Indra Answers Mandhata on the Duties of the Dasyus

Verse 1 (12.64.1)

एवंवीर्यः सर्वधर्मोपपन्नः । क्षात्रः श्रेष्ठः सर्वधर्मेषु धर्मः । पाल्यो युष्माभिर्लोकपालैरुदारै । र्विपर्यये स्यादभवः प्रजानाम् ॥

evaṃvīryaḥ sarvadharmopapannaḥ | kṣātraḥ śreṣṭhaḥ sarvadharmeṣu dharmaḥ | pālyo yuṣmābhirlokapālairudārai | rviparyaye syādabhavaḥ prajānām

Such is its power, rich in every dharma: the Kshatriya dharma is the best among all dharmas. It must be guarded by you, noble guardians of the world, lions among men; if it fails, the people will cease to be.

Note on the text: The input merged the page's verses 1 and 2 in one row (labelled 2, with the page's verse number '1' left inside the text). Split here at the page's number: this is verse 1 (lines 1-4), the stray ' 1 ।' removed and the verse closed with ॥. The alignment found no match; the verse is CE 12.65.1 (evaṃvīryaḥ sarvadharmopapannaḥ …). Wikisource's उदारै / र्विपर्यये is a word split across the line break, as printed.

Verse 2 (12.64.2)

भूसंस्कारं धर्मसंस्कारयोग्यं । दीक्षाचर्यां पालनं च प्रजानाम् । विद्याद्राज्ञः सर्वभूतानुकम्पा । देहत्यागं चाहवे धर्ममग्र्यम् ॥

bhūsaṃskāraṃ dharmasaṃskārayogyaṃ | dīkṣācaryāṃ pālanaṃ ca prajānām | vidyādrājñaḥ sarvabhūtānukampā | dehatyāgaṃ cāhave dharmamagryam

A king should know as his foremost dharma: the tending of the land, which fits it for the cultivation of dharma; the discipline of consecration; the protection of his subjects; compassion for all beings; and the giving up of his body in battle.

Note on the text: Split from the merged input row (see verse 1): this is the page's verse 2 (lines 5-8). Corrected भूसस्कारं → भूसंस्कारं (misprint in Wikisource; dropped anusvara, the page's own footnote reads भूसंस्कारं, CE bhuvaḥ saṃskāram). The alignment found no match; the verse is CE 12.65.2 (bhuvaḥ saṃskāraṃ rājasaṃskārayogam …), with Wikisource's variant धर्मसंस्कारयोग्यं, दीक्षाचर्यां for CE rājasaṃskārayogam, abhaikṣacaryām.

Verse 3 (12.64.3)

त्यागं श्रेष्ठं मुनयो वै वदन्ति । सर्वश्रेष्ठं यच्छरीरं त्यजन्ति । नित्यं व्यक्तं राजधर्मेषु सर्वे । प्रत्यक्षं ते भूमिपाला यथैते ॥

tyāgaṃ śreṣṭhaṃ munayo vai vadanti | sarvaśreṣṭhaṃ yaccharīraṃ tyajanti | nityaṃ vyaktaṃ rājadharmeṣu sarve | pratyakṣaṃ te bhūmipālā yathaite

The sages declare renunciation to be the best, and the best renunciation is that of those who lay down the body. It is always evident in the duties of kings; those rulers of the earth, as these here, are plain before our eyes.

Verse 4 (12.64.4)

बहुश्रुत्या गुरुशुश्रूषया वा । परस्पराः संहननाद्वदन्ति । नित्यं धर्मं क्षत्रियो ब्रह्मचारी । चरेदेको ह्याश्रमं धर्मकामः ॥

bahuśrutyā guruśuśrūṣayā vā | parasparāḥ saṃhananādvadanti | nityaṃ dharmaṃ kṣatriyo brahmacārī | caredeko hyāśramaṃ dharmakāmaḥ

Some say it comes through much learning, or through service to a teacher, or through the joining together of one another. A Kshatriya who desires dharma should always practise, alone, the dharma of his stage of life as a celibate student.

