How a King Protects Without Being Bound

Verse 1 (12.71.1)

कथं राजा प्रजा रक्षन्नाधिबन्धेन युज्यते । धर्मे च नापराध्नोति तन्मे ब्रूहि पितामह ॥

kathaṃ rājā prajā rakṣannādhibandhena yujyate | dharme ca nāparādhnoti tanme brūhi pitāmaha

How can a king, while protecting his subjects, avoid being bound by the burden of anxiety, and avoid any fault against dharma? Tell me this, grandfather.

Verse 2 (12.71.2)

समासेनैव ते राजन्धर्मान्वक्ष्यामि शाश्वतान् । विस्तरेणैव धर्माणां न जात्वन्तमवाप्नुयात् ॥

samāsenaiva te rājandharmānvakṣyāmi śāśvatān | vistareṇaiva dharmāṇāṃ na jātvantamavāpnuyāt

In brief, O king, I shall tell you the eternal duties; for no one could ever reach the end of the duties if he described them at length.

Verse 3 (12.71.3)

धर्मनिष्ठाञ्श्रुतवतो देवव्रतसमाहितान् । अर्चितान्वासयेथास्त्वं गृहे गुणवतो द्विजान् ॥

dharmaniṣṭhāñśrutavato devavratasamāhitān | arcitānvāsayethāstvaṃ gṛhe guṇavato dvijān

Keep honoured brahmins in your house: men firm in dharma, learned in the scriptures, steadfast in the vows sacred to the gods, and rich in virtue.

Verse 4 (12.71.4)

प्रत्युत्थायोपसंगृह्य चरणावभिवाद्य च । अथ सर्वाणि कुर्वीथाः कार्याणि सपुरोहितः ॥

pratyutthāyopasaṃgṛhya caraṇāvabhivādya ca | atha sarvāṇi kurvīthāḥ kāryāṇi sapurohitaḥ

Rise to meet them, clasp their feet and salute them; only then, together with your household priest, should you do all your tasks.

Verse 5 (12.71.5)

धर्मकार्याणि निर्वर्त्य मङ्गलानि प्रयुज्य च । ब्राह्मणान्वाचयेथास्त्वमर्थसिद्धिजयाशिषः ॥

dharmakāryāṇi nirvartya maṅgalāni prayujya ca | brāhmaṇānvācayethāstvamarthasiddhijayāśiṣaḥ

Having finished the rites of dharma and performed the auspicious observances, have the brahmins pronounce blessings for the success of your aims and for victory.

Verse 6 (12.71.6)

आर्जवेन च संपन्नो धृत्या बुद्ध्या च भारत । धर्मार्थौ प्रतिगृह्णीयात्कामक्रोधौ च वर्जयेत् ॥

ārjavena ca saṃpanno dhṛtyā buddhyā ca bhārata | dharmārthau pratigṛhṇīyātkāmakrodhau ca varjayet

Endowed with uprightness, steadiness and good judgment, O Bharata, take up dharma and wealth, and keep away desire and anger.

Verse 7 (12.71.7)

कामक्रोधौ पुरस्कृत्य योऽर्थं राजाऽनुतिष्ठति । न स धर्मं न चाप्यर्थं प्रतिगृह्णाति बालिशः ॥

kāmakrodhau puraskṛtya yo'rthaṃ rājā'nutiṣṭhati | na sa dharmaṃ na cāpyarthaṃ pratigṛhṇāti bāliśaḥ

The foolish king who pursues his aims with desire and anger leading him gains neither dharma nor wealth.

Verse 8 (12.71.8)

मा स्म लुब्धांश्च मूर्खांश्च कामार्थे च प्रयूयुजः । अलुब्धान्बुद्धिसंपन्नान्सर्वकर्मसु योजयेत् ॥

mā sma lubdhāṃśca mūrkhāṃśca kāmārthe ca prayūyujaḥ | alubdhānbuddhisaṃpannānsarvakarmasu yojayet

Never set greedy men or fools over matters of pleasure and wealth; appoint men who are free from greed and rich in judgment to all undertakings.

Verse 9 (12.71.9)

मूर्खो ह्यधिकृतोऽर्थेषु कार्याणामविशारदः । प्रजाः क्लिश्नात्ययोगेन कामक्रोधसमन्वितः ॥

mūrkho hyadhikṛto'rtheṣu kāryāṇāmaviśāradaḥ | prajāḥ kliśnātyayogena kāmakrodhasamanvitaḥ

A fool put in charge of affairs, unskilled in the work, afflicts the people by mismanagement, being full of desire and anger.

