Indra Teaches Mandhata the Supremacy of Kshatriya Dharma

Verse 1 (12.63.1)

चातुराश्रम्यधर्माश्च यतिधर्माश्च पाण्डव । लोकवेदोत्तराश्चैव क्षात्रधर्मे समाहिताः ॥

cāturāśramyadharmāśca yatidharmāśca pāṇḍava | lokavedottarāścaiva kṣātradharme samāhitāḥ

The duties of the four stages of life, Pandava, the duties of the ascetic, and those that go beyond the world and the Veda are all gathered together in the dharma of the Kshatriya.

Verse 2 (12.63.2)

सर्वाण्येतानि कर्माणि क्षात्रे भरतसत्तम । निराशिषो जीवलोकाः क्षत्रधर्मे व्यवस्थिते ॥

sarvāṇyetāni karmāṇi kṣātre bharatasattama | nirāśiṣo jīvalokāḥ kṣatradharme vyavasthite

All these works, best of the Bharatas, belong to the Kshatriya office; when the Kshatriya dharma is firmly established, the living world is free of anxious longing.

Note on the text: The alignment found no match; the verse is CE 12.64.2 (sarvāṇy etāni dharmāṇi kṣātre bharatasattama / nirāśiṣo jīvaloke kṣātre dharme vyavasthitāḥ), with Wikisource's variant wording (कर्माणि, जीवलोकाः, क्षत्रधर्मे व्यवस्थिते). The CE also has a parallel star passage at 12.63.29d*0144_03-04.

Verse 3 (12.63.3)

अप्रत्यक्षं बहुफलं धर्ममाश्रमवासिनाम् । प्ररूपयन्ति तद्भावमागमैरेव शाश्वतम् ॥

apratyakṣaṃ bahuphalaṃ dharmamāśramavāsinām | prarūpayanti tadbhāvamāgamaireva śāśvatam

The dharma of those who live in the hermitages bears much fruit but is not seen directly; they set forth its eternal nature only through the scriptures.

Verse 4 (12.63.4)

अपरे वचनैः पुण्यैर्वादिनो लोकनिश्चये । अनिश्चयज्ञा धर्माणामदृष्टान्ते परे रताः ॥

apare vacanaiḥ puṇyairvādino lokaniścaye | aniścayajñā dharmāṇāmadṛṣṭānte pare ratāḥ

Others, speaking in pious words about how the world is to be settled, have no certain knowledge of the dharmas, and delight in things whose end is never seen.

Verse 5 (12.63.5)

प्रत्यक्षं फलभूयिष्ठमात्मसाक्षिकमच्छलम् । सर्वलोकहितं धर्मं क्षत्रियेषु प्रतिष्ठितम् ॥

pratyakṣaṃ phalabhūyiṣṭhamātmasākṣikamacchalam | sarvalokahitaṃ dharmaṃ kṣatriyeṣu pratiṣṭhitam

But the dharma that rests among the Kshatriyas is visible, rich in fruit, witnessed by one's own self, free of deceit, and beneficial to the whole world.

Verse 6 (12.63.6)

धर्माश्रमेऽध्यवसिनां ब्राह्मणानां युधिष्ठिर । यथा त्रयाणां वर्णानां संख्यातोपश्रुतिः पुरा । राजधर्मेष्वनुमता लोकाः सुचरितैः सह ॥

dharmāśrame'dhyavasināṃ brāhmaṇānāṃ yudhiṣṭhira | yathā trayāṇāṃ varṇānāṃ saṃkhyātopaśrutiḥ purā | rājadharmeṣvanumatā lokāḥ sucaritaiḥ saha

Yudhishthira, just as in former times the reckoning and inclusion of the brahmins who live by the dharma of their stage of life, and of the three varnas, was handed down, so too the worlds, together with their good deeds, are held to be included in the duties of kings.

Verse 7 (12.63.7)

उदाहृतं ते राजेन्द्र यथा विष्णुं महौजसम् । सर्वभूतेश्वरं देवं ब्राह्मं नारायणं पुरा । जग्मुः सुबहुशः शूरा राजानो दण्डनीतये ॥

udāhṛtaṃ te rājendra yathā viṣṇuṃ mahaujasam | sarvabhūteśvaraṃ devaṃ brāhmaṃ nārāyaṇaṃ purā | jagmuḥ subahuśaḥ śūrā rājāno daṇḍanītaye

I have told you, king of kings, how in former times very many heroic kings went to the mighty Vishnu, the divine Narayana of Brahma, lord of all beings, for the sake of the science of punishment.