Verse 5 (12.64.5)

सामान्यार्थे व्यवहारे प्रवृत्ते । प्रियाप्रिये वर्जयन्नैव यत्नात् । चातुर्वर्ण्यं स्थापनात्पालनाच्च । तैस्तैर्योगैर्नियमैरौषधैश्च ॥

sāmānyārthe vyavahāre pravṛtte | priyāpriye varjayannaiva yatnāt | cāturvarṇyaṃ sthāpanātpālanācca | taistairyogairniyamairauṣadhaiśca

When a matter of common concern comes up for dealing, he must carefully set aside what pleases and what displeases him; by establishing and protecting the four varnas, by those various disciplines, rules and remedies,

Note on the text: Wikisource नियमैरौषधैश्च against CE niyamair aurasaiś ca is kept (the page's footnote records the CE-type reading as a variant). The sentence continues in the next verse.

Verse 6 (12.64.6)

सर्वोद्योगैराश्रमं धर्ममाहुः । क्षात्रं श्रेष्ठं सर्वधर्मोपपन्नम् । स्वंस्वं धर्मं येन चरन्ति वर्णा । स्तांस्तान्धर्मानन्यथार्थान्वदन्ति ॥

sarvodyogairāśramaṃ dharmamāhuḥ | kṣātraṃ śreṣṭhaṃ sarvadharmopapannam | svaṃsvaṃ dharmaṃ yena caranti varṇā | stāṃstāndharmānanyathārthānvadanti

they call it the dharma of a stage of life pursued with every effort: the Kshatriya dharma, best of all, endowed with every dharma. By it the castes follow each its own dharma; those several dharmas, taken apart from it, they pronounce purposeless.

Note on the text: Corrected वंस्वं → स्वंस्वं (misprint in Wikisource; CE svaṃ svaṃ). Wikisource येन for CE ye na is a valid reading and kept (the page's footnote reads येन as 'by the Kshatriya dharma'); translated accordingly.

Verse 7 (12.64.7)

निर्मर्यादान्नित्यमर्थे निविष्टा । नाहुस्तान्वै पशुभूतान्मनुष्यान् । यथा नीतिं गमयत्यर्थयोगा । च्छ्रेयस्तस्मादाश्रमात्क्षत्रधर्मः ॥

nirmaryādānnityamarthe niviṣṭā | nāhustānvai paśubhūtānmanuṣyān | yathā nītiṃ gamayatyarthayogā | cchreyastasmādāśramātkṣatradharmaḥ

Men without restraint, always bent on gain, they call beasts in the form of men. Because it leads to right policy through the proper use of wealth, the Kshatriya dharma is better than the way of the stage of life.

Note on the text: Corrected नेर्मर्यादान् → निर्मर्यादान् (misprint in Wikisource; the vowel ि is printed े, CE nirmaryāde). निविष्टा / नाहुः is निविष्टान् + आहुः split across the line break, as printed.

Verse 8 (12.64.8)

त्रैविद्यानां या गतिर्ब्राह्मणानां । ये चैवोक्ताः स्वाश्रमा ब्राह्मणानाम् । एतत्कर्म क्षत्रियस्याहुरग्र्य । मन्यत्कुर्वञ्छूद्रवच्छस्त्रवध्यः ॥

traividyānāṃ yā gatirbrāhmaṇānāṃ | ye caivoktāḥ svāśramā brāhmaṇānām | etatkarma kṣatriyasyāhuragrya | manyatkurvañchūdravacchastravadhyaḥ

The course that belongs to the brahmins learned in the three Vedas, and the stages of life prescribed for brahmins: this, they say, is the highest work of a Kshatriya; doing anything else, he is like a shudra and deserves death by the sword.

Note on the text: Wikisource क्षत्रियस्य (CE brāhmaṇasya) and ये चैवोक्ताः स्वाश्रमा against CE yaś caivokto 'thāśramo are valid readings and kept; translated as printed.

