The King's Duties: Effort, Counsel and Protection

Verse 1 (12.56.1)

नित्योद्युक्तेन वै राज्ञा भवितव्यं युधिष्ठिर । प्रशस्यते न राजा हि नारीवोद्यमवर्जितः ॥

nityodyuktena vai rājñā bhavitavyaṃ yudhiṣṭhira | praśasyate na rājā hi nārīvodyamavarjitaḥ

O Yudhishthira, a king must always be diligent in effort. A king without exertion, like a woman, is never praised.

Verse 2 (12.56.2)

भगवानुशना चाह श्लोकमत्र विशांपते । तदिहैकमना राजन्गदतस्तं निबोध मे ॥

bhagavānuśanā cāha ślokamatra viśāṃpate | tadihaikamanā rājangadatastaṃ nibodha me

Lord of the people, the venerable Ushanas spoke a verse on this very matter. O king, I will recite it; listen to it with a single mind.

Verse 3 (12.56.3)

द्वाविमौ ग्रसते भूमिः सर्पो बिलशयानिव । राजानं चाविरोद्धारं ब्राह्मणं चाप्रवासिनम् ॥

dvāvimau grasate bhūmiḥ sarpo bilaśayāniva | rājānaṃ cāviroddhāraṃ brāhmaṇaṃ cāpravāsinam

The earth swallows these two, as a snake swallows creatures lying in its hole: a king who does not oppose his enemies, and a brahmin who does not go abroad.

Verse 4 (12.56.4)

तदेतन्नरशार्दूल हृदि त्वं कर्तुमर्हसि । सन्धेयानभिसन्धत्स्व विरोध्यांश्च विरोधय ॥

tadetannaraśārdūla hṛdi tvaṃ kartumarhasi | sandheyānabhisandhatsva virodhyāṃśca virodhaya

Tiger among men, you should take this to heart: make peace with those with whom peace can be made, and set yourself against those who ought to be opposed.

Verse 5 (12.56.5)

सप्ताङ्गस्य च राज्यस्य विपरीतं य आचरेत् । गुरुर्वा यदि वा मित्रं प्रतिहन्तव्य एव सः ॥

saptāṅgasya ca rājyasya viparītaṃ ya ācaret | gururvā yadi vā mitraṃ pratihantavya eva saḥ

Whoever acts against the seven-limbed kingdom, whether he is a teacher or a friend, must surely be put down.

Verse 6 (12.56.6)

मरुत्तेन हि राज्ञा वै गीतः श्लोकः पुरातनः । राज्याधिकारे राजेन्द्र बृहस्पतिमतः पुरा ॥

maruttena hi rājñā vai gītaḥ ślokaḥ purātanaḥ | rājyādhikāre rājendra bṛhaspatimataḥ purā

O best of kings, long ago King Marutta sang an ancient verse on the office of kingship, in keeping with the teaching of Brihaspati.

Verse 7 (12.56.7)

गुरोरप्यवलिप्तस्य कार्याकार्यमजानतः । उत्पथं प्रतिपन्नस्य परित्यागो विधीयते ॥

gurorapyavaliptasya kāryākāryamajānataḥ | utpathaṃ pratipannasya parityāgo vidhīyate

Even a teacher who is puffed up with pride, who does not know what should and should not be done, and who has taken a wrong path, is to be cast off.

Verse 8 (12.56.8)

बाहोः पुत्रेण राज्ञा च सगरेण च धीमता । असमञ्जः सुतो ज्येष्ठस्त्यक्तः पौरहितैषिणा ॥

bāhoḥ putreṇa rājñā ca sagareṇa ca dhīmatā | asamañjaḥ suto jyeṣṭhastyaktaḥ paurahitaiṣiṇā

King Sagara, the wise son of Bahu, who cared for the welfare of his townspeople, cast out his eldest son Asamanja.

Verse 9 (12.56.9)

असमञ्जः सरय्वां स पौराणां बालकान्नृप । न्यमज्जयदतः पित्रा निर्भर्त्स्य स विवासितः ॥

asamañjaḥ sarayvāṃ sa paurāṇāṃ bālakānnṛpa | nyamajjayadataḥ pitrā nirbhartsya sa vivāsitaḥ

O king, Asamanja used to drown the townsfolk's children in the Sarayu; for this his father rebuked him and banished him.