Verse 10 (12.71.10)

बलिषष्ठेन शुल्केन दण्डेनाथापराधिनाम् । शास्त्रानीतेन लिप्सेथा वेतनेन धनागमम् ॥

baliṣaṣṭhena śulkena daṇḍenāthāparādhinām | śāstrānītena lipsethā vetanena dhanāgamam

Seek your income as the scriptures direct: through the sixth-part levy, through tolls, through fines on offenders, and through the king's due for service.

Verse 11 (12.71.11)

दापयित्वा करं धर्म्यं राष्ट्रं नीत्या यथाविधि । तथैतं कल्पयेद्राजा योगक्षेममतन्द्रितः ॥

dāpayitvā karaṃ dharmyaṃ rāṣṭraṃ nītyā yathāvidhi | tathaitaṃ kalpayedrājā yogakṣemamatandritaḥ

Having had the realm pay the lawful tax by sound policy and in due form, the king, untiring, should likewise provide for its security and livelihood.

Verse 12 (12.71.12)

गोपायितारं दातारं धर्मनित्यमतन्द्रितम् । अकामद्वेषसंयुक्तमनुरज्यन्ति मानवाः ॥

gopāyitāraṃ dātāraṃ dharmanityamatandritam | akāmadveṣasaṃyuktamanurajyanti mānavāḥ

People grow attached to a king who protects and gives, who is always devoted to dharma and untiring, and who is free of favour and hatred.

Verse 13 (12.71.13)

तस्माद्धर्मेण लाभेन लिप्सेथास्त्वं धनागमम् । धर्मार्थावध्रुवौ तस्य यो न शास्त्रपरो भवेत् ॥

tasmāddharmeṇa lābhena lipsethāstvaṃ dhanāgamam | dharmārthāvadhruvau tasya yo na śāstraparo bhavet

Therefore seek your wealth through dharma and lawful gain. For the king who is not devoted to the scriptures, neither dharma nor wealth is secure.

Verse 14 (12.71.14)

अपशास्त्रधनो राजा संचयं नाधिगच्छति । अस्थाने चास्य तद्वित्तं सर्वमेव विनश्यति ॥

apaśāstradhano rājā saṃcayaṃ nādhigacchati | asthāne cāsya tadvittaṃ sarvameva vinaśyati

A king whose wealth is gained against the scriptures never builds up a store; spent in the wrong places, all that wealth is lost.

Verse 15 (12.71.15)

अर्थमूलोऽपि हिंसां च कुरुते स्वयमात्मनः । करैरशास्त्रदृष्टैर्हि मोहात्संपीडयन्प्रजाः ॥

arthamūlo'pi hiṃsāṃ ca kurute svayamātmanaḥ | karairaśāstradṛṣṭairhi mohātsaṃpīḍayanprajāḥ

Even when wealth is his root, he does violence to himself, if through folly he crushes the people with levies the scriptures do not sanction.

Verse 16 (12.71.16)

ऊधश्छिन्द्यात्तु यो धेन्वाः क्षीरार्थी न लभेत्पयः । एवं राष्ट्रमयोगेन पीडितं न विवर्धते ॥

ūdhaśchindyāttu yo dhenvāḥ kṣīrārthī na labhetpayaḥ | evaṃ rāṣṭramayogena pīḍitaṃ na vivardhate

He who cuts off a cow's udder, wanting milk, gets no milk; so a kingdom oppressed by misrule does not prosper.

Verse 17 (12.71.17)

यवसोदकमादाय सान्त्वेन विनयेन च । यो हि दोग्ध्रीमुपास्ते च स नित्यं विन्दते पयः । एवं राष्ट्रमुपायेन भुञ्जानो लभते फलम् ॥

yavasodakamādāya sāntvena vinayena ca | yo hi dogdhrīmupāste ca sa nityaṃ vindate payaḥ | evaṃ rāṣṭramupāyena bhuñjāno labhate phalam

Bringing fodder and water, with kind words and courtesy, he who tends the milch-cow always gets her milk. So too the one who enjoys the kingdom by proper means gets its fruit.

Note on the text: Removed the stray backtick, quote mark and doubled daṇḍa around line 1 (Wikisource marks it as an interpolation). Line 1 is not in the critical edition's constituted text (found in the vulgate recension); the critical edition records it as the star line 12.72.16d*0175_01. Lines 2–3 are 12.72.17a and 12.72.17c.