Verse 9 (12.64.9)

चातुराश्रम्यधर्माश्च वेदवादाश्च पार्थिव । ब्राह्मणेनानुगन्तव्या नान्यो विद्यात्कदाचन ॥

cāturāśramyadharmāśca vedavādāśca pārthiva | brāhmaṇenānugantavyā nānyo vidyātkadācana

The duties of the four stages of life and the teachings of the Veda, O king, are to be followed by a brahmin; no one else should ever learn them.

Verse 10 (12.64.10)

अन्यथा वर्तमानस्य न सा वृत्तिः प्रकल्प्यते । कर्मणा वर्धते धर्मो यथा धर्मस्तथैव सः ॥

anyathā vartamānasya na sā vṛttiḥ prakalpyate | karmaṇā vardhate dharmo yathā dharmastathaiva saḥ

For one who acts otherwise, no way of living is ordained. Dharma grows by action; as the dharma is, so is the man.

Note on the text: Wikisource वर्धते धर्मो यथा धर्मस्तथैव सः (the page's footnote records त्यज्यते धर्मो यथैव स्यात्तथैव सः as a variant; CE vyajyate dharmo yathaiva śvā tathaiva saḥ) is a valid reading and kept.

Verse 11 (12.64.11)

यो विकर्मस्थितो विप्रो न स सन्मानमर्हति । कर्म स्वमप्रयुञ्जानमविश्वास्यं हि तं विदुः ॥

yo vikarmasthito vipro na sa sanmānamarhati | karma svamaprayuñjānamaviśvāsyaṃ hi taṃ viduḥ

A brahmin who stands in forbidden work deserves no honour; one who does not put his own work to use they regard as unfit to be trusted.

Verse 12 (12.64.12)

एते वर्णाः सर्वधर्मैश्च हीना । उत्क्रष्टव्याः क्षत्रियैरेव धर्माः । तस्माच्छ्रेष्ठा राजधर्मा न चान्ये । वीर्यश्रेष्ठा राजधर्मा मता मे ॥

ete varṇāḥ sarvadharmaiśca hīnā | utkraṣṭavyāḥ kṣatriyaireva dharmāḥ | tasmācchreṣṭhā rājadharmā na cānye | vīryaśreṣṭhā rājadharmā matā me

These varnas, if they are bereft of all dharmas, must be raised up by the Kshatriyas alone; that is their dharma. Therefore the duties of kings are the best, and no others; the duties of kings, which excel in valour, are held so by me.

Verse 13 (12.64.13)

यवनाः किराता गान्धाराश्चीनाः शबरबर्बराः । शकास्तुषाराः कङ्काश्च पल्लवाश्चान्ध्रमद्रकाः ॥

yavanāḥ kirātā gāndhārāścīnāḥ śabarabarbarāḥ | śakāstuṣārāḥ kaṅkāśca pallavāścāndhramadrakāḥ

The Yavanas, Kiratas, Gandharas, Chinas, Shabaras and Barbaras, the Shakas, Tusharas, Kankas, Pallavas, Andhras and Madrakas,

Note on the text: Wikisource कङ्काः for CE kahvāḥ is kept as a variant.

Verse 14 (12.64.14)

उष्ट्राः पुलिन्दा आरट्टाः काचा म्लेच्छाश्च सर्वशः । ब्रह्मक्षत्रप्रसूताश्च वैश्याः शूद्राश्च मानवाः ॥

uṣṭrāḥ pulindā āraṭṭāḥ kācā mlecchāśca sarvaśaḥ | brahmakṣatraprasūtāśca vaiśyāḥ śūdrāśca mānavāḥ

the Ushtras, Pulindas, Arattas and Kachas, the Mlecchas of every kind, and those born of brahmins and kshatriyas, vaishyas and shudras among men:

Note on the text: Wikisource उष्ट्राः … आरट्टाः for CE oḍrāḥ … ramaṭhāḥ are variant readings and kept.

