Friends and Foes, Counsellors and Kinsmen

Verse 1 (12.80.1)

यदप्यल्पतरं कर्म तदप्येकेन दुष्करम् । पुरुषेणासहायेन किमु राज्यं पितामह ॥

yadapyalpataraṃ karma tadapyekena duṣkaram | puruṣeṇāsahāyena kimu rājyaṃ pitāmaha

Even a small undertaking is hard for one man to do alone. How much more a kingdom, grandfather, for a man without help!

Verse 2 (12.80.2)

किंशीलः किंसमाचारो राज्ञो यः सचिवो भवेत् । कीदृशे विश्वसेद्राजा कीदृशे न च विश्वसेत् ॥

kiṃśīlaḥ kiṃsamācāro rājño yaḥ sacivo bhavet | kīdṛśe viśvasedrājā kīdṛśe na ca viśvaset

What character and conduct should the minister of a king have? In what sort of man should a king place trust, and in what sort not?

Verse 3 (12.80.3)

चतुर्विधानि मित्राणि राज्ञां राजन्भवन्त्युत । सहार्थो भजमानश्च सहजः कृत्रिमस्तथा ॥

caturvidhāni mitrāṇi rājñāṃ rājanbhavantyuta | sahārtho bhajamānaśca sahajaḥ kṛtrimastathā

Kings, O king, have four kinds of friends: one who shares their aim, one who attends on them, one who is a friend by birth, and one who is made a friend.

Note on the text: Corrected भजः निश्च → भजमानश्च (misprint in Wikisource; the word is garbled; the critical edition reads bhajamānaś ca, and the page's own note glosses भजमानः).

Verse 4 (12.80.4)

धर्मात्मा पञ्चमं मित्रं स तु नैकस्य न द्वयोः । यतो धर्मस्ततो वा स्यान्मध्यस्थो वा ततो भवेत् ॥

dharmātmā pañcamaṃ mitraṃ sa tu naikasya na dvayoḥ | yato dharmastato vā syānmadhyastho vā tato bhavet

The fifth friend is the man of dharma; he belongs neither to one party nor to two. He would be wherever dharma is, or else he would stand neutral.

Verse 5 (12.80.5)

यो यस्यार्थो न रोचेत न तं तस्य प्रकाशयेत् । मित्राणां प्रकृतिर्नास्ति त्वमित्राणां च भारत । उपकाराद्भवेन्मित्रमपकाराद्भवेदरिः ॥

yo yasyārtho na roceta na taṃ tasya prakāśayet | mitrāṇāṃ prakṛtirnāsti tvamitrāṇāṃ ca bhārata | upakārādbhavenmitramapakārādbhavedariḥ

If a man's purpose does not please another, he should not disclose it to him. Friends and enemies have no fixed nature, O Bharata; by help a man becomes a friend, by harm an enemy.

Note on the text: Corrected प्रकाशयेत → प्रकाशयेत् (misprint in Wikisource; dropped virama; the critical edition reads prakāśayet) and removed the stray backtick before line 2. Line 1 = CE 12.81.5a; lines 2-3 are the CE star lines 12.81.5b*0200_01-02 (mitrāṇāṃ prakṛtir nāsti tv amitrāṇāṃ ca bhārata / upakārād bhaven mitram apakārād bhaved ariḥ).

Verse 6 (12.80.6)

यस्यैव हि मनुष्यस्य नरो मरणमिच्छति । तस्य पर्यागते काले पुनर्जीवितुमिच्छति ॥

yasyaiva hi manuṣyasya naro maraṇamicchati | tasya paryāgate kāle punarjīvitumicchati

The very man whose death one wishes for, when the time has come round, one wishes to live again.

Note on the text: Corrected मरणमृच्छति → मरणमिच्छति (misprint in Wikisource; ऋ for इ; the critical edition reads maraṇam icchati). Not matched by the alignment: both lines are the CE star lines 12.81.5b*0200_03-04 (yasyaiva hi manuṣyasya naro maraṇam icchati / tasya paryāgate kāle punar jīvitam icchati).

