Vamadeva on Righteous Kingship

Verse 1 (12.93.1)

यत्राधर्मं प्रणयते दुर्बले बलवत्तरः । तां वृत्तिमुपजीवन्ति ये भवन्ति तदन्वयाः ॥

yatrādharmaṃ praṇayate durbale balavattaraḥ | tāṃ vṛttimupajīvanti ye bhavanti tadanvayāḥ

Where one who is stronger imposes unrighteousness on the weaker, those who belong to his following live by that same conduct.

Verse 2 (12.93.2)

राजानमनुवर्तन्ते तं पापाभिप्रवर्तकम् । अविनीतमनुष्यं तत्क्षिप्रं राष्ट्रं विनश्यति ॥

rājānamanuvartante taṃ pāpābhipravartakam | avinītamanuṣyaṃ tatkṣipraṃ rāṣṭraṃ vinaśyati

They follow that king who sets them on sinful ways; a realm whose men are undisciplined quickly perishes.

Verse 3 (12.93.3)

यद्वृत्तमुपजीवन्ति प्रकृतिस्थस्य मानवाः । तदेव विषमस्थस्य स्वजनोऽपि न मृष्यते ॥

yadvṛttamupajīvanti prakṛtisthasya mānavāḥ | tadeva viṣamasthasya svajano'pi na mṛṣyate

The conduct of a king by which people live while he abides in his true nature, that same conduct, when he stands on a crooked path, not even his own people will tolerate.

Note on the text: Corrected यद्वॄत्तम् → यद्वृत्तम् (misprint in Wikisource; long ॄ-sign for ृ; the critical edition reads yad vṛttim).

Verse 4 (12.93.4)

साहसप्रवृत्तेर्यत्र किंचिदुल्वणमाचरेत् । अशास्त्रलक्षणो राजा क्षिप्रमेव विनश्यति ॥

sāhasapravṛtteryatra kiṃcidulvaṇamācaret | aśāstralakṣaṇo rājā kṣiprameva vinaśyati

Where, from rashness, he does something violent, the king who does not follow the marks laid down by the treatises quickly perishes.

Note on the text: Corrected साहसप्रवृत्ते र्यत्र → साहसप्रवृत्तेर्यत्र (misprint in Wikisource; a stray space inside the sandhi; CE sāhasaprakṛtir yatra is a recension variant).

Verse 5 (12.93.5)

सद्वृत्ताचरितां वृत्तिं क्षत्रियो नानुवर्तते । जितानामजितानां च क्षत्रधर्मादपैति सः ॥

sadvṛttācaritāṃ vṛttiṃ kṣatriyo nānuvartate | jitānāmajitānāṃ ca kṣatradharmādapaiti saḥ

A Kshatriya who does not follow the way of life practised by the virtuous, toward the conquered and the unconquered alike, falls away from the dharma of a Kshatriya.

Note on the text: Corrected सद्वॄत्ताचरितां → सद्वृत्ताचरितां (misprint in Wikisource; long ॄ-sign for ृ). The page's footnote glosses जितानाम् as 'in distress' and अजितानाम् as 'at ease'.

Verse 6 (12.93.6)

द्विषन्तं कृतकल्याणं गृहीत्वा नृपतिं रणे । यो न नयते द्वेषात्क्षत्रधर्मादपैति सः ॥

dviṣantaṃ kṛtakalyāṇaṃ gṛhītvā nṛpatiṃ raṇe | yo na nayate dveṣātkṣatradharmādapaiti saḥ

A Kshatriya who has taken in battle a king who hates him but had once done him a kindness, and out of hatred does not deal kindly with him, falls away from the dharma of a Kshatriya.

Verse 7 (12.93.7)

शक्तः स्यात्सुमुखो राजा कुर्यात्तारणमापदि । प्रियो भवति भूतानां न च विभ्रश्यते श्रियः ॥

śaktaḥ syātsumukho rājā kuryāttāraṇamāpadi | priyo bhavati bhūtānāṃ na ca vibhraśyate śriyaḥ

Let the king be capable and gracious, and rescue others in calamity; he becomes dear to all beings and does not fall from prosperity.

