Bhishma on Filling the Treasury in a Time of Distress

Verse 1 (12.130.1)

मित्रैः प्रहीयमाणस्य बह्वमित्रस्य का गतिः । राज्ञः संक्षीणकोशस्य बलहीनस्य भारत ॥

mitraiḥ prahīyamāṇasya bahvamitrasya kā gatiḥ | rājñaḥ saṃkṣīṇakośasya balahīnasya bhārata

What is the way out, O Bharata, for a king who is being abandoned by his friends and has many enemies, whose treasury is spent and whose forces are weak;

Note on the text: Restored मित्रैः for त्रैः and राज्ञः for -- (Wikisource has lost the syllable मि and the word राज्ञः at the head of the page; CE 12.128.1 mitraiḥ prahīyamāṇasya bahvamitrasya kā gatiḥ / rājñaḥ saṃkṣīṇakośasya balahīnasya bhārata). Speaker per the page's heading युधिष्ठिर उवाच (12-130-1x).

Verse 2 (12.130.2)

दुष्टामात्यसहायस्य श्रुतमन्त्रस्य सर्वतः । राज्यात्प्रच्यवमानस्य गतिमन्यामपश्यतः ॥

duṣṭāmātyasahāyasya śrutamantrasya sarvataḥ | rājyātpracyavamānasya gatimanyāmapaśyataḥ

whose ministers are wicked and whose counsel has been leaked on every side, who is being driven out of his kingdom and sees no other refuge;

Note on the text: Restored दुष्टा for -- in दुष्टामात्यसहायस्य and रा in राज्यात्प्रच्यवमानस्य (Wikisource prints --मात्य… and ज्यात्…, with the opening syllables lost; CE 12.128.2 duṣṭāmātyasahāyasya … rājyāt pracyavamānasya).

Verse 3 (12.130.3)

परचक्राभियातस्य परराष्ट्राणि मृद्नतः । विग्रहे वर्तमानस्य दुर्बलस्य बलीयसा ॥

paracakrābhiyātasya pararāṣṭrāṇi mṛdnataḥ | vigrahe vartamānasya durbalasya balīyasā

who is attacked by a foreign army, though he himself is crushing other lands, engaged in war, weak against one who is stronger;

Note on the text: Corrected मृद्गतः → मृद्नतः (misprint in Wikisource; ग for न, giving a non-word; CE star line 12.128.3a*0299_01 pararāṣṭrāṇi mṛdnataḥ). Lines 1-2 are CE 12.128.3a with the star lines 3a*0299_01-02 (… pararāṣṭrāṇi mṛdnataḥ / vigrahe vartamānasya) worked into it.

Verse 4 (12.130.4)

असंविहितराष्ट्रस्य देशकालावजानतः । अप्राप्यं च भवेत्सान्त्वं भेदो वाऽप्यतिपीडनात् । जीवितं त्वर्थहेतोर्वा तत्र किं सुकृतं भवेत् ॥

asaṃvihitarāṣṭrasya deśakālāvajānataḥ | aprāpyaṃ ca bhavetsāntvaṃ bhedo vā'pyatipīḍanāt | jīvitaṃ tvarthahetorvā tatra kiṃ sukṛtaṃ bhavet

whose realm is not well ordered and who disregards place and time - conciliation would be out of his reach, or the sowing of dissension, because of his heavy oppression; and as to his life or his wealth, what would be the right course there?

Note on the text: Verse division rebuilt from the page's own marks. The page prints 12-130-4a, 4b (ending with a single daṇḍa, not ॥) and then 12-130-5a (जीवितं त्वर्थहेतोर्वा तत्र किं सुकृतं भवेत्), which ends with ॥: together they are one three-line verse (CE 12.128.3c, 4a, 4c). The input had left lines 1-2 as the verse and joined line 3 to the Bhishma half-line that follows it across the page's heading भीष्म उवाच (12-130-6x). Line 3 is a recension variant of CE 4c (jīvitaṃ cārthahetor vā …), kept.

Verse 5 (12.130.5)

गुह्यं मा धर्ममप्राक्षीरतीव भरतर्षभ । प्रवक्तुं नोत्सहे पृष्टो धर्ममेतं युधिष्ठिर ॥

guhyaṃ mā dharmamaprākṣīratīva bharatarṣabha | pravaktuṃ notsahe pṛṣṭo dharmametaṃ yudhiṣṭhira

Do not question me so insistently about this secret dharma, O best of the Bharatas; when asked, I do not venture to expound this dharma, Yudhishthira.

