निबोध तत् ॥

etanmaṇḍalamityāhurācāryā nītikovidāḥ | atra ṣāḍguṇyamāyattaṃ yudhiṣṭhira nibodha tat

This is what the teachers skilled in policy call the circle. The six-fold policy depends upon it; understand it, Yudhishthira.

Note on the text: Corrected माचत्तं → मायत्तं (misprint in Wikisource; ya misprinted as ca; CE reads 'āyattaṃ').

Verse 6 (15.7.6)

वृद्धिक्षयौ च विज्ञेयौ स्थानं च कुरुसत्तम । द्विसप्तत्यां महाबाहो ततः षाड्गुण्यजा गुणाः ॥

vṛddhikṣayau ca vijñeyau sthānaṃ ca kurusattama | dvisaptatyāṃ mahābāho tataḥ ṣāḍguṇyajā guṇāḥ

Increase, decline and stability must be understood, best of the Kurus; and from the seventy-two, mighty-armed one, arise the qualities of the six-fold policy.

Verse 7 (15.7.7)

यथा स्वपक्षो बलवान्परपक्षस्तथाबलः । विगृह्य शत्रून्कौन्तेय यायात्क्षितिपतिस्तदा ॥

yathā svapakṣo balavānparapakṣastathābalaḥ | vigṛhya śatrūnkaunteya yāyātkṣitipatistadā

When your own side is strong and the enemy's side weak, then, son of Kunti, the king should make war on his enemies and march against them.

Note on the text: Corrected तथा बलः → तथाबलः (misprint in Wikisource; printed as two words it would mean 'so strong' and reverse the sense; the CE reads 'tathābalaḥ' = tathā + abalaḥ, 'so weak'). Lines = CE 15,011.007a, 007c. CE has a third line (15,011.007e 'yadā svapakṣo 'balavāṃs tadā saṃdhiṃ samāśrayet'), represented here by verse 8.

Verse 8 (15.7.8)

यदा परे च बलिनः स्वपक्षश्चैव दुर्बलः । सार्धं विद्वांस्तदा क्षीणः परैः सन्धिं समाश्रयेत् ॥

yadā pare ca balinaḥ svapakṣaścaiva durbalaḥ | sārdhaṃ vidvāṃstadā kṣīṇaḥ paraiḥ sandhiṃ samāśrayet

When the enemies are strong and one's own side is weak, then the wise man, having grown feeble, should seek peace with the enemies, together with his allies.

Note on the text: Corrected मसाश्रयेत् → समाश्रयेत् (misprint in Wikisource; the letters ma and sa are transposed; CE reads 'saṃdhiṃ samāśrayet'). Not in the critical edition's numbered text: corresponds to CE star passage 15,011.007e*0027_01-02 ('**** **** svapakṣaś caiva durbalaḥ / sārdhaṃ vidvāṃs tadā kṣīṇaḥ'), whose closing words echo CE 15,011.007e ('tadā saṃdhiṃ samāśrayet').

Verse 9 (15.7.9)

द्रव्याणां सञ्चयश्चैव कर्तव्यः सुमहांस्तथा । यदा समर्था यानाय नचिरेणैव भारत ॥

dravyāṇāṃ sañcayaścaiva kartavyaḥ sumahāṃstathā | yadā samarthā yānāya nacireṇaiva bhārata

A very great store of goods must be gathered, Bharata, so that when the force is able to march, there is no delay.

Verse 10 (15.7.10)

तदा सर्वं विधेयं स्यात्स्थानेन च विचारयेत् । भूमिरल्पफला देया विपरीतस्य भारत ॥

tadā sarvaṃ vidheyaṃ syātsthānena ca vicārayet | bhūmiralpaphalā deyā viparītasya bhārata

Then everything should be arranged, and he should deliberate about his position. Land of little yield should be given to the opposing party, Bharata.

Verse 11 (15.7.11)

हिरण्यरूप्यभूयिष्ठं मित्रं क्षीणमकोशभृत् । विपरीतं निगृह्णीयात्स्वयं सन्धिविशारदः ॥

hiraṇyarūpyabhūyiṣṭhaṃ mitraṃ kṣīṇamakośabhṛt | viparītaṃ nigṛhṇīyātsvayaṃ sandhiviśāradaḥ

An ally rich in gold and silver but depleted and without a treasury — the opposed party he who is skilled in treaties should himself restrain.

Note on the text: Wikisource's reading differs from CE 15,011.010 ('hiraṇyaṃ kupyabhūyiṣṭhaṃ mitraṃ kṣīṇam akośavat / viparītān na gṛhṇīyāt svayaṃ saṃdhiviśāradaḥ'); the sense of the second line is uncertain.

Verse 12 (15.7.12)

सन्ध्यर्थं राजपुत्रं वा लिप्सेथा भरतर्षभ । विपरीतं न तच्छ्रेयः पुत्र कस्यांचिदापदि ॥

sandhyarthaṃ rājaputraṃ vā lipsethā bharatarṣabha | viparītaṃ na tacchreyaḥ putra kasyāṃcidāpadi

For the sake of a treaty, seek a king's son, best of the Bharatas; but the reverse is not advisable, son, in any calamity.

Verse 13 (15.7.13)

तस्याः प्रमोक्षे यत्नं च कुर्याः सोपायमन्त्रवित् । प्रकृतीनां च राजेन्द्र राजा दीनान्विभावयेत् ॥

tasyāḥ pramokṣe yatnaṃ ca kuryāḥ sopāyamantravit | prakṛtīnāṃ ca rājendra rājā dīnānvibhāvayet

One who knows means and counsel should strive for release from it; and the king, O king of kings, should take note of the distressed among his subjects.

Note on the text: First line = CE 15,011.011e; second line = CE 15,011.012a (varied).