Verse 10 (12.56.10)

ऋषिणोद्दालकेनापि श्वेतकेतुर्महातपाः । मिथ्या विप्रानुपचरन्सन्त्यक्तो दयितः सुतः ॥

ṛṣiṇoddālakenāpi śvetaketurmahātapāḥ | mithyā viprānupacaransantyakto dayitaḥ sutaḥ

The sage Uddalaka likewise cast off his own beloved son, the great ascetic Shvetaketu, who served brahmins falsely.

Verse 11 (12.56.11)

लोकरञ्जनमेवात्र राज्ञां धर्मः सनातनः । सत्यस्य रक्षणं चैव व्यवहारस्य चार्जवम् ॥

lokarañjanamevātra rājñāṃ dharmaḥ sanātanaḥ | satyasya rakṣaṇaṃ caiva vyavahārasya cārjavam

Here the eternal duty of kings is simply to please their subjects, to guard the truth, and to be upright in their dealings.

Verse 12 (12.56.12)

न हिंस्यात्परवित्तानि देयं काले च दापयेत् । विक्रान्तः सत्यवाक्क्षान्तो नृपो न चलते पथः ॥

na hiṃsyātparavittāni deyaṃ kāle ca dāpayet | vikrāntaḥ satyavākkṣānto nṛpo na calate pathaḥ

He should not seize the wealth of others, and he should have what is due given at the proper time. A king who is valiant, truthful and patient does not stray from the path.

Verse 13 (12.56.13)

गुप्तमन्त्रो जितक्रोधः शास्त्रार्थकृतनिश्चयः । धर्मे चार्थे च कामे च मोक्षे च सततं रतः ॥

guptamantro jitakrodhaḥ śāstrārthakṛtaniścayaḥ | dharme cārthe ca kāme ca mokṣe ca satataṃ rataḥ

He keeps his counsel secret, has conquered anger, has reached firm certainty about the meaning of the scriptures, and is always devoted to dharma, artha, kama and moksha.

Verse 14 (12.56.14)

त्रय्या संवृतमन्त्रश्च राजा भवितुमर्हति । वृजिनं च नरेन्द्राणां नान्यच्चारक्षणात्परम् ॥

trayyā saṃvṛtamantraśca rājā bhavitumarhati | vṛjinaṃ ca narendrāṇāṃ nānyaccārakṣaṇātparam

A king ought to keep his counsel well guarded, in keeping with the threefold Veda; and for kings there is no calamity greater than failing to guard it.

Note on the text: Corrected भवितुर्महति → भवितुमर्हति (misprint in Wikisource; भवितुर्महति is not a valid form, CE has bhavitum arhati). The rest of the verse is Wikisource's own reading (CE: saṃvṛtarandhraś … vṛjinasya … saṃvaraṇāt param).

Verse 15 (12.56.15)

चातुर्वर्ण्यस्य धर्माश्च रक्षितव्या महीक्षिता । धर्मसंकररक्षा च राज्ञां धर्मः सनातनः ॥

cāturvarṇyasya dharmāśca rakṣitavyā mahīkṣitā | dharmasaṃkararakṣā ca rājñāṃ dharmaḥ sanātanaḥ

The duties of the four classes must be protected by the king; and guarding against the confusion of duties is the eternal duty of kings.

Verse 16 (12.56.16)

न विश्वसेच्च नृपतिर्न चात्यर्थं च विश्वसेत् । षाङ्गुण्यगुणदोषांश्च नित्यं बुद्ध्याऽवलोकयेत् ॥

na viśvasecca nṛpatirna cātyarthaṃ ca viśvaset | ṣāṅguṇyaguṇadoṣāṃśca nityaṃ buddhyā'valokayet

A king should not be trusting, and should not trust to excess even those who deserve trust; and he should always weigh in his mind the merits and faults of the six measures of policy.

Verse 17 (12.56.17)

अच्छिद्रदर्शी नृपतिर्नित्यमेव प्रशस्यते । त्रिवर्गे विदितार्थश्च युक्ताचारपथश्च यः ॥

acchidradarśī nṛpatirnityameva praśasyate | trivarge viditārthaśca yuktācārapathaśca yaḥ

A king whose scrutiny leaves no gap is always praised, as is one who knows the true import of the three aims of life and whose conduct and course are fitting.

Verse 18 (12.56.18)

कोशस्योपार्जनरतिर्यमवैश्रवणोपमः । वेत्ता च दशवर्गस्य स्थानवृद्धिक्षयात्मनः ॥

kośasyopārjanaratiryamavaiśravaṇopamaḥ | vettā ca daśavargasya sthānavṛddhikṣayātmanaḥ

He delights in building up the treasury and is like Yama and Vaishravana; he knows the tenfold group, whose nature is stability, growth and decay.