Note on the text: Corrected शक्तः आत्सुसुखो → शक्तः स्यात्सुमुखो (misprint in Wikisource; आत् for स्यात्, स for म; the critical edition reads śaktaḥ syāt sumukho) and प्रियो अति → प्रियो भवति (अति is not a word here; the critical edition reads priyo bhavati). Wikisource कुर्यात्तारणमापदि against CE kuryāt kāruṇyam āpadi is a recension variant, kept.

Verse 8 (12.93.8)

अप्रियं यस्य कुर्वीत भूयस्तस्य प्रियं चरेत् । अचिरेण प्रियः स स्याद्योऽप्रिये प्रियमाचरेत् ॥

apriyaṃ yasya kurvīta bhūyastasya priyaṃ caret | acireṇa priyaḥ sa syādyo'priye priyamācaret

Whoever has displeased him, let him afterwards do that man a kindness. He soon becomes dear who treats kindly even one who displeases him.

Verse 9 (12.93.9)

मृषावादं परिहरेत्कुर्यात्प्रियमयाचितः । न कामान्न च संरम्भान्न द्वेषाद्धर्ममुत्सृजेत् ॥

mṛṣāvādaṃ pariharetkuryātpriyamayācitaḥ | na kāmānna ca saṃrambhānna dveṣāddharmamutsṛjet

Let him shun falsehood and do a kindness unasked; he should not abandon dharma out of desire, anger or hatred.

Verse 10 (12.93.10)

अमाययैव वर्तेत न च सत्यं त्यजेद्बुधः । दमं धर्मं च शीलं च क्षत्रधर्मं प्रजाहितम् ॥

amāyayaiva varteta na ca satyaṃ tyajedbudhaḥ | damaṃ dharmaṃ ca śīlaṃ ca kṣatradharmaṃ prajāhitam

A wise man should act without deceit and not abandon truth: self-restraint, dharma, good conduct and the Kshatriya duty that benefits the people.

Note on the text: Removed the backtick opening the passage and the stray quote mark and doubled danda before the verse-end mark. Not in the critical edition's constituted text (found in the vulgate recension); the critical edition records it as the star passage 12.94.9d*0224_01-02 (amāyayaiva varteta na ca satyaṃ tyajed budhaḥ / damaṃ dharmaṃ ca śīlaṃ ca kṣatradharmaṃ prajāhitam), after 12.94.9c.

Verse 11 (12.93.11)

नापत्रपेत प्रश्नेषु नाभिभाविगिरं सृजेत् । न त्वरेत न चासूयेत्तथा संगृह्यते परः ॥

nāpatrapeta praśneṣu nābhibhāvigiraṃ sṛjet | na tvareta na cāsūyettathā saṃgṛhyate paraḥ

He should not be ashamed at questions, nor use overbearing speech; he should not be hasty or envious. In this way the other is won over.

Verse 12 (12.93.12)

प्रिये नातिभृशं हृष्येदप्रिये न च संज्वरेत् । न तप्येदर्थकृच्छ्रेषु प्रजाहितमनुस्मरन् ॥

priye nātibhṛśaṃ hṛṣyedapriye na ca saṃjvaret | na tapyedarthakṛcchreṣu prajāhitamanusmaran

Let him not rejoice too much in what is pleasant nor burn in what is unpleasant; in times of hardship for his wealth let him not grieve, remembering the good of his subjects.

Verse 13 (12.93.13)

यः प्रियं कुरुते नित्यं गुणतो वसुधाधिपः । तस्य कर्माणि सिद्ध्यन्ति न च संत्यज्यते श्रिया ॥

yaḥ priyaṃ kurute nityaṃ guṇato vasudhādhipaḥ | tasya karmāṇi siddhyanti na ca saṃtyajyate śriyā

A lord of the earth who always does what is dear to his people according to their merit sees his undertakings succeed, and prosperity does not forsake him.