Verse 15 (12.64.15)

कथं धर्मांश्चरिष्यन्ति सर्वे विषयवासिनः । मद्विधैश्च कथं स्थाप्याः सर्वे वै दस्युजीविनः ॥

kathaṃ dharmāṃścariṣyanti sarve viṣayavāsinaḥ | madvidhaiśca kathaṃ sthāpyāḥ sarve vai dasyujīvinaḥ

how will all these dwellers in the realm practise the dharmas? And how are all those who live by plunder to be set in order by men such as I?

Verse 16 (12.64.16)

एतदिच्छाम्यहं श्रोतुं मघवंस्तद्ब्रवीहि मे । त्वं बन्धुभूतो ह्यस्माकं क्षत्रियाणां सुरेश्वर ॥

etadicchāmyahaṃ śrotuṃ maghavaṃstadbravīhi me | tvaṃ bandhubhūto hyasmākaṃ kṣatriyāṇāṃ sureśvara

This I wish to hear, O Maghavan; tell it to me. You are a kinsman to us Kshatriyas, lord of the gods.

Note on the text: Wikisource मघवन् for CE bhagavan is a valid reading and kept.

Verse 17 (12.64.17)

मातापित्रोर्हि शुश्रूषा कर्तव्या सर्वदस्युभिः । आचार्यगुरुशुश्रूषा तथैवाश्रमवासिनाम् ॥

mātāpitrorhi śuśrūṣā kartavyā sarvadasyubhiḥ | ācāryaguruśuśrūṣā tathaivāśramavāsinām

All the dasyus must give service to mother and father, and service to teachers and elders, and likewise to those who dwell in the hermitages.

Verse 18 (12.64.18)

भूमिपानां च शुश्रूषा कर्तव्या सर्वदस्युभिः । देशधर्मक्रियाश्चैव तेषां धर्मो विधीयते ॥

bhūmipānāṃ ca śuśrūṣā kartavyā sarvadasyubhiḥ | deśadharmakriyāścaiva teṣāṃ dharmo vidhīyate

All the dasyus must also give service to the kings. The rites of their own country's customs are laid down as their dharma.

Note on the text: Wikisource भूमिपानां … देशधर्मक्रियाश्चैव for CE bhūmipālānāṃ … vedadharmakriyāś caiva are valid readings and kept.

Verse 19 (12.64.19)

पितृयज्ञास्तथा कूपाः प्रपाश्च शयनानि च । दानानि च यथाकालं दातव्यानि द्विजातिषु ॥

pitṛyajñāstathā kūpāḥ prapāśca śayanāni ca | dānāni ca yathākālaṃ dātavyāni dvijātiṣu

Rites to the ancestors, wells, water-sheds and beds, and gifts at the proper times, are to be given to the twice-born.

Verse 20 (12.64.20)

अहिंसा सत्यमक्रोधो वृत्तिदायानुपालनम् । भरणं पुत्रदाराणां शौचमद्रोह एव च ॥

ahiṃsā satyamakrodho vṛttidāyānupālanam | bharaṇaṃ putradārāṇāṃ śaucamadroha eva ca

Non-violence, truth, freedom from anger, upholding the grants made for livelihood, maintaining wife and children, purity, and freedom from malice.

Verse 21 (12.64.21)

दक्षिणा सर्वयज्ञानां दातव्या धर्ममिच्छता । पाकयज्ञा महार्थाश्च दातव्याः सर्वदस्युभिः ॥

dakṣiṇā sarvayajñānāṃ dātavyā dharmamicchatā | pākayajñā mahārthāśca dātavyāḥ sarvadasyubhiḥ

One who desires dharma must give the fees to the officiants of all sacrifices, and the great cooked-food sacrifices must be given by all the dasyus.

Note on the text: Wikisource दातव्या धर्ममिच्छता … महार्थाश्च दातव्याः against CE dātavyā bhūtim icchatā … mahārhāś ca kartavyāḥ are valid readings and kept.

