Bhishma Describes the King's Ministers and Officers

Verse 1 (12.85.1)

कथंस्विदिह राजेन्द्र पालयन्पार्थिवः प्रजाः । प्रैति धर्मं विशेषेण कीर्तिमाप्नोति शाश्वतीम् ॥

kathaṃsvidiha rājendra pālayanpārthivaḥ prajāḥ | praiti dharmaṃ viśeṣeṇa kīrtimāpnoti śāśvatīm

O king of kings, how does a king who protects his subjects gain dharma in full measure and win lasting fame?

Verse 2 (12.85.2)

व्यवहारेण शुद्धेन प्रजापालनतत्परः । प्राप्य धर्मं च कीर्ति च लोकानाप्नोत्यसौ शुचिः ॥

vyavahāreṇa śuddhena prajāpālanatatparaḥ | prāpya dharmaṃ ca kīrti ca lokānāpnotyasau śuciḥ

Devoted to protecting his people by pure administration, he gains dharma and fame, and being pure he wins the worlds.

Verse 3 (12.85.3)

कीदृशव्यवहारं तु कैश्च व्यवहरेन्नृपः । एतत्पृष्टो महाप्राज्ञ यथावद्वक्तुमर्हसि ॥

kīdṛśavyavahāraṃ tu kaiśca vyavaharennṛpaḥ | etatpṛṣṭo mahāprājña yathāvadvaktumarhasi

By what kind of procedure, and with whose help, should a king administer justice? You are greatly wise; you ought to answer this question properly.

Verse 4 (12.85.4)

ये चैव पूर्वकथिता गुणास्ते पुरुषं प्रति । नैकस्मिन्पुरुषे ह्येते विद्यन्त इति मे मतिः ॥

ye caiva pūrvakathitā guṇāste puruṣaṃ prati | naikasminpuruṣe hyete vidyanta iti me matiḥ

And the qualities that were described earlier as needed in a man are not, I think, all found together in any one man.

Verse 5 (12.85.5)

एवमेतन्महाप्राज्ञ यथा वदसि बुद्धिमन् । दुर्लभः पुरुषः कश्चिदेभिर्युक्तो गुणैः शुभैः ॥

evametanmahāprājña yathā vadasi buddhiman | durlabhaḥ puruṣaḥ kaścidebhiryukto guṇaiḥ śubhaiḥ

It is as you say, O wise and greatly understanding one: a man endowed with all these good qualities is hard to find.

Verse 6 (12.85.6)

किंतु संक्षेपतः शीलं प्रयत्नेनेह दुर्लभम् । वक्ष्यामि तु यथाऽमात्यान्यादृशांश्च करिष्यसि ॥

kiṃtu saṃkṣepataḥ śīlaṃ prayatneneha durlabham | vakṣyāmi tu yathā'mātyānyādṛśāṃśca kariṣyasi

But I shall tell you in brief the character that is hard to find even with effort, and what kind of ministers you should appoint.

Verse 7 (12.85.7)

चतुरो ब्राह्मणान्वैद्यान्प्रगल्भान्स्नातकाञ्शुचीन् । क्षत्रियान्दश चाष्टौ च बलिनः शस्त्रपाणिनः ॥

caturo brāhmaṇānvaidyānpragalbhānsnātakāñśucīn | kṣatriyāndaśa cāṣṭau ca balinaḥ śastrapāṇinaḥ

Four brahmins who are learned, bold, snatakas and pure; eighteen kshatriyas, strong and weapon in hand;

Note on the text: Line 1 = CE 12.86.7a (Wikisource स्नातकान् against CE sāttvikān); line 2 is the CE star passage 12.86.7b*0207_01 (kṣatriyān daśa vāṣṭau vā balinaḥ śastrapāṇayaḥ). The alignment found no match for the verse.

Verse 8 (12.85.8)

वैश्यान्वित्तेन संपन्नानेकविंशतिसङ्ख्यया । त्रींश्च शूद्रान्विनीतांश्च शुचीन्कर्मणि पूर्वके ॥

vaiśyānvittena saṃpannānekaviṃśatisaṅkhyayā | trīṃśca śūdrānvinītāṃśca śucīnkarmaṇi pūrvake

twenty-one vaishyas rich in wealth; and three shudras, humble and pure in their established work;

Note on the text: Not matched by the alignment. Line 1 is the CE star passage 12.86.7b*0207_02 (vaiśyān vittena saṃpannān ekaviṃśatisaṃkhyayā); line 2 = CE 12.86.7c (trīṃś ca śūdrān vinītāṃś ca śucīn karmaṇi pūrvake).