Verse 19 (12.56.19)

अभृतानां भवेद्भर्ता भृतानामन्ववेक्षकः । नृपतिः सुमुखश्च स्यात्स्मितपूर्वाभिभाषिता ॥

abhṛtānāṃ bhavedbhartā bhṛtānāmanvavekṣakaḥ | nṛpatiḥ sumukhaśca syātsmitapūrvābhibhāṣitā

He should support those who have no support and watch over those he already maintains. A king should be pleasant of face and should begin his speech with a smile.

Note on the text: Corrected सुभुखश्च → सुमुखश्च (misprint in Wikisource; CE sumukhaś ca).

Verse 20 (12.56.20)

उपासिता च वृद्धानां जिततन्द्रिरलोलुपः । सतां वृत्ते स्थितमतिः सतां ह्याचारदर्शनः ॥

upāsitā ca vṛddhānāṃ jitatandriralolupaḥ | satāṃ vṛtte sthitamatiḥ satāṃ hyācāradarśanaḥ

He attends upon the elders, has conquered sloth, and is free of greed; his mind rests in the conduct of the good, for he looks to the way the good behave.

Note on the text: Restored from the critical edition (12.57.20a): Wikisource prints a gap ('----') in the first line after उपासिता; filled with च वृद्धानां (CE: upāsitā ca vṛddhānāṃ). The rest is Wikisource's own reading; the second line differs from the CE (CE: santo hy ācāradarśinaḥ).

Verse 21 (12.56.21)

न चाददीत वित्तानि सतां हस्तात्कदाचन । असद्भ्यश्च समादाय सद्भ्यस्तु प्रतिपादयेत् ॥

na cādadīta vittāni satāṃ hastātkadācana | asadbhyaśca samādāya sadbhyastu pratipādayet

He should never take wealth from the hands of the good; he should take it from the wicked and give it to the good.

Note on the text: Corrected असभ्द्यश्च → असद्भ्यश्च and सभ्द्यस्तु → सद्भ्यस्तु (misprints in Wikisource; the conjunct भ्द्य is not valid, CE asadbhyas, sadbhyaḥ).

Verse 22 (12.56.22)

स्वयं प्रहर्ता दाता च वश्यात्मा वश्यसाधनः । काले दाता च भोक्ता च शुद्धाचारस्तथैव च ॥

svayaṃ prahartā dātā ca vaśyātmā vaśyasādhanaḥ | kāle dātā ca bhoktā ca śuddhācārastathaiva ca

He strikes in person and gives, is master of himself, and keeps his means under control; he gives and enjoys at the right time, and his conduct is pure.

Verse 23 (12.56.23)

शूरान्भक्तानसंहार्यान्कुले जातानरोगिणः । शिष्टाञ्शिष्टाभिसंबन्धान्मानिनोऽनवमानिनः ॥

śūrānbhaktānasaṃhāryānkule jātānarogiṇaḥ | śiṣṭāñśiṣṭābhisaṃbandhānmānino'navamāninaḥ

The king should always make his helpers of men who are heroic, loyal, not to be won away by others, well-born and free of disease, cultured, connected with cultured families, proud of their standing and yet never slighting others,

Verse 24 (12.56.24)

विद्याविदो लोकविदः परलोकान्ववेक्षकान् । धर्मे च निरतान्साधूनचलानचलानिव ॥

vidyāvido lokavidaḥ paralokānvavekṣakān | dharme ca niratānsādhūnacalānacalāniva

learned in the sciences, knowers of the world, mindful of the world beyond, devoted to dharma, good men, as unshakable as mountains,

Verse 25 (12.56.25)

सहायान्सततं कुर्याद्राजा भूतिपरिष्कृतान् । तैश्च तुल्यो भवेद्भोगैश्छत्रमात्राज्ञयाऽधिकः ॥

sahāyānsatataṃ kuryādrājā bhūtipariṣkṛtān | taiśca tulyo bhavedbhogaiśchatramātrājñayā'dhikaḥ

men adorned with prosperity. He should share their enjoyments equally, and surpass them only in the umbrella and in the power of command.

Verse 26 (12.56.26)

प्रत्यक्षा च परोक्षा च वृत्तिश्चास्य भवेत्समा । एवं कुर्वन्नरेन्द्रो हि न खेदमिह विन्दति ॥

pratyakṣā ca parokṣā ca vṛttiścāsya bhavetsamā | evaṃ kurvannarendro hi na khedamiha vindati

His dealings with them should be the same in their presence and in their absence. A king who acts thus feels no distress in this world.