Verse 18 (12.71.18)

अथ राष्ट्रमुपायेन भुज्यमानं सुरक्षितम् । जनयत्यतुलां नित्यं कोशवृद्धिं युधिष्ठिर ॥

atha rāṣṭramupāyena bhujyamānaṃ surakṣitam | janayatyatulāṃ nityaṃ kośavṛddhiṃ yudhiṣṭhira

And when a kingdom is enjoyed by proper means and kept well protected, it constantly brings about an incomparable increase of the treasury, Yudhishthira.

Verse 19 (12.71.19)

दोग्ध्री धान्यं हिरण्यं च मही राजा सुरक्षिता । नित्यं स्वेभ्यः परेभ्यश्च तृप्ता माता यथा पयः ॥

dogdhrī dhānyaṃ hiraṇyaṃ ca mahī rājā surakṣitā | nityaṃ svebhyaḥ parebhyaśca tṛptā mātā yathā payaḥ

The earth, well protected by the king, is a milch-cow that yields grain and gold; like a contented mother she gives her milk always, to her own and to others.

Verse 20 (12.71.20)

मालाकारोपमो राजन्भव माऽऽङ्गारिकोपमः । तथायुक्तश्चिरं राज्यं भोक्तुं शक्ष्यसि पालयन् ॥

mālākāropamo rājanbhava mā''ṅgārikopamaḥ | tathāyuktaściraṃ rājyaṃ bhoktuṃ śakṣyasi pālayan

Be like the gardener, O king, not like the charcoal-burner. Acting so, you will be able to enjoy the kingdom for a long time while protecting it.

Verse 21 (12.71.21)

परचक्राभियानेन यदि ते स्याद्धनक्षयः । अथ साम्नैव लिप्सेथा धनमब्राह्मणेषु यत् ॥

paracakrābhiyānena yadi te syāddhanakṣayaḥ | atha sāmnaiva lipsethā dhanamabrāhmaṇeṣu yat

If your wealth is depleted by an enemy's invasion, then seek wealth by conciliation alone, from those who are not brahmins.

Verse 22 (12.71.22)

मा स्म ते ब्राह्मणं दृष्ट्वा धनस्थं प्रचलेन्मनः । अन्त्यायामप्यवस्थायां किमु स्फीतस्य भारत ॥

mā sma te brāhmaṇaṃ dṛṣṭvā dhanasthaṃ pracalenmanaḥ | antyāyāmapyavasthāyāṃ kimu sphītasya bhārata

Let your mind never waver when you see a brahmin with wealth, even in the last extremity, much less when you are prosperous, O Bharata.

Verse 23 (12.71.23)

धनानि तेभ्यो दद्यास्त्वं यथाशक्ति यथार्हतः । सान्त्वयन्परिरक्षंश्च स्वर्गमाप्स्यसि दुर्जयम् ॥

dhanāni tebhyo dadyāstvaṃ yathāśakti yathārhataḥ | sāntvayanparirakṣaṃśca svargamāpsyasi durjayam

Give them wealth according to your means and their worth; by conciliating and protecting them you will win heaven, hard to conquer.

Verse 24 (12.71.24)

एवं धर्म्येण वृत्तेन प्रजास्त्वं परिपालय । स्वर्ग्यं पुण्यं यशो नित्यं प्राप्स्यसे कुरुनन्दन ॥

evaṃ dharmyeṇa vṛttena prajāstvaṃ paripālaya | svargyaṃ puṇyaṃ yaśo nityaṃ prāpsyase kurunandana

Thus protect your people by righteous conduct, and you will win heavenly, meritorious and lasting fame, joy of the Kurus.

Verse 25 (12.71.25)

धर्मेण व्यवहारेण प्रजाः पालय पाण्डव । युधिष्ठिर यथायुक्तो नाधिबन्धेन योक्ष्यसे ॥

dharmeṇa vyavahāreṇa prajāḥ pālaya pāṇḍava | yudhiṣṭhira yathāyukto nādhibandhena yokṣyase

Protect the people with righteous dealing, Pandava. Acting so, Yudhishthira, you will not be bound by anxiety.