Note on the text: Speaker per the page's heading भीष्म उवाच (12-130-6x), which falls between Yudhishthira's last half-line and this verse. Verse division rebuilt from the page's own marks: this verse is 12-130-5b (गुह्यां मा धर्ममप्राक्षीरतीव भरतर्षभ) and 12-130-6a (प्रवक्तुं नोत्सहे …), the page printing ॥ after the second; the input had joined the first line to the preceding Yudhishthira line and the second line to the next verse. Corrected गुह्यां → गुह्यं (misprint in Wikisource; the feminine ending does not agree with धर्मम्; CE guhyaṃ). Lines are CE 12.128.5a, 5c (CE apṛṣṭo notsahe vaktuṃ for प्रवक्तुं नोत्सहे पृष्टो: recension variant, kept).

Verse 6 (12.130.6)

धर्मो ह्यणीयान्वचनाद्बुद्धेश्च भरतर्षभ । श्रुत्वौपम्यं सदाचारैः साधुर्भवति स क्वचित् ॥

dharmo hyaṇīyānvacanādbuddheśca bharatarṣabha | śrutvaupamyaṃ sadācāraiḥ sādhurbhavati sa kvacit

For dharma is subtler than words and than the intellect, O best of the Bharatas; having heard analogies from men of good conduct, a man becomes good - but only sometimes.

Note on the text: Verse division rebuilt from the page's own marks: lines 2-3 of the page's row 12-130-6 (6b, 6c), ending in ॥, which the input had joined to the first line of this row. Corrected वचनाद्वुद्धेश्च → वचनाद्बुद्धेश्च (misprint in Wikisource; व for ब; CE vacanād buddheś ca). Line 2 (श्रुत्वौपम्यं …) is a recension variant of CE 12.128.6c (śrutvopāsya sadācāraiḥ sādhur bhavati sa kva cit), kept.

Verse 7 (12.130.7)

कर्मणा बुद्धिपूर्वेण भवत्याढ्यो न वा पुनः । तादृशोऽयमनुप्रश्नस्तद्ध्यायस्व स्वया धिया ॥

karmaṇā buddhipūrveṇa bhavatyāḍhyo na vā punaḥ | tādṛśo'yamanupraśnastaddhyāyasva svayā dhiyā

By deliberate action a man may become rich, or again he may not; your question is of that kind - reflect on it with your own understanding.

Note on the text: Corrected भवत्याढ्ये → भवत्याढ्यो (misprint in Wikisource; ए for ओ, the locative does not fit the sentence; CE bhavaty āḍhyo na vā punaḥ). Line 2 (तद्ध्यायस्व स्वया धिया) is a recension variant of CE sa vyavasyas tvayā dhiyā, kept.

Verse 8 (12.130.8)

उपायं धर्मबहुलं यात्रार्थं शृणु भारत । नाहमेतादृशे धर्मे बुभूषे धर्मकारणात् ॥

upāyaṃ dharmabahulaṃ yātrārthaṃ śṛṇu bhārata | nāhametādṛśe dharme bubhūṣe dharmakāraṇāt

Listen, Bharata, to a method that is full of dharma and serves the carrying on of the kingdom; I would not seek to follow a dharma of this kind for the sake of dharma itself.

Verse 9 (12.130.9)

दुःखादान इह ह्येष स्यात्तु पश्चात्क्षमो मम । अभिगम्य मतीनां हि सर्वासामेव निश्चयम् ॥

duḥkhādāna iha hyeṣa syāttu paścātkṣamo mama | abhigamya matīnāṃ hi sarvāsāmeva niścayam

Here this is a taking that causes pain; yet afterwards it is, to my mind, justified, once one has examined the settled conclusion of all schools of thought.

Note on the text: Lines are CE 12.128.8e, 9a. Line 1 is CE 8e (duḥkhādāna ihāḍhyeṣu syāt tu paścāt kṣamo mataḥ) in a recension variant (ह्येष … क्षमो मम), line 2 has मतीनां and अभिगम्य for CE gatīnāṃ and anugamya: recension variants, kept.