Verse 14 (12.93.14)

निवृत्तं प्रतिकूलेभ्यो वर्तमानमनुप्रिये । भक्तं भजेत नृपतिस्तद्वै वृत्तं सतामिह ॥

nivṛttaṃ pratikūlebhyo vartamānamanupriye | bhaktaṃ bhajeta nṛpatistadvai vṛttaṃ satāmiha

A king should cherish a devoted man who has turned away from what is hostile and acts only to please; that is the conduct of the good in this world.

Verse 15 (12.93.15)

अप्रकीर्णेन्द्रियग्राममत्यन्तानुगतं शुचिम् । शक्तं चैवानुरक्तं च युञ्ज्यान्महति कर्मणि ॥

aprakīrṇendriyagrāmamatyantānugataṃ śucim | śaktaṃ caivānuraktaṃ ca yuñjyānmahati karmaṇi

One whose senses are held in check, who is wholly loyal, pure, able and attached to him — such a man he should appoint to a great task.

Verse 16 (12.93.16)

श्रेयसो लक्षणं चैतद्विक्रमो यत्र दृश्यते । कीर्तिप्रधानो यश्च स्यात्समये यश्च तिष्ठति । समर्थान्पूजयेद्यश्च न च स्पर्धेत यश्च तैः ॥

śreyaso lakṣaṇaṃ caitadvikramo yatra dṛśyate | kīrtipradhāno yaśca syātsamaye yaśca tiṣṭhati | samarthānpūjayedyaśca na ca spardheta yaśca taiḥ

These are the marks of the better man: valour is seen in him, he puts fame first and keeps to his agreements, he honours the able and does not vie with them.

Note on the text: Removed a stray backtick opening the passage, and corrected यश्चतैः → यश्च तैः (misprint in Wikisource; two words run together; the critical edition reads yaś ca taiḥ). Three-line verse, as the page prints it (labelled 12-93-16a/b/c). Not in the critical edition's constituted text (found in the vulgate recension); the critical edition records it as the star passage 12.94.9b*0223_01-03, between 12.94.9a and 12.94.9c.

Verse 17 (12.93.17)

एवमेतैर्गुणैर्युक्तो योऽनुरज्यति भूमिपम् । भर्तुरर्थेष्वप्रमत्तं नियुञ्ज्यादर्थकर्मणि ॥

evametairguṇairyukto yo'nurajyati bhūmipam | bharturartheṣvapramattaṃ niyuñjyādarthakarmaṇi

One endowed with these qualities who is devoted to the king and vigilant in his master's interests, him he should appoint to the business of wealth.

Note on the text: Matches CE 12.94.15 only loosely (evam eva guṇair yukto yo na rajyati bhūmipam / bhartur artheṣv asūyantaṃ na taṃ yuñjīta karmaṇi). Wikisource's reading (योऽनुरज्यति … अप्रमत्तं नियुञ्ज्यादर्थकर्मणि) is a recension variant, and the page's own footnote cites the CE-type reading as a variant; kept as printed.

Verse 18 (12.93.18)

मूढमैन्द्रियकं लुब्धमनार्यचरितं शठम् । अनतीतोपधं हिंस्रं दुर्बुद्धिमबहुश्रुतम् ॥

mūḍhamaindriyakaṃ lubdhamanāryacaritaṃ śaṭham | anatītopadhaṃ hiṃsraṃ durbuddhimabahuśrutam

A man who is foolish, a slave of his senses, greedy, ignoble in conduct, deceitful, never done with trickery, cruel, ill-minded and unlearned,

Verse 19 (12.93.19)

त्यक्तोपात्तं मद्यरतं द्यूतस्त्रीमृगयापरम् । कार्ये महति युञ्जानो हीयते नृपतिः श्रिया ॥

tyaktopāttaṃ madyarataṃ dyūtastrīmṛgayāparam | kārye mahati yuñjāno hīyate nṛpatiḥ śriyā

who wastes what he has gained, loves drink, and is given to dice, women and hunting — a king who sets such a man over a great affair is deprived of fortune.