Verse 7 (12.80.7)

धर्माधर्मेण राजानश्चरन्ति विजिगीषवः । चतुर्णां मध्यमौ श्रेष्ठौ नित्यं शङ्क्यौ तथाऽपरौ । सर्वे नित्यं शङ्कितव्याः प्रत्यक्षं कार्यमात्मनः ॥

dharmādharmeṇa rājānaścaranti vijigīṣavaḥ | caturṇāṃ madhyamau śreṣṭhau nityaṃ śaṅkyau tathā'parau | sarve nityaṃ śaṅkitavyāḥ pratyakṣaṃ kāryamātmanaḥ

Kings who are eager for conquest act by dharma and by adharma. Of the four, the middle two are the best; the other two are always to be suspected. In truth all are always to be suspected, and one's own affairs should be seen to with one's own eyes.

Note on the text: Not matched by the alignment: three-line verse as on the page (labelled 12-80-7a/b/c). Line 1 = CE 12.81.5c (dharmādharmeṇa rājānaś caranti vijigīṣavaḥ); lines 2-3 = CE 12.81.6a and 6c (तथाऽपरौ for tathāparau, the same).

Verse 8 (12.80.8)

न हि राज्ञा प्रमादो वै कर्तव्यो मित्ररक्षणे । प्रमादिनं हि राजानं लोकाः परिभवन्त्युत ॥

na hi rājñā pramādo vai kartavyo mitrarakṣaṇe | pramādinaṃ hi rājānaṃ lokāḥ paribhavantyuta

A king should never be careless in protecting his friends; people despise a careless king.

Verse 9 (12.80.9)

असाधुः साधुतामेति साधुर्भवति दारुणः । अरिश्च मित्रं भवति मित्रं चापि प्रदुष्यति ॥

asādhuḥ sādhutāmeti sādhurbhavati dāruṇaḥ | ariśca mitraṃ bhavati mitraṃ cāpi praduṣyati

A bad man becomes good, and a good man becomes harsh; an enemy becomes a friend, and a friend turns bad.

Verse 10 (12.80.10)

अनित्यचित्तः पुरुषस्तस्मिन्को जातु विश्वसेत् । तस्मात्प्रधानं यत्कार्यं प्रत्यक्षं तत्समाचरेत् ॥

anityacittaḥ puruṣastasminko jātu viśvaset | tasmātpradhānaṃ yatkāryaṃ pratyakṣaṃ tatsamācaret

A man's mind is unsteady; who could ever trust in him? Therefore, whatever is the chief matter, one should carry it out under one's own eyes.

Verse 11 (12.80.11)

एकान्तेन हि विश्वासः कृत्स्नो धर्मार्थनाशकः । अविश्वासश्च सर्वत्र मृत्युर्नापि विशिष्यते ॥

ekāntena hi viśvāsaḥ kṛtsno dharmārthanāśakaḥ | aviśvāsaśca sarvatra mṛtyurnāpi viśiṣyate

Complete trust destroys dharma and wealth, but distrust everywhere is no different from death.

Note on the text: Corrected कर्मार्थनाशकः → धर्मार्थनाशकः (misprint in Wikisource; क for ध, which also breaks the sandhi कृत्स्नो ध-; the critical edition reads kṛtsno dharmārthanāśakaḥ).

Verse 12 (12.80.12)

अकालमृत्युर्विश्वासो विश्वसन्हि विपद्यते । यस्मिन्करोति विश्वासमिच्छतस्तस्य जीवति ॥

akālamṛtyurviśvāso viśvasanhi vipadyate | yasminkaroti viśvāsamicchatastasya jīvati

Trust is untimely death; one who trusts perishes. The man in whom one places trust holds one's life at his wish.

Note on the text: Corrected विश्वासोऽविश्वसन्हि → विश्वासो विश्वसन्हि (misprint in Wikisource; the doubled 'a' (avagraha plus अ) turns 'one who trusts' into 'one who distrusts', against the sense of line 2; the critical edition reads viśvāso viśvasan hi).

Verse 13 (12.80.13)

तस्माद्विश्वसितव्यं च शङ्कितव्यं च केषुचित् । एषा नीतिगतिस्तात लक्ष्मीश्चैषा सनातनी ॥

tasmādviśvasitavyaṃ ca śaṅkitavyaṃ ca keṣucit | eṣā nītigatistāta lakṣmīścaiṣā sanātanī

Therefore one must trust in some and be wary of some. This, dear child, is the course of policy, and this is the eternal Lakshmi.