Verse 10 (12.130.10)

यथायथा हि पुरुषो नित्यं शास्त्रमवेक्षते । तथातथा विजानाति विज्ञानं चास्य रोचते ॥

yathāyathā hi puruṣo nityaṃ śāstramavekṣate | tathātathā vijānāti vijñānaṃ cāsya rocate

The more a man constantly studies the treatise, the more he understands, and the more his understanding pleases him.

Note on the text: Lines are CE 12.128.9c, 9e.

Verse 11 (12.130.11)

अविज्ञानादयोगो हि पुरुषस्योपजायते । विज्ञानादपि योगश्च योगो भूतिकरः परः ॥

avijñānādayogo hi puruṣasyopajāyate | vijñānādapi yogaśca yogo bhūtikaraḥ paraḥ

From lack of understanding comes lack of right method in a man; from understanding comes right method, and right method brings prosperity, the highest.

Note on the text: Line 2 (विज्ञानादपि योगश्च योगो भूतिकरः परः) is a recension variant of CE 12.128.10c (avijñānād ayogo hi yogo bhūtikaraḥ punaḥ), kept.

Verse 12 (12.130.12)

अशङ्कमानो वचनमनसूयुरिदं शृणु । राज्ञः कोशक्षयादेव जायते बलसंक्षयः ॥

aśaṅkamāno vacanamanasūyuridaṃ śṛṇu | rājñaḥ kośakṣayādeva jāyate balasaṃkṣayaḥ

Hear these words without misgiving and without ill will: it is from the exhaustion of the treasury alone that the wasting of a king's strength arises.

Verse 13 (12.130.13)

कोशं संजनयेद्राजा नित्यमेभ्यो यथाबलम् । कालं प्राप्यानुगृह्णीयादेष धर्मोऽत्र सांप्रतम् ॥

kośaṃ saṃjanayedrājā nityamebhyo yathābalam | kālaṃ prāpyānugṛhṇīyādeṣa dharmo'tra sāṃpratam

A king should always raise a treasury from these, according to their means; when the right time comes he should show them favour. That is the dharma here for the present case.

Note on the text: Line 1 has नित्यमेभ्यो यथाबलम् for CE nirjalebhyo yathā jalam, a recension variant, kept.

Verse 14 (12.130.14)

उपायधर्मं प्राप्यैनं पूर्वैराचरितं जनैः । अन्यो धर्मः समर्थानामापत्स्वल्पश्च भारत ॥

upāyadharmaṃ prāpyainaṃ pūrvairācaritaṃ janaiḥ | anyo dharmaḥ samarthānāmāpatsvalpaśca bhārata

Having resorted to this secondary dharma practised by men of old - for the capable there is one dharma, and for times of calamity another, a lesser one, O Bharata.

Verse 15 (12.130.15)

प्रकार्यं प्रोच्यते धर्मो वृत्तिर्धर्मे गरीयसी । धर्मं प्राप्य यथान्यायं न बलीयान्निषीदति ॥

prakāryaṃ procyate dharmo vṛttirdharme garīyasī | dharmaṃ prāpya yathānyāyaṃ na balīyānniṣīdati

Dharma, it is said, is what must be carried out; in dharma the means of living weighs more. One who follows dharma as is proper, being strong, does not sink.

Note on the text: Wikisource's wording differs from CE 12.128.14 (prākkośaḥ procyate dharmo buddhir dharmād garīyasī / dharmaṃ prāpya nyāyavṛttim abalīyān na vindati): a recension variant, kept.

Verse 16 (12.130.16)

यस्माद्धर्मस्योपचितिरेकान्तेन न विद्यते । तस्मादापद्यधर्मोऽपि श्रूयते धर्मलक्षणः ॥

yasmāddharmasyopacitirekāntena na vidyate | tasmādāpadyadharmo'pi śrūyate dharmalakṣaṇaḥ

Since the accumulation of dharma is not found in an absolute form, therefore even adharma in a calamity is heard of as bearing the mark of dharma.

Verse 17 (12.130.17)

अधर्मो जायते तस्मिन्निति वै कवयो विदुः । अनन्तरं क्षत्रियस्य तत्र किं विचिकित्स्यते ॥

adharmo jāyate tasminniti vai kavayo viduḥ | anantaraṃ kṣatriyasya tatra kiṃ vicikitsyate

"Adharma is born in it" - so the wise say; but for a kshatriya, after that, what is there to doubt?