Verse 20 (12.93.20)

रक्षितात्मा च यो राजा रक्ष्यान्यश्चानुरक्षति । प्रजाश्च तस्य वर्धन्ते सुखं च महदश्नुते ॥

rakṣitātmā ca yo rājā rakṣyānyaścānurakṣati | prajāśca tasya vardhante sukhaṃ ca mahadaśnute

A king who guards himself and also protects those who ought to be protected sees his subjects prosper and enjoys great happiness.

Verse 21 (12.93.21)

ये केचिद्भूमिपतयः सर्वांस्तानन्ववेक्षयेत् । सुहृद्भिरनभिख्यातैस्तेन राजा न रिष्यते ॥

ye kecidbhūmipatayaḥ sarvāṃstānanvavekṣayet | suhṛdbhiranabhikhyātaistena rājā na riṣyate

Whatever kings there are, he should keep watch over all of them through friends who are unknown to them; by this a king is not harmed.

Verse 22 (12.93.22)

अपकृत्य बलस्थस्य दूरस्थोऽस्मीति नाश्वसेत् । श्येनाभिपतनैरेते निपतन्ति प्रमाद्यतः ॥

apakṛtya balasthasya dūrastho'smīti nāśvaset | śyenābhipatanairete nipatanti pramādyataḥ

Having wronged one who is strong, he should not feel safe thinking, 'I am far away'; such men swoop down like hawks on one who is careless.

Note on the text: Corrected बलस्थस्व → बलस्थस्य (misprint in Wikisource; व for य; the critical edition reads balasthasya). Wikisource श्येनाभिपतनैरेते against CE śyenānucaritair hy ete is a recension variant, kept.

Verse 23 (12.93.23)

दृढमूलस्त्वदुष्टात्मा विदित्वा बलमात्मनः । अबलानभियुञ्जीत न तु ये बलवत्तराः ॥

dṛḍhamūlastvaduṣṭātmā viditvā balamātmanaḥ | abalānabhiyuñjīta na tu ye balavattarāḥ

One whose roots are firm and whose heart is free of malice, knowing his own strength, should attack the weak, not those who are stronger.

Verse 24 (12.93.24)

विक्रमेण महीं लब्ध्वा प्रजा धर्मेण पालयेत् । आहवे निधनं कुर्याद्राजा धर्मपरायणः ॥

vikrameṇa mahīṃ labdhvā prajā dharmeṇa pālayet | āhave nidhanaṃ kuryādrājā dharmaparāyaṇaḥ

Having won the earth by valour, he should protect his subjects with dharma; a king devoted to dharma should meet his end in battle.

Verse 25 (12.93.25)

मरणान्तमिदं सर्वं नेह किंचिदनामयम् । तस्माद्धर्मे स्थितो राजा प्रजा धर्मेण पालयेत् ॥

maraṇāntamidaṃ sarvaṃ neha kiṃcidanāmayam | tasmāddharme sthito rājā prajā dharmeṇa pālayet

All this ends in death; nothing here is free from affliction. Therefore a king who stands in dharma should protect his subjects with dharma.

Note on the text: Corrected धर्मेम → धर्मेण (misprint in Wikisource; म for ण; the critical edition reads dharmeṇa).

Verse 26 (12.93.26)

रक्षाधिकरणं युद्धं तथा धर्मानुशासनम् । मन्त्रचिन्ता सुखं काले पञ्चभिर्वर्धते मही ॥

rakṣādhikaraṇaṃ yuddhaṃ tathā dharmānuśāsanam | mantracintā sukhaṃ kāle pañcabhirvardhate mahī

Defence, war, the enforcement of dharma, counsel, and the giving of happiness in due season: by these five the earth prospers.

Verse 27 (12.93.27)

एतानि यस्य गुप्तानि स राजा राजसत्तम । सततं वर्तमानोऽत्र राजा भुङ्क्ते महीमिमाम् ॥

etāni yasya guptāni sa rājā rājasattama | satataṃ vartamāno'tra rājā bhuṅkte mahīmimām

The king who keeps these five well guarded, O best of kings, and always abides by them, enjoys this earth.