Verse 9 (12.85.9)

अष्टाभिश्च गुणैर्युक्तं सूतं पौराणिकं तथा । पञ्चाशद्वर्षवयसं प्रगल्भमनसूयकम् ॥

aṣṭābhiśca guṇairyuktaṃ sūtaṃ paurāṇikaṃ tathā | pañcāśadvarṣavayasaṃ pragalbhamanasūyakam

and a bard (suta) versed in the old tales, endowed with eight qualities, fifty years of age, bold and free from envy,

Verse 10 (12.85.10)

श्रुतिस्मृतिसमायुक्तं विनीतं समदर्शिनम् । कार्ये विवदमानानां शक्तमर्थेष्वलोलुपम् ॥

śrutismṛtisamāyuktaṃ vinītaṃ samadarśinam | kārye vivadamānānāṃ śaktamartheṣvalolupam

learned in the Vedas and the law books, modest, impartial, able to settle the disputes of those who quarrel, and not greedy for wealth,

Verse 11 (12.85.11)

वर्जितं चैव व्यसनैः सुघोरैः सप्तभिर्भृशम् । अष्टानां मन्त्रिणां मध्ये मन्त्रं राजोपधारयेत् ॥

varjitaṃ caiva vyasanaiḥ sughoraiḥ saptabhirbhṛśam | aṣṭānāṃ mantriṇāṃ madhye mantraṃ rājopadhārayet

and wholly free from the seven terrible vices. In the midst of the eight counsellors the king should consider his counsel.

Verse 12 (12.85.12)

ततः संप्रेषयेद्राष्ट्रे राष्ट्रीयाय च दर्शयेत् । अनेन व्यवहारेण द्रष्टव्यास्ते प्रजाः सदा ॥

tataḥ saṃpreṣayedrāṣṭre rāṣṭrīyāya ca darśayet | anena vyavahāreṇa draṣṭavyāste prajāḥ sadā

Then he should send them out into the realm and present them to the official of the realm, saying: "By this procedure the subjects are always to be looked after."

Verse 13 (12.85.13)

न चापि गूढं द्रव्यं ते ग्राह्यं कार्योपघातकम् । कार्ये खलु विपन्ने त्वां यो धर्मस्तं च पीडयेत् ॥

na cāpi gūḍhaṃ dravyaṃ te grāhyaṃ kāryopaghātakam | kārye khalu vipanne tvāṃ yo dharmastaṃ ca pīḍayet

And you must not accept any concealed wealth that would harm the work; for if the work fails, it would afflict you and your dharma.

Verse 14 (12.85.14)

विद्रवेच्चैव राष्ट्रं ते श्येनात्पक्षिगणा इव । परिस्रवेच्च सततं नौर्विशीर्णेव सागरे ॥

vidraveccaiva rāṣṭraṃ te śyenātpakṣigaṇā iva | parisravecca satataṃ naurviśīrṇeva sāgare

Your kingdom would scatter like flocks of birds before a hawk, and would keep leaking away like a shattered boat on the sea.

Verse 15 (12.85.15)

प्रजाः पालयतोऽसम्यगधर्मेणेह भूपतेः । हार्दं भयं संभवति स्वर्गश्चस्य विरुध्यते ॥

prajāḥ pālayato'samyagadharmeṇeha bhūpateḥ | hārdaṃ bhayaṃ saṃbhavati svargaścasya virudhyate

For a king who protects his subjects wrongly, by unrighteous means, fear arises in the heart, and his path to heaven is blocked.

Verse 16 (12.85.16)

अथ यो धर्मतः पाति राजाऽमात्योऽथवाऽऽत्मजः । धर्मासने सन्नियुक्तो धर्ममूले नरर्षभ ॥

atha yo dharmataḥ pāti rājā'mātyo'thavā''tmajaḥ | dharmāsane sanniyukto dharmamūle nararṣabha

But the king, or minister, or son who protects according to dharma, appointed to the seat of justice whose root is dharma, O best of men,

Verse 17 (12.85.17)

स्वर्गं याति महीपालो नियुक्तैः सचिवैः सह । कार्येष्वधिकृताः सम्यगकुर्वन्तो नृपानुगाः । आत्मानं पुरतः कृत्वा यान्त्यधः सह पार्थिवाः ॥

svargaṃ yāti mahīpālo niyuktaiḥ sacivaiḥ saha | kāryeṣvadhikṛtāḥ samyagakurvanto nṛpānugāḥ | ātmānaṃ purataḥ kṛtvā yāntyadhaḥ saha pārthivāḥ

that king goes to heaven together with the ministers appointed to their posts. But those placed in charge of affairs who do not act rightly, the king's followers, put themselves first and go down together with their kings.