Note on the text: Line 2 (अनन्तरं क्षत्रियस्य तत्र किं विचिकित्स्यते) is a recension variant of CE 12.128.16c (anantaraḥ kṣatriyasya iti vai vicikitsase), kept.

Verse 18 (12.130.18)

यथास्य धर्मो न ग्लायेन्नेयाच्छत्रुवशं यथा । तत्कर्तव्यमिहेत्याहुर्नात्मानमवसादयेत् ॥

yathāsya dharmo na glāyenneyācchatruvaśaṃ yathā | tatkartavyamihetyāhurnātmānamavasādayet

By whatever means his dharma does not wither and he does not fall under the enemy's power, that, they say, is what must be done here; he must not let himself sink.

Verse 19 (12.130.19)

सर्वात्मनैव धर्मस्य न परस्य न चात्मनः । सर्वोपायैरुज्जिहीर्षेदात्मानमिति निश्चयः ॥

sarvātmanaiva dharmasya na parasya na cātmanaḥ | sarvopāyairujjihīrṣedātmānamiti niścayaḥ

With his whole being - not for another's dharma, nor even for his own - he should seek by every means to raise up himself; that is the settled rule.

Note on the text: Line 1 (सर्वात्मनैव धर्मस्य न परस्य न चात्मनः) is a recension variant of CE 12.128.18a (sannātmā naiva dharmasya na parasya na cātmanaḥ), kept.

Verse 20 (12.130.20)

तत्र धर्मविदस्तात निश्चयो धर्मनैपुणैः । उद्यमं जीवनं क्षात्रे बाहुवीर्यादिति श्रुतिः ॥

tatra dharmavidastāta niścayo dharmanaipuṇaiḥ | udyamaṃ jīvanaṃ kṣātre bāhuvīryāditi śrutiḥ

On this, my son, the verdict of those skilled in dharma is that among warriors livelihood lies in effort, in the strength of the arm; so tradition says.

Verse 21 (12.130.21)

क्षत्रियो वृत्तिसंरोधे कस्य नादातुमर्हति । अन्यत्र तापसस्वाच्च श्रोत्रियस्वाच्च भारत ॥

kṣatriyo vṛttisaṃrodhe kasya nādātumarhati | anyatra tāpasasvācca śrotriyasvācca bhārata

When his livelihood is blocked, whose property may a kshatriya not take, O Bharata, except an ascetic's and a learned brahmin's?

Verse 22 (12.130.22)

यथा वै ब्राह्मणः सीदन्नयाज्यमपि याजयेत् । अभोज्यमपि चाश्नीयात्तत्रेदं नात्र संशयः ॥

yathā vai brāhmaṇaḥ sīdannayājyamapi yājayet | abhojyamapi cāśnīyāttatredaṃ nātra saṃśayaḥ

Just as a brahmin in distress may officiate for one for whom it is forbidden, and may eat even food that is forbidden - there is no doubt of this, and the same holds here.

Note on the text: Line 2 (अभोज्यमपि चाश्नीयात्तत्रेदं नात्र संशयः) has अभोज्यमपि for CE abhojyānnāni and तत्रेदं for tathedaṃ: recension variants, kept.

Verse 23 (12.130.23)

पीडितस्य किमद्वारमुत्पथेनार्दितस्य च । अद्वारतः प्रद्रवति यथा भवति पीडितः ॥

pīḍitasya kimadvāramutpathenārditasya ca | advārataḥ pradravati yathā bhavati pīḍitaḥ

For a man who is oppressed and driven off his road, what is no door? One who is oppressed runs out even through what is not a door.

Verse 24 (12.130.24)

तस्य कोशबलग्लान्यां सर्वलोकपराभवः । भैक्षचर्या न विहिता न च विट्शूद्रजीविका ॥

tasya kośabalaglānyāṃ sarvalokaparābhavaḥ | bhaikṣacaryā na vihitā na ca viṭśūdrajīvikā

When his treasury and his forces fail, ruin comes upon the whole world; begging is not laid down for him, nor the livelihood of a vaishya or a shudra.

Note on the text: Removed a stray zero-width non-joiner inside विट्शूद्र (a typing artefact).