Note on the text: Removed a stray zero-width non-joiner (U+200C) inside भुङ्क्ते; the word is unchanged.

Verse 28 (12.93.28)

नैतान्येकेन शक्यानि सातत्येनानुवीक्षितुम् । एतेष्वाप्तान्प्रतिष्ठाप्य राजा भुङ्क्ते चिरं महीम् ॥

naitānyekena śakyāni sātatyenānuvīkṣitum | eteṣvāptānpratiṣṭhāpya rājā bhuṅkte ciraṃ mahīm

These cannot be watched over continually by one man alone; the king who sets trusted men over them enjoys the earth for long.

Verse 29 (12.93.29)

दातारं संविभक्तारं मार्दवोपगतं शुचिम् । असंत्यक्तमनुष्यं च तं जनाः कुर्वते नृपम् ॥

dātāraṃ saṃvibhaktāraṃ mārdavopagataṃ śucim | asaṃtyaktamanuṣyaṃ ca taṃ janāḥ kurvate nṛpam

People make him their king who is a giver and a sharer, gentle and pure, and who does not abandon his men.

Verse 30 (12.93.30)

यस्तु नैःश्रेयसं श्रुत्वा ज्ञानं तत्प्रतिपद्यते । आत्मनो मतमुत्सृज्य तं लोकोऽनुविधीयते ॥

yastu naiḥśreyasaṃ śrutvā jñānaṃ tatpratipadyate | ātmano matamutsṛjya taṃ loko'nuvidhīyate

He who, on hearing of the highest good, takes up that knowledge, setting aside his own opinion, the world follows.

Verse 31 (12.93.31)

योऽर्थकामस्य वचनं प्रातिकूल्यान्न मृष्यते । शृणोति प्रतिकूलानि सर्वदा विमना इव ॥

yo'rthakāmasya vacanaṃ prātikūlyānna mṛṣyate | śṛṇoti pratikūlāni sarvadā vimanā iva

He who cannot bear the words of one who wishes him well because they run against his liking, and who always hears what goes against him with a sullen mind,

Verse 32 (12.93.32)

अग्राम्यचरितां वृत्तिं यो न सेवेत नित्यदा । जितानामजितानां च क्षत्रधर्मादपैति सः ॥

agrāmyacaritāṃ vṛttiṃ yo na seveta nityadā | jitānāmajitānāṃ ca kṣatradharmādapaiti saḥ

he who does not at all times follow the way of life practised by the discerning, toward the conquered and the unconquered, falls away from the dharma of a Kshatriya.

Verse 33 (12.93.33)

निगृहीतादमात्याच्च स्त्रीभ्यश्चैव विशेषतः । पर्वताद्विषमाद्दुर्गाद्धस्तिनोऽश्वात्सरीसृपात् । एतेभ्यो नित्ययुक्तः सन्रक्षेदात्मानमेव तु ॥

nigṛhītādamātyācca strībhyaścaiva viśeṣataḥ | parvatādviṣamāddurgāddhastino'śvātsarīsṛpāt | etebhyo nityayuktaḥ sanrakṣedātmānameva tu

From a minister who has been restrained, and above all from women, from a mountain, from rough ground, from a fort, from elephants, horses and creeping things — from all of these let him always be watchful and guard himself.

Note on the text: Removed the square brackets Wikisource prints around the verse and the stray doubled danda before the verse-end mark. Not in the critical edition's constituted text at this place (found in the vulgate recension); lines 1-2 recur in the critical edition at 12.91.28a,c (nigṛhītād amātyāc ca strībhyaś caiva viśeṣataḥ / parvatād viṣamād durgād dhastino 'śvāt sarīsṛpāt) and line 3 resembles 12.91.29a (etebhyo nityayattaḥ syān …).