Verse 8 (12.63.8)

एकैकमात्मनः कर्म तुलयित्वाश्रमं पुरा । राजानः पर्युपासन्त दृष्टान्तवचने स्थिताः ॥

ekaikamātmanaḥ karma tulayitvāśramaṃ purā | rājānaḥ paryupāsanta dṛṣṭāntavacane sthitāḥ

Each of them, having weighed his own course of action against the way of the stage of life, attended upon him in those days, standing by the words of the illustrative example.

Note on the text: Corrected जानः → राजानः (misprint in Wikisource; the syllable रा is dropped; CE rājānaḥ paryupātiṣṭhan).

Verse 9 (12.63.9)

साध्या देवा वसवश्चाश्विनौ च । रुद्राश्च विश्वे मरुतां गणाश्च । सृष्टाः पुरा ह्यादिदेवेन देवाः । क्षात्रे धर्मे वर्तयन्ते च सिद्धाः ॥

sādhyā devā vasavaścāśvinau ca | rudrāśca viśve marutāṃ gaṇāśca | sṛṣṭāḥ purā hyādidevena devāḥ | kṣātre dharme vartayante ca siddhāḥ

The Sadhyas, the gods, the Vasus and the two Ashvins, the Rudras, the Vishvedevas and the hosts of the Maruts, who were created of old by the First God, and the Siddhas as well, all act according to the Kshatriya dharma.

Verse 10 (12.63.10)

अत्र ते वर्तयिष्यामि धर्ममर्थविनिश्चये । निर्मर्यादे वर्तमाने दानवैकार्णवे पुरा ॥

atra te vartayiṣyāmi dharmamarthaviniścaye | nirmaryāde vartamāne dānavaikārṇave purā

On this I shall tell you, regarding the settling of what is right and what is useful, how things stood long ago, when all bounds had been broken and the world was one sea of Danavas.

Note on the text: Lines 1-2 are CE 12.64.10a,c (atra te vartayiṣyāmi dharmam arthaviniścayam / nirmaryāde vartamāne dānavaikāyane kṛte); the alignment found no match. Wikisource has दानवैकार्णवे पुरा for CE kṛte. CE 12.64.10 is a three-line verse whose third line begins the next verse here.

Verse 11 (12.63.11)

बभूव राजा राजेन्द्र मान्धाता नाम वीर्यवान् । पुरा वसुमतीपालो यज्ञं चक्रे दिदृक्षया ॥

babhūva rājā rājendra māndhātā nāma vīryavān | purā vasumatīpālo yajñaṃ cakre didṛkṣayā

There was a king, king of kings, a man of great valour named Mandhata, a protector of the earth, who in olden days performed a sacrifice out of a wish to see

Note on the text: Line 1 is CE 12.64.10e (babhūva rājā rājendra māndhātā nāma vīryavān), line 2 is CE 12.64.11a (purā vasumatīpālo yajñaṃ cakre didṛkṣayā); the alignment found no match. The sentence continues in the next verse.

Verse 12 (12.63.12)

अनादिमध्यनिधनं देवं नारायणं प्रभुम् । स राजा राजशार्दूल मान्धाता परमेश्वरम् ॥

anādimadhyanidhanaṃ devaṃ nārāyaṇaṃ prabhum | sa rājā rājaśārdūla māndhātā parameśvaram

the Lord Narayana, the god without beginning, middle or end. That king, Mandhata, tiger among kings, turned to the supreme Lord

Note on the text: Line 1 is CE 12.64.11c (anādimadhyanidhanaṃ devaṃ nārāyaṇaṃ prati; Wikisource प्रभुम् for prati), line 2 is CE 12.64.12a (sa rājā rājaśārdūla māndhātā parameṣṭhinaḥ; Wikisource परमेश्वरम् for parameṣṭhinaḥ); the alignment found no match.