Verse 25 (12.130.25)

स्वधर्मानन्तरावृत्तिर्याऽन्यामनुपजीवतः । जहतः प्रथमं कल्पमनुकल्पेन जीवनम् ॥

svadharmānantarāvṛttiryā'nyāmanupajīvataḥ | jahataḥ prathamaṃ kalpamanukalpena jīvanam

A livelihood next to one's own duty is allowed to one who does not live on another's means; for one who gives up the primary rule there is living by a substitute rule.

Note on the text: Line 2 has जहतः for CE vahataḥ (both give good sense, "of one who gives up" / "of one who carries"), a recension variant, kept.

Verse 26 (12.130.26)

आपद्गतेन धर्माणामन्यायेनोपजीवनम् । अपि ह्येतद्ब्राह्मणेषु दृष्टं वृत्तिपरिक्षये ॥

āpadgatena dharmāṇāmanyāyenopajīvanam | api hyetadbrāhmaṇeṣu dṛṣṭaṃ vṛttiparikṣaye

For one fallen into calamity, a living by means that would otherwise be improper is permitted among the duties; this is seen even among brahmins when their livelihood has run out.

Verse 27 (12.130.27)

क्षत्रिये संशयः कस्मादित्येतन्निश्चितं सदा । आददीत विशिष्टेभ्यो नावसीदेत्कथंचन ॥

kṣatriye saṃśayaḥ kasmādityetanniścitaṃ sadā | ādadīta viśiṣṭebhyo nāvasīdetkathaṃcana

Why should there be doubt in the case of a kshatriya? This is settled for all time: he may take from those better off, and he must never sink in any way.

Note on the text: Corrected इत्येत्निश्चितं → इत्येतन्निश्चितं (misprint in Wikisource; the syllable तन् is dropped; CE ity etan niścitaṃ sadā).

Verse 28 (12.130.28)

आर्तानां रक्षितारं च प्रजानां क्षत्रियं विदुः । तस्मात्संरक्षता कार्यमादानं क्षत्रबन्धुना ॥

ārtānāṃ rakṣitāraṃ ca prajānāṃ kṣatriyaṃ viduḥ | tasmātsaṃrakṣatā kāryamādānaṃ kṣatrabandhunā

They know the kshatriya as the protector of the distressed among the people; therefore one who protects must, as a man of the warrior class, make his levy.

Note on the text: Line 1 has आर्तानां रक्षितारं for CE hantāraṃ rakṣitāraṃ ca, a recension variant, kept.

Verse 29 (12.130.29)

अन्यत्रापि विहिंसाया वृत्तिर्नेहास्ति कस्यचित् । अप्यरण्यसमुत्थस्य एकस्य चरतो मुनेः ॥

anyatrāpi vihiṃsāyā vṛttirnehāsti kasyacit | apyaraṇyasamutthasya ekasya carato muneḥ

Apart from this, there is no livelihood here that is free from harm to anyone - not even for a sage who lives alone, roaming, on what the forest provides.

Verse 30 (12.130.30)

न शङ्खलिखितां वृत्तिं शक्यमास्थाय जीवितुम् । विशेषतः कुरुश्रेष्ठ प्रजापालनमीप्सता ॥

na śaṅkhalikhitāṃ vṛttiṃ śakyamāsthāya jīvitum | viśeṣataḥ kuruśreṣṭha prajāpālanamīpsatā

It is not possible to live by the mode of livelihood of Shankha and Likhita - above all, O best of the Kurus, for one who wishes to protect his people.

Verse 31 (12.130.31)

परस्पराभिहरणं राज्ञा राष्ट्रेण चापदि । नित्यमेव हि कर्तव्यमेष धर्मः सनातनः ॥

parasparābhiharaṇaṃ rājñā rāṣṭreṇa cāpadi | nityameva hi kartavyameṣa dharmaḥ sanātanaḥ

In a time of distress, king and realm must always draw upon each other in turn; this is the eternal dharma.

Note on the text: Line 1 has परस्पराभिहरणं for CE parasparābhisaṃrakṣā, a recension variant, kept.

Verse 32 (12.130.32)

राजा राष्ट्रं यथापत्सु द्रव्यौधैः परिरक्षति । राष्ट्रेण राजा व्यसने परिरक्ष्यस्तथा भवेत् ॥

rājā rāṣṭraṃ yathāpatsu dravyaudhaiḥ parirakṣati | rāṣṭreṇa rājā vyasane parirakṣyastathā bhavet

As a king protects the realm in disasters with floods of wealth, so in his own disaster the king must be protected by the realm.