Verse 14 (12.80.14)

यं मन्येत ममाभावादिममर्थागमः स्पृशेत् । नित्यं तस्माच्छङ्कितव्यममित्रं तं विदुर्बुधाः ॥

yaṃ manyeta mamābhāvādimamarthāgamaḥ spṛśet | nityaṃ tasmācchaṅkitavyamamitraṃ taṃ vidurbudhāḥ

Whoever he thinks may come into wealth when he himself is gone, of him he should always be wary; the wise know such a man for an enemy.

Verse 15 (12.80.15)

यस्य क्षेत्रादप्युदकं क्षेत्रमन्यस्य गच्छति । न तत्रानिच्छतस्तस्य भिद्येरन्सर्वसेतवः ॥

yasya kṣetrādapyudakaṃ kṣetramanyasya gacchati | na tatrānicchatastasya bhidyeransarvasetavaḥ

If the water of one man's field flows into another man's field, then, should that man not wish it, not all the dikes there would be breached.

Note on the text: Wikisource's sarvasetavaḥ line is kept as printed; the critical edition (12.81.14) has the same words.

Verse 16 (12.80.16)

तथैवात्युदकाद्भीतस्तस्य भेदनमिच्छति । यमेवंलक्षणं विद्यात्तममित्रं विदुर्बुधाः ॥

tathaivātyudakādbhītastasya bhedanamicchati | yamevaṃlakṣaṇaṃ vidyāttamamitraṃ vidurbudhāḥ

In the same way, one who is afraid of too much water wishes to breach them. Whoever one may see to have such a mark, the wise call him an enemy.

Verse 17 (12.80.17)

यस्तु वृद्ध्या न तप्येत क्षये दीनतरो भवेत् । एतदुत्तममित्रस्य निमित्तमभिचक्षते ॥

yastu vṛddhyā na tapyeta kṣaye dīnataro bhavet | etaduttamamitrasya nimittamabhicakṣate

He who is not pained by his friend's rise and grows more downcast at his decline: this they declare to be the mark of an excellent friend.

Verse 18 (12.80.18)

यन्मन्येत ममाभावादस्याभावो भवेदिति । तस्मिन्कुर्वीत विश्वासं यथा पितरि वै तथा ॥

yanmanyeta mamābhāvādasyābhāvo bhavediti | tasminkurvīta viśvāsaṃ yathā pitari vai tathā

Whomever he considers: 'If I am gone, he too will be gone', in him he should place trust as in a father.

Note on the text: Corrected पितरी → पितरि (misprint in Wikisource; locative; the critical edition reads pitari). Line 1 has यन्मन्येत where the CE has yaṃ manyeta; the page's note cites यत् as a variant.

Verse 19 (12.80.19)

तं शक्त्या वर्तमानं च सर्वतः परिबृंहयेत् । नित्यं क्षताद्वारयति यो धर्मेष्वपि कर्मसु ॥

taṃ śaktyā vartamānaṃ ca sarvataḥ paribṛṃhayet | nityaṃ kṣatādvārayati yo dharmeṣvapi karmasu

He should foster in every way, as far as he is able, the man who stands by him and who always shields him from harm, even in acts of dharma.

Verse 20 (12.80.20)

क्षताद्भीतं विजानीयादुत्तमं मित्रलक्षणम् । ये यस्य क्षयमिच्छन्ति ते तस्य रिपवः स्मृताः ॥

kṣatādbhītaṃ vijānīyāduttamaṃ mitralakṣaṇam | ye yasya kṣayamicchanti te tasya ripavaḥ smṛtāḥ

Fear of harm to him is to be known as the best mark of a friend. Those who wish for another's ruin are called his enemies.

Verse 21 (12.80.21)

व्यसनान्नित्यभीतो यः समृद्ध्या यो न दुष्यति । यत्स्यादेवंविधं मित्रं तदात्मसममुच्यते ॥

vyasanānnityabhīto yaḥ samṛddhyā yo na duṣyati | yatsyādevaṃvidhaṃ mitraṃ tadātmasamamucyate

He who is always afraid of misfortune for you and is not spoiled by your prosperity: a friend of that kind is called the equal of oneself.