Verse 27 (12.56.27)

सर्वाभिशङ्की नृपतिर्यश्च सर्वहरो भवेत् । स क्षिप्रमनृजुर्लुब्धः स्वजनेनैव बाध्यते ॥

sarvābhiśaṅkī nṛpatiryaśca sarvaharo bhavet | sa kṣipramanṛjurlubdhaḥ svajanenaiva bādhyate

A king who suspects everyone and who takes everything soon becomes crooked and greedy, and is brought down by his own people.

Note on the text: Corrected क्षिप्रमनृर्जुर्लुब्धः → क्षिप्रमनृजुर्लुब्धः (misprint in Wikisource; अनृर्जुः is not a word, CE anṛjur lubdhaḥ).

Verse 28 (12.56.28)

शुचिस्तु पृथिवीपालो लोकस्यानुग्रहे रतः । न पतत्यरिभिर्ग्रस्तः पतितश्चाधितिष्ठति ॥

śucistu pṛthivīpālo lokasyānugrahe rataḥ | na patatyaribhirgrastaḥ patitaścādhitiṣṭhati

A king who is pure and delights in doing good to the world does not fall even when seized by his enemies; and if he has fallen, he rises again.

Verse 29 (12.56.29)

अक्रोधनो ह्यव्यसनी मृदुदण्डो जितेन्द्रियः । राजा भवति भूतानां विश्वास्यो हिमवानिव ॥

akrodhano hyavyasanī mṛdudaṇḍo jitendriyaḥ | rājā bhavati bhūtānāṃ viśvāsyo himavāniva

Free of anger and of vice, mild in punishment, and master of his senses, a king becomes as trustworthy to all creatures as the Himalaya.

Verse 30 (12.56.30)

प्राज्ञो न्यायगुणोपेतः पररन्ध्रेषु लालसः । सुदर्शः सर्ववर्णानां नयापनयवित्तथा ॥

prājño nyāyaguṇopetaḥ pararandhreṣu lālasaḥ | sudarśaḥ sarvavarṇānāṃ nayāpanayavittathā

He is wise and endowed with the virtues of justice, alert to the weak points of others, easy for people of every class to approach, and knows right policy from wrong;

Verse 31 (12.56.31)

क्षिप्रकारी जितक्रोधः सुप्रसादो महामनाः । अरोगप्रकृतिर्युक्तः क्रियावानविकत्थनः ॥

kṣiprakārī jitakrodhaḥ suprasādo mahāmanāḥ | arogaprakṛtiryuktaḥ kriyāvānavikatthanaḥ

quick to act, free of anger, easily pleased, great-minded, of sound constitution, diligent, and never boastful.

Verse 32 (12.56.32)

आरब्धान्येव कार्याणि न पर्यवसितान्यपि । यस्य राज्ञः प्रदृश्यन्ते स राजा राजसत्तमः ॥

ārabdhānyeva kāryāṇi na paryavasitānyapi | yasya rājñaḥ pradṛśyante sa rājā rājasattamaḥ

That king is the best of kings in whose realm undertakings are always seen to be under way, not yet brought to a close.

Verse 33 (12.56.33)

पुत्रा इव पितुर्गेहे विषये यस्य मानवाः । निर्भया विचरिष्यन्ति स राजा राजसत्तमः ॥

putrā iva piturgehe viṣaye yasya mānavāḥ | nirbhayā vicariṣyanti sa rājā rājasattamaḥ

That king is the best of kings in whose realm people will move about fearless, as sons do in their father's house.

Verse 34 (12.56.34)

अगूढविभवा यस्य पौरा राष्ट्रनिवासिनः । नयापनयवेत्तारः स राजा राजसत्तमः ॥

agūḍhavibhavā yasya paurā rāṣṭranivāsinaḥ | nayāpanayavettāraḥ sa rājā rājasattamaḥ

That king is the best of kings whose townsfolk and country-dwellers hide no wealth and know right policy from wrong.

Verse 35 (12.56.35)

स्वधर्मनिरता यस्य जना विषयवासिनः । असङ्घातरता दान्ताः पाल्यमाना यथाविधि ॥

svadharmaniratā yasya janā viṣayavāsinaḥ | asaṅghātaratā dāntāḥ pālyamānā yathāvidhi

He is a king in whose realm the people are devoted to their own duties, not attached to the body, self-controlled, protected as the rule requires,

Verse 36 (12.56.36)

वश्या यत्ता विनीताश्च न च सङ्घर्षशीलिनः । विषये दानरुचयो नरा यस्य स पार्थिवः ॥

vaśyā yattā vinītāśca na ca saṅgharṣaśīlinaḥ | viṣaye dānarucayo narā yasya sa pārthivaḥ

obedient, diligent, well-disciplined, not given to overpowering others, and fond of giving.