Verse 34 (12.93.34)

मुख्यानमात्यान्यो हित्वा निहीनान्कुरुते प्रियान् । स वै व्यसनमासाद्य साधुमार्गं न विन्दति ॥

mukhyānamātyānyo hitvā nihīnānkurute priyān | sa vai vyasanamāsādya sādhumārgaṃ na vindati

He who passes over the chief ministers and makes favourites of the lowly, on meeting calamity finds no path of the good.

Verse 35 (12.93.35)

यः कल्याणगुणाञ्ज्ञातीन्प्रद्वेषान्नो बुभूषति । अदृढात्मा दृढक्रोधः नास्यार्थो वसतेऽन्तिके ॥

yaḥ kalyāṇaguṇāñjñātīnpradveṣānno bubhūṣati | adṛḍhātmā dṛḍhakrodhaḥ nāsyārtho vasate'ntike

He who out of hatred does not wish to see his kinsmen of excellent qualities prosper, weak in mind and fierce in anger, finds that wealth does not dwell near him.

Verse 36 (12.93.36)

अथ यो गुणसंपन्नान्हृदयस्य प्रियानपि । प्रियेण कुरुते वश्यांश्चिरं यशसि तिष्ठति ॥

atha yo guṇasaṃpannānhṛdayasya priyānapi | priyeṇa kurute vaśyāṃściraṃ yaśasi tiṣṭhati

But he who wins over, with kindness, men of merit who are even dear to his heart, stays long in good repute.

Verse 37 (12.93.37)

नाकाले प्रणयेदर्थान्नाप्रिये जातु संज्वरेत् । प्रिये नातिभृशं तुष्येद्युञ्जीतारोग्यकर्मणि ॥

nākāle praṇayedarthānnāpriye jātu saṃjvaret | priye nātibhṛśaṃ tuṣyedyuñjītārogyakarmaṇi

He should not set affairs in motion out of season, nor burn at what displeases him, nor be too delighted by what pleases; let him engage in sound work.

Verse 38 (12.93.38)

के वाऽनुरक्ता राजानः के भयात्समुपाश्रिताः । मध्यस्थदोषाः के चैषामिति नित्यं विचिन्तयेत् ॥

ke vā'nuraktā rājānaḥ ke bhayātsamupāśritāḥ | madhyasthadoṣāḥ ke caiṣāmiti nityaṃ vicintayet

Which kings are devoted to him, which have taken refuge through fear, and which of them, standing aloof, are at fault — this he should always reflect on.

Verse 39 (12.93.39)

न जातु बलवान्भूत्वा दुर्बले विश्वसेत्क्वचित् । भारुण्डसदृशा ह्येते निपतन्ति प्रमाद्यतः ॥

na jātu balavānbhūtvā durbale viśvasetkvacit | bhāruṇḍasadṛśā hyete nipatanti pramādyataḥ

A strong man should never put trust in a weak one; they fall upon the careless like bharunda birds.

Verse 40 (12.93.40)

अपि सर्वगुणैर्युक्तं भर्तारं प्रियवादिनम् । अभिद्रुह्यति पापात्मा न तस्माद्विश्वसेज्जनान् ॥

api sarvaguṇairyuktaṃ bhartāraṃ priyavādinam | abhidruhyati pāpātmā na tasmādviśvasejjanān

Even a master endowed with every virtue and kind in speech may be betrayed by a wicked-minded man; therefore he should not trust people.

Note on the text: Corrected प्रियवादिन → प्रियवादिनम् (misprint in Wikisource; the accusative ending is dropped, agreeing with भर्तारम्; the critical edition reads priyavādinam).

Verse 41 (12.93.41)

एतद्राजोपनिषदं ययातिः स्माह नाहुषः । मनुष्यविषये युक्तो हन्ति शत्रून्सवासवान् ॥

etadrājopaniṣadaṃ yayātiḥ smāha nāhuṣaḥ | manuṣyaviṣaye yukto hanti śatrūnsavāsavān

This secret teaching of kings was declared by Yayati, son of Nahusha: one who is diligent in dealing with men slays his enemies, even those who have Indra with them.