Verse 22 (12.80.22)

रूपवर्णस्वरोपेतस्तितिक्षुरनसूयकः । कुलीनः शीलसंपन्नः स ते स्यात्प्रत्यनन्तरः ॥

rūpavarṇasvaropetastitikṣuranasūyakaḥ | kulīnaḥ śīlasaṃpannaḥ sa te syātpratyanantaraḥ

A man of fine form, complexion and voice, forbearing, free from envy, of good family and good character, can be your deputy.

Verse 23 (12.80.23)

मेधावी स्मृतिमान्दक्षः प्रकृत्या चानृशंस्यवान् । यो मानितोऽमानितो वा न सन्तुष्येत्कथंचन ॥

medhāvī smṛtimāndakṣaḥ prakṛtyā cānṛśaṃsyavān | yo mānito'mānito vā na santuṣyetkathaṃcana

Intelligent, mindful, skilled, kind by nature, and who, whether honoured or slighted, never grows complacent:

Note on the text: Line 2 ends न सन्तुष्येत्कथंचन where the critical edition (12.81.22) has na saṃdūṣyet kadā cana; Wikisource's reading is a valid word and is kept as a variant.

Verse 24 (12.80.24)

ऋत्विग्वा यदि वाऽऽचार्यः सखा वाऽत्यंतसत्कृतः । गृहे वसेदमात्यस्ते स स्यात्परमपूजितः ॥

ṛtvigvā yadi vā''cāryaḥ sakhā vā'tyaṃtasatkṛtaḥ | gṛhe vasedamātyaste sa syātparamapūjitaḥ

Whether a priest, a teacher, or a friend greatly honoured, let him be a minister living in your house, held in the highest regard.

Verse 25 (12.80.25)

संविद्याः परमं मित्रं प्रकृतिं चार्थधर्मयोः । विश्वासस्ते भवेत्तत्र यथा पितरि वै तथा ॥

saṃvidyāḥ paramaṃ mitraṃ prakṛtiṃ cārthadharmayoḥ | viśvāsaste bhavettatra yathā pitari vai tathā

Recognise him as your best friend, the one who knows the true nature of wealth and dharma; let your trust in him be as in a father.

Note on the text: Line 1 (संविद्याः परमं मित्रं प्रकृतिं चार्थधर्मयोः) differs from CE 12.81.24a (sa te vidyāt paraṃ mantraṃ prakṛtiṃ cārthadharmayoḥ); Wikisource's wording is good Sanskrit (saṃvidyāḥ, 'you should recognise') and is kept.

Verse 26 (12.80.26)

नैव द्वौ न त्रयः कार्या न मृष्येरन्परस्परम् । एकार्थे हेतुभूतानां भेदो भवति सर्वदा ॥

naiva dvau na trayaḥ kāryā na mṛṣyeranparasparam | ekārthe hetubhūtānāṃ bhedo bhavati sarvadā

Neither two nor three should be appointed to the same office, for they would not bear with one another; among those who are the cause of a single matter, a rift always arises.

Verse 27 (12.80.27)

कीर्तिप्रधानो यस्तु स्याद्यश्च स्यात्समये स्थितः । समर्थान्यश्च न द्वेष्टि नानर्थान्कुरुते च यः ॥

kīrtipradhāno yastu syādyaśca syātsamaye sthitaḥ | samarthānyaśca na dveṣṭi nānarthānkurute ca yaḥ

One whose chief concern is a good name, who keeps within the agreed bounds, who does not hate the capable and does no mischief to anyone,

Note on the text: Corrected यस्त स्याद् → यस्तु स्याद् (misprint in Wikisource; dropped ु; the critical edition has yaś ca syād). Line 2 has नानर्थान्कुरुते where the CE has samarthān kurute, a recension variant.

Verse 28 (12.80.28)

यो न कामाद्भयाल्लोभात्क्रोधाद्वा धर्ममुत्सृजेत् । दक्षः पर्याप्तवचनः स ते स्यात्प्रत्यनन्तरः ॥

yo na kāmādbhayāllobhātkrodhādvā dharmamutsṛjet | dakṣaḥ paryāptavacanaḥ sa te syātpratyanantaraḥ

who would not abandon dharma out of desire, fear, greed or anger, who is skilled and ready of speech: such a man would be your deputy.