Verse 13 (12.63.13)

जगाम शिरसा पादौ यज्ञे विष्णोर्महात्मनः । दर्शयामास तं विष्णू रूपमास्थाय वासवम् ॥

jagāma śirasā pādau yajñe viṣṇormahātmanaḥ | darśayāmāsa taṃ viṣṇū rūpamāsthāya vāsavam

and at the sacrifice came with bowed head to the feet of great-souled Vishnu. Vishnu showed himself to him, taking the form of Indra.

Note on the text: Line 1 is CE 12.64.12c (jagrāha śirasā pādau yajñe viṣṇor mahātmanaḥ; Wikisource जगाम for jagrāha), line 2 is CE 12.64.13a (darśayām āsa taṃ viṣṇū rūpam āsthāya vāsavam); the alignment found no match. (The page's footnote glosses वासवम् as Indra's form.)

Verse 14 (12.63.14)

स पार्थिवैर्वृतः सद्भिरर्चयामास तं प्रभुम् । तस्य पार्थिवसङ्घस्य तस्य चैव महात्मनः । संवादोऽयं महानासीद्विष्णुं प्रति महाद्युतिम् ॥

sa pārthivairvṛtaḥ sadbhirarcayāmāsa taṃ prabhum | tasya pārthivasaṅghasya tasya caiva mahātmanaḥ | saṃvādo'yaṃ mahānāsīdviṣṇuṃ prati mahādyutim

Surrounded by the good kings, he honoured that Lord. And between that assembly of kings and that great-souled one this great conversation took place, concerning the radiant Vishnu.

Note on the text: Line 1 is CE 12.64.13c (sa pārthivair vṛtaḥ sadbhir arcayām āsa taṃ prabhum); lines 2-3 are CE 12.64.14 (tasya pārthivasaṃghasya … saṃvādo 'yaṃ mahān āsīd viṣṇuṃ prati mahādyute; Wikisource महाद्युतिम्); the alignment found no match.

Verse 15 (12.63.15)

किमिष्यसे धर्मभूतां वरिष्ठ । यं द्रष्टुकामोऽसि तमप्रमेयम् । अनन्तमायामितमन्त्रवीर्यं । नारायणं ह्यादिदेवं पुराणम् ॥

kimiṣyase dharmabhūtāṃ variṣṭha | yaṃ draṣṭukāmo'si tamaprameyam | anantamāyāmitamantravīryaṃ | nārāyaṇaṃ hyādidevaṃ purāṇam

What do you wish, best of those who uphold dharma, that you long to see that immeasurable one, Narayana, the ancient First God, of endless illusion and measureless power of mantra and might?

Verse 16 (12.63.16)

नासौ देवो विश्वरूपो मयाऽपि । शक्यो द्रष्टुं ब्रह्मणा वाऽपि साक्षात् । येऽन्ये कामास्तव राजन्हृदिस्था । दास्ये चैतांस्त्वं हि मर्त्येषु राजा ॥

nāsau devo viśvarūpo mayā'pi | śakyo draṣṭuṃ brahmaṇā vā'pi sākṣāt | ye'nye kāmāstava rājanhṛdisthā | dāsye caitāṃstvaṃ hi martyeṣu rājā

That god of every form cannot be seen even by me, nor by Brahma himself in person. But whatever other desires you hold in your heart, O king, I shall grant them; for you are a king among mortals.

Verse 17 (12.63.17)

सत्ये स्थितो धर्मपरो जितेन्द्रियः । शूरो दृढप्रीतिरतः सुराणाम् । बुद्ध्या भक्त्या चोत्तमः श्रद्धया च । ततस्तेऽहं दद्मि वरान्यथेष्टम् ॥

satye sthito dharmaparo jitendriyaḥ | śūro dṛḍhaprītirataḥ surāṇām | buddhyā bhaktyā cottamaḥ śraddhayā ca | tataste'haṃ dadmi varānyatheṣṭam

You stand firm in truth, devoted to dharma, master of your senses, a hero, steadfast in love for the gods, excellent in understanding, devotion and faith. Therefore I shall grant you boons as you wish.

Note on the text: Corrected दझि → दद्मि (misprint in Wikisource; दझि is not a word, CE dadmi).