Verse 33 (12.130.33)

कोशं दण्डं बलं मित्रं यदन्यदपि संचितम् । न कुर्वीतान्तरं राष्ट्रे राजा परिगतः क्षुधा ॥

kośaṃ daṇḍaṃ balaṃ mitraṃ yadanyadapi saṃcitam | na kurvītāntaraṃ rāṣṭre rājā parigataḥ kṣudhā

Treasury, force, army, allies and whatever else has been laid up - a king seized by hunger should not set any of it apart from the realm.

Note on the text: Removed a stray zero-width joiner inside दण्डं (a typing artefact).

Verse 34 (12.130.34)

बीजं भक्तेन संपाद्यमिति धर्मविदो विदुः । अत्रैतच्छम्बरस्याहुर्महामायस्य दर्शनम् ॥

bījaṃ bhaktena saṃpādyamiti dharmavido viduḥ | atraitacchambarasyāhurmahāmāyasya darśanam

Seed must be provided out of the grain stored for food - so those who know dharma teach; on this point they cite the doctrine of Shambara, master of great illusions.

Verse 35 (12.130.35)

धिक्तस्य जीवितं राज्ञो राष्ट्रं यस्यावसीदति । अवृत्त्यान्यमनुष्योऽपि यो वैदेशिक इत्यपि ॥

dhiktasya jīvitaṃ rājño rāṣṭraṃ yasyāvasīdati | avṛttyānyamanuṣyo'pi yo vaideśika ityapi

Shame on the life of that king whose realm sinks for want of livelihood, who is no man at all, or one who lives, a foreigner, on another land.

Note on the text: Line 2 (अवृत्त्यान्यमनुष्योऽपि यो वैदेशिक इत्यपि) is a recension variant of CE 12.128.34c (avṛttyāntyamanuṣyo 'pi yo vai veda śiber vacaḥ), kept; translated in the sense of the page's own gloss.

Verse 36 (12.130.36)

राज्ञः कोशबलं मूलं कोशमूलं पुनर्बलम् । तन्मूलं सर्वधर्माणां धर्ममूलाः पुनः प्रजाः ॥

rājñaḥ kośabalaṃ mūlaṃ kośamūlaṃ punarbalam | tanmūlaṃ sarvadharmāṇāṃ dharmamūlāḥ punaḥ prajāḥ

The root of a king is treasury and army; the root of the army is the treasury; that army is the root of all dharmas; and the people in turn are rooted in dharma.

Verse 37 (12.130.37)

नान्यानपीडयित्वेह कोशः शक्यः कुतो बलम् । तदर्थं पीडयित्वा च न दोषं प्राप्तुमर्हति ॥

nānyānapīḍayitveha kośaḥ śakyaḥ kuto balam | tadarthaṃ pīḍayitvā ca na doṣaṃ prāptumarhati

Without oppressing others here, a treasury cannot be had, and how then an army? Having oppressed them for that purpose, he does not deserve to be blamed.

Note on the text: Corrected प्राप्नुमर्हति → प्राप्तुमर्हति (misprint in Wikisource; प्राप्नुम् is not a valid infinitive; CE prāptum arhati).

Verse 38 (12.130.38)

अकार्यमपि कार्यार्थं क्रियते यज्ञकर्मसु । एतस्मिन्कारणे राजा न दोषं प्राप्तुमर्हति ॥

akāryamapi kāryārthaṃ kriyate yajñakarmasu | etasminkāraṇe rājā na doṣaṃ prāptumarhati

In sacrificial rites even what ought not to be done is done for the sake of what must be done; on this ground a king incurs no fault.

Note on the text: Corrected प्राप्नुमर्हति → प्राप्तुमर्हति (misprint in Wikisource, as in the previous verse; CE prāptum arhati).