Verse 37 (12.56.37)

न यस्य कूटं कपटं न माया न च मत्सरः । विषये भूमिपालस्य तस्य धर्मः सनातनः ॥

na yasya kūṭaṃ kapaṭaṃ na māyā na ca matsaraḥ | viṣaye bhūmipālasya tasya dharmaḥ sanātanaḥ

The ruler in whose realm there is no fraud, no deceit, no trickery and no envy: his is the eternal dharma.

Verse 38 (12.56.38)

यः सत्करोति ज्ञानानि श्रेयान्परहिते रतः । सतां वर्त्मानुगस्त्यागी स राजा स्वर्गमर्हति ॥

yaḥ satkaroti jñānāni śreyānparahite rataḥ | satāṃ vartmānugastyāgī sa rājā svargamarhati

The king who honours the learned, is excellent, delights in the good of others, follows the path of the good, and is generous, deserves heaven.

Verse 39 (12.56.39)

यस्य चाराश्च मन्त्राश्च नित्यं चैव कृताकृताः । न ज्ञायन्ते हि रिपुभिः स राजा राज्यमर्हति ॥

yasya cārāśca mantrāśca nityaṃ caiva kṛtākṛtāḥ | na jñāyante hi ripubhiḥ sa rājā rājyamarhati

That king deserves the kingdom whose spies and counsels, and whose deeds, though done, seem undone, are never known to his enemies.

Verse 40 (12.56.40)

श्लोकद्वयं पुरा गीतं भार्गवेण महात्मना । आख्याते राजचरिते नृपतिं प्रति भारत ॥

ślokadvayaṃ purā gītaṃ bhārgaveṇa mahātmanā | ākhyāte rājacarite nṛpatiṃ prati bhārata

O Bharata, in telling of the conduct of kings, the great-souled Bhargava sang two verses long ago, addressed to a king.

Verse 41 (12.56.41)

राजानं प्रथमं विन्देत्ततो भार्यां ततो धनम् । राजन्यसति लोकेऽस्मिन्कुतो भार्या कुतो धनं ॥

rājānaṃ prathamaṃ vindettato bhāryāṃ tato dhanam | rājanyasati loke'sminkuto bhāryā kuto dhanaṃ

First one should find a king, then a wife, then wealth. When there is no king in this world, where is a wife, and where is wealth?

Verse 42 (12.56.42)

तद्राज्ये राज्यकामानां नान्यो धर्मः सनातनः । ऋते रक्षां तु विस्पष्टां रक्षा लोकस्य धारिणी ॥

tadrājye rājyakāmānāṃ nānyo dharmaḥ sanātanaḥ | ṛte rakṣāṃ tu vispaṣṭāṃ rakṣā lokasya dhāriṇī

For those who desire a kingdom, in that realm there is no eternal duty other than plainly visible protection; protection is what upholds the world.

Verse 43 (12.56.43)

प्राचेतसेन मनुना श्लोकौ चेमावुदाहृतौ । राजधर्मेषु राजेन्द्र ताविहैकमनाः शृणु ॥

prācetasena manunā ślokau cemāvudāhṛtau | rājadharmeṣu rājendra tāvihaikamanāḥ śṛṇu

Manu, son of Prachetas, also recited these two verses on the duties of kings. O king of kings, listen to them here with a single mind.

Verse 44 (12.56.44)

षडेतान्पुरुषो जह्याद्भिन्नां नावमिवार्णवे । अप्रवक्तारमाचार्यमनधीयानमृत्विजम् ॥

ṣaḍetānpuruṣo jahyādbhinnāṃ nāvamivārṇave | apravaktāramācāryamanadhīyānamṛtvijam

A man should abandon these six as one abandons a broken boat on the sea: a teacher who does not teach, a priest who has not studied,

Verse 45 (12.56.45)

अरक्षितारं राजानं भार्यां चाप्रियवादिनीम् । ग्रामकामं च गोपालं वनकामं च नापितम् ॥

arakṣitāraṃ rājānaṃ bhāryāṃ cāpriyavādinīm | grāmakāmaṃ ca gopālaṃ vanakāmaṃ ca nāpitam

a king who does not protect, a wife who speaks unkindly, a cowherd who longs for a village, and a barber who longs for the forest.