Verse 14 (15.7.14)

क्रमेण युगपद्बुद्ध्वा व्यसनानां बलाबलम् । पीडनं स्तंभनं चैव कोशभङ्गस्तथैव च ॥

krameṇa yugapadbuddhvā vyasanānāṃ balābalam | pīḍanaṃ staṃbhanaṃ caiva kośabhaṅgastathaiva ca

Having recognised, one by one or all together, the strength and weakness of the calamities — oppression, obstruction, and the breaking of the treasury —

Note on the text: Corrected क्रमेणि → क्रमेण (misprint in Wikisource; stray vowel sign; CE reads 'krameṇa'). Corrected बुध्वा → बुद्ध्वा (misprint in Wikisource; dropped d; the gerund is buddhvā). Lines = CE 15,011.012c and 013a (varied).

Verse 15 (15.7.15)

कार्यं यत्नेन शत्रूणां स्वराज्यं रक्षता स्वयम् । न च हिंस्योऽभ्युपगतः सामन्तो वृद्धिमिच्छता ॥

kāryaṃ yatnena śatrūṇāṃ svarājyaṃ rakṣatā svayam | na ca hiṃsyo'bhyupagataḥ sāmanto vṛddhimicchatā

effort must be made against enemies by one who is guarding his own kingdom himself; and a neighbouring ruler who has come to him for refuge should not be harmed by one who wishes to grow.

Note on the text: Lines = CE 15,011.013c and 014a.

Verse 16 (15.7.16)

कौन्तेय तद्धितं ते स्यात्पृथिवीं विजिगीषतः । गुणानां भेदने योगमीप्सेथाः सह मन्त्रिभिः ॥

kaunteya taddhitaṃ te syātpṛthivīṃ vijigīṣataḥ | guṇānāṃ bhedane yogamīpsethāḥ saha mantribhiḥ

Son of Kunti, this would be to your benefit when you wish to conquer the earth: with your counsellors, seek the means of breaking the strengths of the enemy.

Note on the text: Wikisource's wording differs from CE 15,011.014c-015a ('kaunteya taṃ na hiṃseta yo mahīṃ vijigīṣate / gaṇānāṃ bhedane yogaṃ gacchethāḥ saha mantribhiḥ').

Verse 17 (15.7.17)

साधुसङ्ग्रहणाच्चैव पापनिग्रहणात्तथा । आत्मसात्करणे नित्यं पालनानि गृहे तथा । दुर्बलाश्चैव सततं नान्वेष्टव्या बलीयसा ॥

sādhusaṅgrahaṇāccaiva pāpanigrahaṇāttathā | ātmasātkaraṇe nityaṃ pālanāni gṛhe tathā | durbalāścaiva satataṃ nānveṣṭavyā balīyasā

By winning over the good and restraining the wicked, by making them one's own and always cherishing them at home; and the weak must never be hunted down by the stronger.

Note on the text: Three-line verse as printed on the page (15-7-17a,b,c). Line 1 = CE 15,011.015c; line 3 = CE 15,011.016a ('durbalāś cāpi satataṃ nāvaṣṭabhyā balīyasā'); line 2 ('आत्मसात्करणे नित्यं पालनानि गृहे तथा') is not in the critical edition (vulgate only).

Verse 18 (15.7.18)

तिष्ठेथा राजशार्दूल वैतसीं वृत्तिमास्थितः । यद्येनमभियायाच्च बलवान्दुर्बलं नृपः ॥

tiṣṭhethā rājaśārdūla vaitasīṃ vṛttimāsthitaḥ | yadyenamabhiyāyācca balavāndurbalaṃ nṛpaḥ

Keep to the way of the reed, tiger among kings, if a strong king should march against such a weak one.

Note on the text: Corrected दुर्बल नृपः → दुर्बलं नृपः (misprint in Wikisource; the accusative ending is missing (printed with a gap); CE reads 'durbalaṃ balavān nṛpaḥ'). Line 1 = CE 15,011.016c; line 2 = CE 15,011.017a (reordered). The page's closing mark on line 2 is a single danda; the verse end is supplied.

Verse 19 (15.7.19)

सामादिभिरुपायैस्तं क्रमेण विनिवर्तयेः । अशक्नुवंश्च युद्धाय निष्पतेत्सह मन्त्रिभिः ॥

sāmādibhirupāyaistaṃ krameṇa vinivartayeḥ | aśaknuvaṃśca yuddhāya niṣpatetsaha mantribhiḥ

By conciliation and the other means, gradually turn him back; and if he cannot fight, let him sally forth with his counsellors,

Note on the text: Corrected क्रमेणि → क्रमेण (misprint in Wikisource; stray vowel sign; CE reads 'krameṇa'). Lines = CE 15,011.017c and 018a.

Verse 20 (15.7.20)

कोशेन पौरैर्दण्डेन ये चास्य प्रियकारिणः । असम्भवे तु सर्वस्य यथा मुख्येन निष्पतेत् । क्रमेणानेन मोक्षः स्याच्छरीरं प्रति केवलम् ॥

kośena paurairdaṇḍena ye cāsya priyakāriṇaḥ | asambhave tu sarvasya yathā mukhyena niṣpatet | krameṇānena mokṣaḥ syāccharīraṃ prati kevalam

with the treasury, the townsmen, the army, and those who act for his pleasure. If it is not possible to take everything, let him go forth with what is chief; by this method there may be deliverance for the body alone."

Note on the text: Three-line verse as printed on the page (15-7-20a,b,c). Line 1 = CE 15,011.018c; lines 2-3 = CE 15,011.019a and 019c (line 3 there 'śarīram api kevalam' in the CE, 'शरीरं प्रति केवलम्' here).