Note on the text: Three-line verse, as on the page (labelled 12-85-17a/b/c). Removed the backticks, quote mark and stray daṇḍa Wikisource prints around line 1. Line 1 is the CE star passage 12.86.15d*0208_01 (svargaṃ yāti mahīpālo niyuktaiḥ sacivaiḥ saha), not in the CE's constituted text; lines 2-3 = CE 12.86.16 (kāryeṣv adhikṛtāḥ samyag akurvanto nṛpānugāḥ / ātmānaṃ purataḥ kṛtvā yānty adhaḥ sahapārthivāḥ), which the alignment left unmatched.

Verse 18 (12.85.18)

बलात्कृतानां बलिभिः कृपणं बहुजल्पताम् । नाथो वै भूमिपो नित्यमनाथानां नृणां भवेत् ॥

balātkṛtānāṃ balibhiḥ kṛpaṇaṃ bahujalpatām | nātho vai bhūmipo nityamanāthānāṃ nṛṇāṃ bhavet

The king is always the protector of helpless men who have been wronged by the strong and cry out piteously and at length.

Note on the text: Corrected वलिभिः → बलिभिः (misprint in Wikisource; व for ब, since वलि 'wrinkle' makes no sense here; CE 12.86.17a reads balibhiḥ).

Verse 19 (12.85.19)

ततः साक्षिबलं साधु द्वैधवादकृतं भवेत् । असाक्षिकमनाथं वा परीक्ष्यं तद्विशेषतः ॥

tataḥ sākṣibalaṃ sādhu dvaidhavādakṛtaṃ bhavet | asākṣikamanāthaṃ vā parīkṣyaṃ tadviśeṣataḥ

Then the weight of witnesses, as brought out in the pleadings of the two sides, should be sound; where there is no witness, or the party is helpless, the case must be examined with special care.

Verse 20 (12.85.20)

अपराधानुरूपं च दण्डं पापेषु धारयेत् । वियोजयेद्धनैर्ऋद्धानधनानथ बन्धनैः ॥

aparādhānurūpaṃ ca daṇḍaṃ pāpeṣu dhārayet | viyojayeddhanairṛddhānadhanānatha bandhanaiḥ

He should impose punishment on wrongdoers in proportion to the offence: depriving the wealthy of their riches, and punishing the poor with imprisonment.

Verse 21 (12.85.21)

विनयेच्चापि दुर्वृत्तान्प्रहारैरपि पार्थिवः । सान्त्वेनोपप्रदानेन शिष्टांश्च परिपालयेत् ॥

vinayeccāpi durvṛttānprahārairapi pārthivaḥ | sāntvenopapradānena śiṣṭāṃśca paripālayet

The king should discipline evildoers even with blows, and protect the good with conciliation and gifts.

Verse 22 (12.85.22)

राज्ञो वधं चिकीर्षेद्यस्तस्य चित्रो वधो भवेत् । आदीपकस्य स्तेनस्य वर्णसंकरिकस्य च ॥

rājño vadhaṃ cikīrṣedyastasya citro vadho bhavet | ādīpakasya stenasya varṇasaṃkarikasya ca

One who wishes to kill the king should meet a manifold and terrible death; so too an arsonist, a thief, and one who causes the mixing of the castes.

Verse 23 (12.85.23)

सम्यक्प्रणयतो दण्डं भूमिपस्य विशांपते । युक्तस्य वा नास्त्यधर्मो धर्म एव हि शाश्वतः ॥

samyakpraṇayato daṇḍaṃ bhūmipasya viśāṃpate | yuktasya vā nāstyadharmo dharma eva hi śāśvataḥ

When a king, or one appointed by him, rightly inflicts punishment, O lord of the people, there is no unrighteousness in it; it is indeed eternal dharma.

Verse 24 (12.85.24)

कामकारेण दण्डं तु यः कुर्यादविचक्षणः । स इहाकीर्तिसंयुक्तो मृतो नरकमृच्छति ॥

kāmakāreṇa daṇḍaṃ tu yaḥ kuryādavicakṣaṇaḥ | sa ihākīrtisaṃyukto mṛto narakamṛcchati

But the unwise man who inflicts punishment at his own whim gains infamy here, and after death goes to hell.

Verse 25 (12.85.25)

न परस्य प्रवादेन परेषां दण्डमर्पयेत् । आगमानुगमं कृत्वा बध्नीयान्मोक्षयीत वा ॥

na parasya pravādena pareṣāṃ daṇḍamarpayet | āgamānugamaṃ kṛtvā badhnīyānmokṣayīta vā

He should not hand others over to punishment on someone else's mere accusation; only after examining the origin and the outcome of the matter should he bind or release.