Verse 18 (12.63.18)

असंशयं भगवन्नादिदेवं । वक्ष्यामि त्वाऽहं शिरसा संप्रसाद्य । त्यक्त्वा कामान्धर्मकामो ह्यरण्य । मिच्छे गन्तुं सत्पथं साधुजुष्टम् ॥

asaṃśayaṃ bhagavannādidevaṃ | vakṣyāmi tvā'haṃ śirasā saṃprasādya | tyaktvā kāmāndharmakāmo hyaraṇya | micche gantuṃ satpathaṃ sādhujuṣṭam

Without doubt, Lord, I shall tell you, the First God, humbly propitiating you with bowed head: giving up desires, and wishing for dharma, I long to go to the forest, the good path loved by the virtuous.

Verse 19 (12.63.19)

क्षात्राद्धर्माद्विपुलादप्रमेया । श्लोकाः प्राप्ताः स्थापितं स्वं यशश्च । धर्मो योऽसावादिदेवात्प्रवृत्तो । लोकश्रेष्ठं तं न जानामि कर्तुम् ॥

kṣātrāddharmādvipulādaprameyā | ślokāḥ prāptāḥ sthāpitaṃ svaṃ yaśaśca | dharmo yo'sāvādidevātpravṛtto | lokaśreṣṭhaṃ taṃ na jānāmi kartum

From the vast, immeasurable dharma of the Kshatriya I have won glory and made my own fame secure. But that dharma which came forth from the First God, the best in the world, I do not know how to practise.

Verse 20 (12.63.20)

असैनिका धर्मपराश्च धर्मे । परां गतिं न नयन्ते ह्ययुक्तम् । क्षात्रो धर्मो ह्यादिदेवात्प्रवृत्तः । पश्चादन्ये शेषभूताश्च धर्माः ॥

asainikā dharmaparāśca dharme | parāṃ gatiṃ na nayante hyayuktam | kṣātro dharmo hyādidevātpravṛttaḥ | paścādanye śeṣabhūtāśca dharmāḥ

Even those who are devoted to dharma, if they have no armed force, do not rightly lead anyone to the highest goal in dharma. For the Kshatriya dharma came forth first from the First God; the other dharmas came afterwards, as its subordinate parts.

Verse 21 (12.63.21)

शेषाः सृष्टा ह्यन्तवन्तो ह्यनन्ताः । सप्रस्थानाः क्षात्रधर्मा विशिष्टाः । अस्मिन्धर्मे सर्वधर्माः प्रविष्टाः । क्षात्रं धर्मं श्रेष्ठतमं वदन्ति ॥

śeṣāḥ sṛṣṭā hyantavanto hyanantāḥ | saprasthānāḥ kṣātradharmā viśiṣṭāḥ | asmindharme sarvadharmāḥ praviṣṭāḥ | kṣātraṃ dharmaṃ śreṣṭhatamaṃ vadanti

The rest were created with limits, and they are numberless; but the Kshatriya dharmas, with their clear course, stand out above them. All dharmas are contained in this dharma; therefore they call the Kshatriya dharma the best of all.

Verse 22 (12.63.22)

कर्मणा वै पुरा देवा ऋषयश्चामितौजसः । त्राताः सर्वे प्रसह्यारीन्क्षत्रधर्मेण विष्णुना ॥

karmaṇā vai purā devā ṛṣayaścāmitaujasaḥ | trātāḥ sarve prasahyārīnkṣatradharmeṇa viṣṇunā

By this action, in former times, the gods and the sages of boundless power were all saved, when Vishnu overcame their enemies by force through the Kshatriya dharma.

Verse 23 (12.63.23)

यदि ह्यसौ भगवन्नाहनिष्य । द्रिपू सर्वानसुरानप्रमेयः । न च ब्रह्मा नैव लोकादिकर्ता । सन्तो धर्माश्चादिधर्माश्च न स्युः ॥

yadi hyasau bhagavannāhaniṣya | dripū sarvānasurānaprameyaḥ | na ca brahmā naiva lokādikartā | santo dharmāścādidharmāśca na syuḥ

If that blessed, immeasurable one had not slain all the enemies, the Asuras, then there would be no Brahma, no first maker of the worlds, and neither the righteous dharmas nor the primal dharmas would exist.