Verse 22 (12.64.22)

एतान्येवंप्रकाराणि विहितानि पुराऽनघ । सर्वलोकस्य कर्माणि कर्तव्यानीह पार्थिव ॥

etānyevaṃprakārāṇi vihitāni purā'nagha | sarvalokasya karmāṇi kartavyānīha pārthiva

Such are the works prescribed of old, sinless one; they are the duties of the whole world and are to be done here, O king.

Verse 23 (12.64.23)

दृश्यन्ते मानुषे लोके सर्ववर्णेषु दस्यवः । लिङ्गान्तरे वर्तमाना आश्रमेषु तथैव च ॥

dṛśyante mānuṣe loke sarvavarṇeṣu dasyavaḥ | liṅgāntare vartamānā āśrameṣu tathaiva ca

Dasyus are seen in the human world among all the varnas, living in another guise, and likewise in the stages of life.

Note on the text: Wikisource मानुषे लोके … आश्रमेषु तथैव च for CE mānavā loke … āśrameṣu caturṣv api are valid readings and kept.

Verse 24 (12.64.24)

विनष्टायां दण्डनीत्यां राजधर्मे विनाकृते । संप्रमुह्यन्ति भूतानि राजदौरात्म्यतोऽनघ ॥

vinaṣṭāyāṃ daṇḍanītyāṃ rājadharme vinākṛte | saṃpramuhyanti bhūtāni rājadaurātmyato'nagha

When the science of punishment is lost and the duty of kings set aside, beings fall into confusion through the wickedness of kings, sinless one.

Verse 25 (12.64.25)

असङ्ख्याता भविष्यन्ति भिक्षवो लिङ्गिनस्तथा । आश्रमाणां विकल्पाश्च वृत्तेऽस्मिन्वैकृते युगे ॥

asaṅkhyātā bhaviṣyanti bhikṣavo liṅginastathā | āśramāṇāṃ vikalpāśca vṛtte'sminvaikṛte yuge

Beggars and wearers of badges will become countless, and the stages of life will split into varieties, in this age grown corrupt.

Note on the text: Wikisource वृत्तेऽस्मिन्वैकृते युगे for CE nivṛtte 'smin kṛte yuge is a valid reading and kept.

Verse 26 (12.64.26)

अशृण्वानाः पुराणानां धर्माणां शतशो नराः । उत्पथं प्रतिपत्स्यन्ते काममन्युसमीरिताः ॥

aśṛṇvānāḥ purāṇānāṃ dharmāṇāṃ śataśo narāḥ | utpathaṃ pratipatsyante kāmamanyusamīritāḥ

Hundreds of men, not listening to the ancient dharmas, will take the wrong road, driven by desire and anger.

Note on the text: Wikisource धर्माणां शतशो नराः for CE dharmāṇāṃ pravarā gatīḥ is a valid reading and kept (the page's footnote records परमा गतीः as a variant).

Verse 27 (12.64.27)

यदा निवर्त्यते पापो दण्डनीत्या महात्मभिः । तदा धर्मो न चलते संभूतः शाश्वतः पुरा ॥

yadā nivartyate pāpo daṇḍanītyā mahātmabhiḥ | tadā dharmo na calate saṃbhūtaḥ śāśvataḥ purā

When evil is held back by the great-souled through the science of punishment, then dharma, eternal and come into being long ago, does not waver.

Verse 28 (12.64.28)

सर्वलोकगुरुं चैव राजानं योऽवमन्यते । न तस्य दत्तं न कृतं न श्रुतं फलति क्वचित् ॥

sarvalokaguruṃ caiva rājānaṃ yo'vamanyate | na tasya dattaṃ na kṛtaṃ na śrutaṃ phalati kvacit

For one who despises the king, the teacher of the whole world, no gift, no deed, nothing he has heard, ever bears fruit.

Note on the text: Wikisource सर्वलोकगुरुं … न कृतं न श्रुतं for CE paralokaguruṃ … na hutaṃ na śrāddhaṃ are valid readings and kept.