Verse 39 (12.130.39)

अर्थार्थमन्यद्भवति विपरीतमथापरम् । अनर्थार्थमथाप्यन्यत्तत्सर्वं ह्यर्थकारणम् । एवं बुद्ध्या संप्रपश्येन्मेधावी कार्यनिश्चयम् ॥

arthārthamanyadbhavati viparītamathāparam | anarthārthamathāpyanyattatsarvaṃ hyarthakāraṇam | evaṃ buddhyā saṃprapaśyenmedhāvī kāryaniścayam

One thing serves profit, another is its opposite, yet another serves what is unprofitable - but all of that is a cause of profit. Thus the wise man should see with his understanding what is to be decided.

Verse 40 (12.130.40)

यज्ञार्थमन्यद्भवति यज्ञोऽन्यार्थस्तथा परः । यज्ञस्वार्थार्थमेवान्यत्तत्सर्वं यज्ञसाधकम् ॥

yajñārthamanyadbhavati yajño'nyārthastathā paraḥ | yajñasvārthārthamevānyattatsarvaṃ yajñasādhakam

One thing exists for the sake of the sacrifice; the sacrifice itself serves another end, and that another beyond; and something else serves the sacrifice's own aim - all of it is a means to the sacrifice.

Note on the text: Corrected तथाः → तथा (misprint in Wikisource; a stray visarga; CE tathāparaḥ). Line 1 has यज्ञार्थमन्यद्भवति यज्ञोऽन्यार्थस्तथा परः for CE yajñārtham anyad bhavati yajñe nārthas tathāparaḥ, a recension variant, kept.

Verse 41 (12.130.41)

उपमामत्र वक्ष्यामि धर्मतत्त्वप्रकाशिनीम् ॥

upamāmatra vakṣyāmi dharmatattvaprakāśinīm

Here I shall give a comparison that makes the truth of dharma plain.

Note on the text: A one-line verse on the page (12-130-41a only). It is CE 12.128.40a; nothing is lost, since its CE partner line 40c (यूपं छिन्दन्ति यज्ञार्थं तत्र ये परिपन्थिनः) is the first line of the next verse on the page.

Verse 42 (12.130.42)

यूपं छिन्दन्ति यज्ञार्थं तत्र ये परिपन्थिनः । द्रुमाः केचन सामन्ता ध्रुवं छिन्दन्ति तानपि ॥

yūpaṃ chindanti yajñārthaṃ tatra ye paripanthinaḥ | drumāḥ kecana sāmantā dhruvaṃ chindanti tānapi

When men cut a sacrificial post for the sake of the sacrifice, they cut down as well, without fail, any neighbouring trees that stand in the way.

Note on the text: Corrected परिपन्थिः → परिपन्थिनः (misprint in Wikisource; the plural ending is dropped after ये, leaving a form that does not agree; CE paripanthinaḥ). Lines are CE 12.128.40c, 41a.

Verse 43 (12.130.43)

ते चापि निपतन्तोऽन्यान्निघ्नन्त्यपि वनस्पतीन् । एवं कोशस्य महतो ये नराः परिपन्थिनः । तानहत्वा न पश्यामि सिद्धिमत्र परंतप ॥

te cāpi nipatanto'nyānnighnantyapi vanaspatīn | evaṃ kośasya mahato ye narāḥ paripanthinaḥ | tānahatvā na paśyāmi siddhimatra paraṃtapa

And those trees, as they fall, strike down other trees too. So, too, with the great treasury: those men who stand in its way - without killing them I see no success here, O scourge of your foes.

Note on the text: Lines are CE 12.128.41c, 42a, 42c.

Verse 44 (12.130.44)

धनेन जयते लोकमिमं चामुं च भारत । सत्यं च धर्मवचनं यथा नास्त्यधनस्तथा ॥

dhanena jayate lokamimaṃ cāmuṃ ca bhārata | satyaṃ ca dharmavacanaṃ yathā nāstyadhanastathā

With wealth a man wins this world and the next, O Bharata; and the saying of dharma is true that a man without wealth is as good as nothing.

Verse 45 (12.130.45)

सर्वोपायैराददीत धनं यज्ञप्रयोजनम् । न तुल्यदोषः स्यादेवं कार्याकार्येषु भारत ॥

sarvopāyairādadīta dhanaṃ yajñaprayojanam | na tulyadoṣaḥ syādevaṃ kāryākāryeṣu bhārata

For the purpose of sacrifice he may take wealth by every means; thus he does not bear the same guilt as in other matters of right and wrong, O Bharata.