Verse 26 (12.85.26)

न तु हन्यान्नृपो जातु दूतं कस्यांचिदापदि । दूतस्य हन्ता निरयमाविशेत्सचिवैः सह ॥

na tu hanyānnṛpo jātu dūtaṃ kasyāṃcidāpadi | dūtasya hantā nirayamāviśetsacivaiḥ saha

A king must never kill an envoy, whatever the emergency; the killer of an envoy enters hell together with his counsellors.

Verse 27 (12.85.27)

यथोक्तवादिनं दूतं क्षत्रधर्मरतो नृपः । यो हन्यात्पितरस्तस्य भ्रूणहत्यामवाप्नुयुः ॥

yathoktavādinaṃ dūtaṃ kṣatradharmarato nṛpaḥ | yo hanyātpitarastasya bhrūṇahatyāmavāpnuyuḥ

If a king devoted to the duty of a kshatriya kills an envoy who speaks just as he was instructed, his forefathers incur the guilt of killing an embryo.

Verse 28 (12.85.28)

कुलीनः शीलसंपन्नो वाग्मी दक्षः प्रियंवदः । यथोक्तवादीस्मृतिमान्दूतः स्यात्सप्तभिर्गुणैः ॥

kulīnaḥ śīlasaṃpanno vāgmī dakṣaḥ priyaṃvadaḥ | yathoktavādīsmṛtimāndūtaḥ syātsaptabhirguṇaiḥ

An envoy should have seven qualities: good family, good character, eloquence, skill, pleasant speech, faithfulness in delivering what he was told, and a good memory.

Verse 29 (12.85.29)

एतैरेव गुणैर्युक्तः प्रतीहारोऽस्य रक्षिता । शिरोरक्षश्च भवति गुणैरेतैः समन्वितः ॥

etaireva guṇairyuktaḥ pratīhāro'sya rakṣitā | śirorakṣaśca bhavati guṇairetaiḥ samanvitaḥ

With these very qualities the king's doorkeeper and guard should be endowed, and the guardian of his person as well.

Verse 30 (12.85.30)

धर्मशास्त्रार्थतत्त्वज्ञः सांधिविग्रहिको भवेत् । मतिमान्धृतिमान्ह्रीमान्रहस्यविनिगूहिता ॥

dharmaśāstrārthatattvajñaḥ sāṃdhivigrahiko bhavet | matimāndhṛtimānhrīmānrahasyavinigūhitā

The minister of peace and war should know the true meaning of the law books; he should be intelligent, steadfast and modest, and able to keep secrets.

Verse 31 (12.85.31)

कुलीनः सत्वसंपन्नः शुक्लोऽमात्यः प्रशस्यते । एतैरेव गुणैर्युक्तस्तथा सेनापतिर्भवेत् ॥

kulīnaḥ satvasaṃpannaḥ śuklo'mātyaḥ praśasyate | etaireva guṇairyuktastathā senāpatirbhavet

A minister who is well-born, of firm character and pure is praised; with these same qualities one should be the commander of the army.

Verse 32 (12.85.32)

व्यूहयन्त्रायुधानां च तत्त्वज्ञो विक्रमान्वितः । वर्षशीतोष्णवातानां सहिष्णुः पररन्ध्रवित् ॥

vyūhayantrāyudhānāṃ ca tattvajño vikramānvitaḥ | varṣaśītoṣṇavātānāṃ sahiṣṇuḥ pararandhravit

He should know the truth of battle formations, engines and weapons, be full of valour, endure rain, cold, heat and wind, and know the enemy's weak points.

Verse 33 (12.85.33)

विश्वासयेत्परांश्चैव विश्वसेच्च न कस्यचित् । पुत्रेष्वपि हि राजेन्द्र विश्वासो न प्रशस्यते ॥

viśvāsayetparāṃścaiva viśvasecca na kasyacit | putreṣvapi hi rājendra viśvāso na praśasyate

He should make others trust him but trust no one himself; even in sons, O king of kings, trust is not praised.

Verse 34 (12.85.34)

एतच्छास्त्रार्थतत्त्वं तु मयाऽऽख्यातं तवानघ । अविश्वासो नरेन्द्राणां गुह्यं परममुच्यते ॥

etacchāstrārthatattvaṃ tu mayā''khyātaṃ tavānagha | aviśvāso narendrāṇāṃ guhyaṃ paramamucyate

This is the essence of the teaching of the scriptures that I have told you, sinless one: distrust is called the supreme secret of kings.