Verse 29 (12.80.29)

कुलीनः शीलसंपन्नस्तितिक्षुरविकत्थनः । शूरश्चार्यश्च विद्वांश्च प्रतिपत्तिविशारदः ॥

kulīnaḥ śīlasaṃpannastitikṣuravikatthanaḥ | śūraścāryaśca vidvāṃśca pratipattiviśāradaḥ

Of good family, of good character, forbearing, not boastful, brave, noble, learned, and skilled in deciding what is to be done:

Note on the text: Not matched by the alignment because Wikisource prints the two lines of CE 12.81.28 in the opposite order: line 1 = CE 12.81.28c (kulīnaḥ śīlasaṃpannas titikṣur anasūyakaḥ, with अविकत्थनः for anasūyakaḥ, a variant); line 2 = CE 12.81.28a (śūraś cāryaś ca vidvāṃś ca pratipattiviśāradaḥ).

Verse 30 (12.80.30)

एते ह्यमात्याः कर्तव्याः सर्वकर्मस्ववस्थिताः । पूजिताः संबिभक्ताश्च सुसहायाः स्वनुष्ठिताः ॥

ete hyamātyāḥ kartavyāḥ sarvakarmasvavasthitāḥ | pūjitāḥ saṃbibhaktāśca susahāyāḥ svanuṣṭhitāḥ

Such men should be made ministers, set over every kind of work, honoured, given their share, well provided with helpers and well looked after.

Verse 31 (12.80.31)

कृत्स्नमेते विनिक्षिप्ताः प्रतिरूपेषु कर्मसु । युक्ता महत्सु कार्येषु श्रेयांस्युत्पादयन्त्युत ॥

kṛtsnamete vinikṣiptāḥ pratirūpeṣu karmasu | yuktā mahatsu kāryeṣu śreyāṃsyutpādayantyuta

Entrusted with the whole, set to fitting tasks and engaged in great affairs, they bring about good results.

Note on the text: Corrected कृत्स्नप्रेते → कृत्स्नमेते (misprint in Wikisource; प्रे for म; the critical edition reads kṛtsnam ete, and the page's note glosses कृत्स्नम्).

Verse 32 (12.80.32)

एते कर्माणि कुर्वन्ति स्पर्धमाना मिथः सदा । अनुतिष्ठन्ति चैवार्थमाचक्षाणाः परस्परम् ॥

ete karmāṇi kurvanti spardhamānā mithaḥ sadā | anutiṣṭhanti caivārthamācakṣāṇāḥ parasparam

These men do their work always vying with one another, and they carry out affairs by reporting to one another.

Verse 33 (12.80.33)

ज्ञातिभ्यो बिभियाश्चैव मृत्योरिव यतस्तदा । उपराजेव राजर्धि ज्ञातिर्न सहते सदा ॥

jñātibhyo bibhiyāścaiva mṛtyoriva yatastadā | uparājeva rājardhi jñātirna sahate sadā

You should fear your kinsmen as you fear death, for a kinsman can never bear a royal sage, just as a neighbouring petty king cannot.

Note on the text: Line 1 reads बिभियाश्चैव ... यतस्तदा where the critical edition (12.81.32) has bibhyethā ... yataḥ sadā; Wikisource's reading is kept as a variant.

Verse 34 (12.80.34)

ऋजोर्मृदोर्वदान्यस्य ह्रीमतः सत्यवादिनः । नान्यो ज्ञातेर्महाबाहो विनाशमभिनन्दति ॥

ṛjormṛdorvadānyasya hrīmataḥ satyavādinaḥ | nānyo jñātermahābāho vināśamabhinandati

Of a man who is upright, gentle, generous, modest and truthful, O mighty-armed one, no one but a kinsman rejoices at his ruin.

Verse 35 (12.80.35)

अज्ञातयोऽप्यसुखदा ज्ञातयोऽपि सुखावहाः । अज्ञातिमन्तं पुरुषं परे चाभिभवन्त्युत ॥

ajñātayo'pyasukhadā jñātayo'pi sukhāvahāḥ | ajñātimantaṃ puruṣaṃ pare cābhibhavantyuta

Even those who are not kin may give no happiness, and even kin may bring happiness; a man with no kin is overwhelmed by others.