Verse 24 (12.63.24)

इमामुर्वी नाजयद्विक्रमेण । देवश्रेष्ठः सासुरामादिदेवः । चातुर्वर्ण्यं चातुराश्रम्यधर्माः । सर्वे न स्युर्ब्राह्मणानां विनाशात् ॥

imāmurvī nājayadvikrameṇa | devaśreṣṭhaḥ sāsurāmādidevaḥ | cāturvarṇyaṃ cāturāśramyadharmāḥ | sarve na syurbrāhmaṇānāṃ vināśāt

Had that best of gods, the First God, not conquered by his prowess this earth, held by the Asuras, then the four varnas and all the duties of the four stages of life would not exist, through the destruction of the brahmins.

Verse 25 (12.63.25)

नष्टा धर्माः शतधा शाश्वतास्ते । क्षात्रेण धर्मेण पुनः प्रवृद्धाः । युगेयुगे ह्यादिधर्माः प्रवृत्ता । लोकज्येष्ठं क्षात्रधर्मं वदन्ति ॥

naṣṭā dharmāḥ śatadhā śāśvatāste | kṣātreṇa dharmeṇa punaḥ pravṛddhāḥ | yugeyuge hyādidharmāḥ pravṛttā | lokajyeṣṭhaṃ kṣātradharmaṃ vadanti

The eternal dharmas, destroyed in a hundred ways, were made to flourish again by the Kshatriya dharma. Age after age the primal dharmas have come forth; they call the Kshatriya dharma the eldest in the world.

Verse 26 (12.63.26)

आत्मत्यागः सर्वभूतानुकम्पा । लोकज्ञानं पालनं मोक्षणं च । विषण्णानां मोक्षणं पीडितानां । क्षात्रे धर्मे विद्यते पार्थिवानाम् ॥

ātmatyāgaḥ sarvabhūtānukampā | lokajñānaṃ pālanaṃ mokṣaṇaṃ ca | viṣaṇṇānāṃ mokṣaṇaṃ pīḍitānāṃ | kṣātre dharme vidyate pārthivānām

Giving up one's own life, compassion for all beings, knowledge of the world, protection and rescue, the release of the despondent and of the oppressed: these are found in the Kshatriya dharma of kings.

Verse 27 (12.63.27)

निर्मर्यादाः काममन्युप्रवृत्ता । भीता राज्ञो नाधिगच्छन्ति पापम् । शिष्टाश्चान्ये सर्वधर्मोपपन्नाः । साध्वाचाराः साधुधर्मं वदन्ति ॥

nirmaryādāḥ kāmamanyupravṛttā | bhītā rājño nādhigacchanti pāpam | śiṣṭāścānye sarvadharmopapannāḥ | sādhvācārāḥ sādhudharmaṃ vadanti

Those without restraint, swept on by lust and anger, being afraid of kings, do not fall into sin; and others, the cultured, endowed with all the dharmas and of good conduct, speak the dharma of the good.

Verse 28 (12.63.28)

पुत्रवत्पाल्यमानानि धर्मलिङ्गानि पार्थिवैः । लोके भूतानि सर्वाणि चरन्ते नात्र संशयः ॥

putravatpālyamānāni dharmaliṅgāni pārthivaiḥ | loke bhūtāni sarvāṇi carante nātra saṃśayaḥ

All beings in the world, bearing the marks of dharma, go about cherished by kings as though they were their sons; of this there is no doubt.

Note on the text: The alignment found no match; the verse is CE 12.64.28 (putravat paripālyāni liṅgadharmeṇa pārthivaiḥ / loke bhūtāni sarvāṇi vicaranti na saṃśayaḥ), with Wikisource's variant wording.

Verse 29 (12.63.29)

सर्वधर्मपरं क्षात्रं लोकश्रेष्ठं सनातनम् । शश्वदक्षरपर्यन्तमक्षरं सर्वतोमुखम् ॥

sarvadharmaparaṃ kṣātraṃ lokaśreṣṭhaṃ sanātanam | śaśvadakṣaraparyantamakṣaraṃ sarvatomukham

The Kshatriya dharma is supreme over all dharmas, the best in the world and eternal; it extends always as far as the imperishable, and is itself imperishable, facing every side.