Verse 46 (12.130.46)

नोभौ संभवतो राजन्कथंचिदपि भारत । न ह्यरण्येषु पश्यामि धनवृद्धानहं क्वचित् ॥

nobhau saṃbhavato rājankathaṃcidapi bhārata | na hyaraṇyeṣu paśyāmi dhanavṛddhānahaṃ kvacit

The two cannot both be had, O king, in any way, O Bharata; for I certainly see no one anywhere in the forests who has grown rich in wealth.

Note on the text: Corrected सभवतो → संभवतो (misprint in Wikisource; the anusvara is dropped; CE saṃbhavato).

Verse 47 (12.130.47)

यदिदं दृश्यते वित्तं पृथिव्यामिह किंचन । ममेदं स्यान्ममेदं स्यादित्येवं मन्यते जनः ॥

yadidaṃ dṛśyate vittaṃ pṛthivyāmiha kiṃcana | mamedaṃ syānmamedaṃ syādityevaṃ manyate janaḥ

All this wealth that is seen here on earth - "may this be mine, may this be mine," so people think.

Verse 48 (12.130.48)

न च राज्ञः समो धर्मः कश्चिदस्ति कथंचन । धर्मः संशब्दितो राज्ञामापदर्थस्ततोऽन्यथा ॥

na ca rājñaḥ samo dharmaḥ kaścidasti kathaṃcana | dharmaḥ saṃśabdito rājñāmāpadarthastato'nyathā

No dharma is the same for a king in every circumstance: the dharma of kings is defined in one way, but in calamity its purpose is otherwise.

Note on the text: Wikisource's wording differs from CE 12.128.47 (na ca rājyasamo dharmaḥ kaś cid asti paraṃtapa / dharmaṃ śaṃsanti te rājñām āpadartham ito 'nyathā): a recension variant, kept (the page's gloss notes the reading न च राज्यसमो धर्मः).

Verse 49 (12.130.49)

ज्ञानेन कर्मणा चान्ये तपन्त्यन्ये तपस्विनः । बुद्ध्या दाक्ष्येण चैवान्ये चिन्वन्ति धनसंचयान् ॥

jñānena karmaṇā cānye tapantyanye tapasvinaḥ | buddhyā dākṣyeṇa caivānye cinvanti dhanasaṃcayān

Some strive through knowledge and works, other ascetics through austerity, and others again, by intelligence and skill, pile up heaps of wealth.

Note on the text: Line 1 has ज्ञानेन कर्मणा चान्ये तपन्त्यन्ये तपस्विनः for CE dānena karmaṇā cānye tapasānye tapasvinaḥ, a recension variant, kept.

Verse 50 (12.130.50)

अधनं दुर्बलं प्राहुर्धनेन बलवान्भवेत् । सर्वं बलवतः प्राप्यं सर्वं तरति कोशवान् ॥

adhanaṃ durbalaṃ prāhurdhanena balavānbhavet | sarvaṃ balavataḥ prāpyaṃ sarvaṃ tarati kośavān

They call a man without wealth weak; with wealth he becomes strong. Everything that can be gained belongs to the strong; the man with a treasury crosses over everything.

Note on the text: Line 1 has प्राहुर्धनेन बलवान्भवेत् and line 2 सर्वं बलवतः प्राप्यं for CE prāhur dhanena balavān bhavet and sarvaṃ dhanavataḥ prāpyaṃ: recension variants, kept.

Verse 51 (12.130.51)

कोशो धर्मश्च कामश्च परलोकस्तथा ह्ययम् । तं धर्मेण विलिप्सेत नाधर्मेण कदाचन ॥

kośo dharmaśca kāmaśca paralokastathā hyayam | taṃ dharmeṇa vilipseta nādharmeṇa kadācana

The treasury is dharma and desire, the next world and this one; and he should seek to gain it by dharma, never by adharma.

Note on the text: Line 1 is CE 12.128.49e; line 2 is the CE star line 12.128.49f*0300_01 (taṃ ca dharmeṇa lipseta nādharmeṇa kadā cana), not in the constituted text. The page ends with its colophon (adhyaya 130) and a separate line समाप्तं च राजधर्मपर्व (the close of the Rajadharma sub-parva), not added; only Wikisource's commentary glosses follow. Wikisource lacks the CE star lines 12.128.49f*0301 (the invocation नारायणं नमस्कृत्य …).