Note on the text: Not matched by the alignment: line 1 (अज्ञातयोऽप्यसुखदा ज्ञातयोऽपि सुखावहाः) differs from CE 12.81.34a (ajñātitā nātisukhā nāvajñeyās tv ataḥ param) and is kept as a recension variant; line 2 = CE 12.81.34c (ajñātimantaṃ puruṣaṃ pare paribhavanty uta, with चाभिभवन्त्युत).

Verse 36 (12.80.36)

निकृतस्य नरैरन्यैर्ज्ञातिरेव परायणम् । नान्यो निकारं सहते ज्ञातिर्ज्ञातेः कदाचन ॥

nikṛtasya narairanyairjñātireva parāyaṇam | nānyo nikāraṃ sahate jñātirjñāteḥ kadācana

For a man wronged by others, kin alone are the refuge; a kinsman never lets another's wrong to his kinsman pass.

Verse 37 (12.80.37)

आत्मानमेव जानाति निकृतं बान्धवैरपि । तेषु सन्ति गुणाश्चैव नैर्गुण्यं चैव लक्ष्यते ॥

ātmānameva jānāti nikṛtaṃ bāndhavairapi | teṣu santi guṇāścaiva nairguṇyaṃ caiva lakṣyate

A man wronged even by his own relatives knows it for himself; in them there are virtues, and lack of virtue too is seen.

Note on the text: Corrected बान्धवैपरि → बान्धवैरपि (misprint in Wikisource; dropped र; the critical edition reads bāndhavair api).

Verse 38 (12.80.38)

नाज्ञातिरनुगृह्णाति नाज्ञातिर्वृद्धिमश्नुते । उभयं ज्ञातिवर्गेषु दृश्यते साध्वसाधु च ॥

nājñātiranugṛhṇāti nājñātirvṛddhimaśnute | ubhayaṃ jñātivargeṣu dṛśyate sādhvasādhu ca

One who is not kin neither gives support nor gains prosperity; among a body of kinsmen both are seen, the good and the bad.

Verse 39 (12.80.39)

संमानयेत्पूजयेच्च वाचा नित्यं च कर्मणा । कुर्याच्च प्रियमेतेभ्यो नाप्रियं किंचिदाचरेत् ॥

saṃmānayetpūjayecca vācā nityaṃ ca karmaṇā | kuryācca priyametebhyo nāpriyaṃ kiṃcidācaret

One should honour and revere them always, in word and in deed, do what pleases them, and never do anything that displeases them.

Note on the text: Corrected किंचिद चरेत् → किंचिदाचरेत् (misprint in Wikisource; dropped ā, words wrongly divided; the critical edition reads kiṃ cid ācaret). Line 1 begins संमानयेत्पूजयेच्च where the CE has tān mānayet pūjayec ca, a variant.

Verse 40 (12.80.40)

विश्वस्तवदविश्वस्तस्तेषु वर्तेत सर्वदा । न हि दोषो गुणो वेति निरूप्यस्तेषु दृश्यते ॥

viśvastavadaviśvastasteṣu varteta sarvadā | na hi doṣo guṇo veti nirūpyasteṣu dṛśyate

One should always behave toward them as though trusting them, while not trusting, for neither fault nor merit is seen to be settled in them.

Verse 41 (12.80.41)

अस्यैवं वर्तमानस्य पुरुषस्याप्रमादिनः । अमित्राः संप्रसीदन्ति ततो मित्रं भवन्त्यपि ॥

asyaivaṃ vartamānasya puruṣasyāpramādinaḥ | amitrāḥ saṃprasīdanti tato mitraṃ bhavantyapi

Toward a man who behaves in this way and is never careless, enemies grow gracious, and then they even become friends.

Verse 42 (12.80.42)

य एवं वर्तते नित्यं ज्ञातिसंबन्धिमण्डले । मित्रेष्वमित्रे मध्यस्थे चिरं यशसि तिष्ठति ॥

ya evaṃ vartate nityaṃ jñātisaṃbandhimaṇḍale | mitreṣvamitre madhyasthe ciraṃ yaśasi tiṣṭhati

He who always behaves like this in the circle of his kinsmen and relatives stands long in glory among friends, enemies and neutrals alike.