Verse 29 (12.64.29)

मानुषाणामधिपतिं देवभूतं महाद्युतिम् । देवाश्च बहुमन्यन्ते धर्मकामं नरेश्वरम् ॥

mānuṣāṇāmadhipatiṃ devabhūtaṃ mahādyutim | devāśca bahumanyante dharmakāmaṃ nareśvaram

The gods too hold in high regard the radiant lord of men, godlike, the king who desires dharma.

Verse 30 (12.64.30)

प्रजापतिर्हि भगवान्यः सर्वमसृजज्जगत् । स प्रवृत्तिनिवृत्त्यर्थं धर्माणां क्षत्रमिच्छति ॥

prajāpatirhi bhagavānyaḥ sarvamasṛjajjagat | sa pravṛttinivṛttyarthaṃ dharmāṇāṃ kṣatramicchati

The blessed Prajapati, who created the whole world, wishes for the Kshatriya power for the sake of the movement and the stilling of the dharmas.

Verse 31 (12.64.31)

प्रवृत्तस्य हि धर्मस्य बुद्ध्या यः स्मरते गतिम् । स मे मान्यश्च पूज्यश्च स च क्षत्रे प्रतिष्ठितः ॥

pravṛttasya hi dharmasya buddhyā yaḥ smarate gatim | sa me mānyaśca pūjyaśca sa ca kṣatre pratiṣṭhitaḥ

He who, by his understanding, keeps in mind the course of dharma once set in motion, is honoured and worshipped by me, and he is established in the Kshatriya order.

Note on the text: Wikisource स च क्षत्रे प्रतिष्ठितः for CE tatra kṣatraṃ pratiṣṭhitam is a valid reading and kept.

Verse 32 (12.64.32)

एवमुक्त्वा स भगवान्मरुद्गणवृतः प्रभुः । जगाम भवनं विष्णुरक्षरं शाश्वतं परम् ॥

evamuktvā sa bhagavānmarudgaṇavṛtaḥ prabhuḥ | jagāma bhavanaṃ viṣṇurakṣaraṃ śāśvataṃ param

Having spoken thus, the blessed lord Vishnu, surrounded by the hosts of the Maruts, went to his abode, the imperishable, eternal and supreme.

Verse 33 (12.64.33)

एवं प्रवर्तिते धर्मे पुरा सुचरितेऽनघ । कः क्षत्रमतिवर्तेत चेतनावान्बहुश्रुतः ॥

evaṃ pravartite dharme purā sucarite'nagha | kaḥ kṣatramativarteta cetanāvānbahuśrutaḥ

When dharma had thus been set in motion in former times, sinless one, what wise and learned man would disregard the Kshatriya?

Note on the text: Wikisource कः क्षत्रमतिवर्तेत for CE kaḥ kṣatram avamanyeta is a valid reading and kept.

Verse 34 (12.64.34)

अन्यायेन प्रवृत्तानि निवृत्तानि तथैव च । अन्तरा विलयं यान्ति यथा पथि विचक्षुषः ॥

anyāyena pravṛttāni nivṛttāni tathaiva ca | antarā vilayaṃ yānti yathā pathi vicakṣuṣaḥ

What is begun unrighteously, and what is stopped in the same way, perishes midway, like a blind man on the road.

Verse 35 (12.64.35)

आदौ प्रवर्तिते चक्रे तथैवादिपरायणे । वर्तस्व पुरुषव्याघ्र संविजानामि तेऽनघ ॥

ādau pravartite cakre tathaivādiparāyaṇe | vartasva puruṣavyāghra saṃvijānāmi te'nagha

The wheel having been set turning in the beginning, and dharma being the refuge of the ancients, act upon it, tiger among men; I recognise your worth, sinless one.

Note on the text: Rendered with the page's footnote (आदिपरायणे: in the refuge of the ancients; वर्तस्व: act upon it).