Verse 26 (12.71.26)

एष एव परो धर्मो यद्राजा रक्षति प्रजाः । भूतानां हि यदा धर्मो रक्षणं परमा दया ॥

eṣa eva paro dharmo yadrājā rakṣati prajāḥ | bhūtānāṃ hi yadā dharmo rakṣaṇaṃ paramā dayā

This alone is the highest dharma, that the king protects his subjects; for the duty of beings is protection, and that is the highest compassion.

Verse 27 (12.71.27)

तस्मादेवं परं धर्मं मन्यन्ते धर्मकोविदाः । यो राजा रक्षणे युक्तो भूतेषु कुरुते दयाम् ॥

tasmādevaṃ paraṃ dharmaṃ manyante dharmakovidāḥ | yo rājā rakṣaṇe yukto bhūteṣu kurute dayām

Therefore those who know dharma hold this to be the highest dharma: the king who, devoted to protection, shows compassion to beings.

Verse 28 (12.71.28)

यदह्ना कुरुते पापमरक्षन्भयतः प्रजाः । राजा वर्षसहस्रेण तस्यान्तमधिगच्छति ॥

yadahnā kurute pāpamarakṣanbhayataḥ prajāḥ | rājā varṣasahasreṇa tasyāntamadhigacchati

The sin that a king commits in a single day, by failing through fear to protect his subjects, he reaches the end of only after a thousand years.

Verse 29 (12.71.29)

यदह्ना कुरुते धर्मं प्रजा धर्मेण पालयन् । दशवर्षसहस्राणि तस्य भुङ्क्ते फलं दिवि ॥

yadahnā kurute dharmaṃ prajā dharmeṇa pālayan | daśavarṣasahasrāṇi tasya bhuṅkte phalaṃ divi

The merit he earns in a single day, protecting the people by dharma, he enjoys the fruit of in heaven for ten thousand years.

Verse 30 (12.71.30)

स्विष्टिः स्वधीतिः सुतपा लोकाञ्जयति यावतः । क्षणेन तानवाप्नोति प्रजा धर्मेण पालयन् ॥

sviṣṭiḥ svadhītiḥ sutapā lokāñjayati yāvataḥ | kṣaṇena tānavāpnoti prajā dharmeṇa pālayan

As many worlds as a man wins who has sacrificed well, studied well and practised austerity well, the king wins in a moment, by protecting his people with dharma.

Verse 31 (12.71.31)

एवं धर्मं प्रयत्नेन कौन्तेय परिपालय । ततः पुण्यफलं लब्ध्वा नानुबन्धेन योक्ष्यसे ॥

evaṃ dharmaṃ prayatnena kaunteya paripālaya | tataḥ puṇyaphalaṃ labdhvā nānubandhena yokṣyase

Therefore, son of Kunti, guard dharma with all effort; having won the fruit of merit, you will not be bound by any further consequence.

Verse 32 (12.71.32)

स्वर्गलोके सुमहतीं श्रियं प्राप्स्यसि पाण्डव । असंभवश्च धर्माणामीदृशानामराजसु ॥

svargaloke sumahatīṃ śriyaṃ prāpsyasi pāṇḍava | asaṃbhavaśca dharmāṇāmīdṛśānāmarājasu

In the world of heaven you will gain great glory, Pandava; and such merits are impossible for those who are not kings.

Note on the text: The input had no critical-edition match. Line 1 corresponds to 12.72.32a (Wikisource reads सुमहतीं for the critical edition's ca mahatīṃ); line 2 is 12.72.32c.

Verse 33 (12.71.33)

तस्माद्राजैव नान्योऽस्ति यो धर्मफलमाप्नुयात् । स राज्यं धृतिमान्प्राप्य धर्मेण परिपालय । इन्द्रं तर्पय सोमेन कामैश्च सुहृदो जनान् ॥

tasmādrājaiva nānyo'sti yo dharmaphalamāpnuyāt | sa rājyaṃ dhṛtimānprāpya dharmeṇa paripālaya | indraṃ tarpaya somena kāmaiśca suhṛdo janān

Therefore only the king, and no one else, can obtain the fruit of dharma. Having won the kingdom, be steadfast and protect it with dharma; gratify Indra with soma, and your friends and people with the things they desire.

Note on the text: The input had no critical-edition match. Line 1 corresponds to 12.72.32e (Wikisource reads धर्मफलम् for the critical edition's mahat phalam); line 2 to 12.72.33a (Wikisource reads धृतिमान् for ṛddhimat); line 3 to 12.72.33c.