युधिष्ठिर उवाच पितामह महाप्राज्ञ संशयो मे महानयम्। संछेत्तव्यस्त्वया राजन् भवान् कुलकरो हि नः॥
Yudhishthira said O grandfather, O you of great wisdom, I have one great doubt which perplexes me! You should, O king, remove it! You are a promoter of our family.
पुरुषाणामयं तात दुर्वृत्तानां दुरात्मनाम्। कथितो वाक्यसंचारस्ततो विज्ञापयामि ते॥
You have described to us the slanderous speeches uttered by wicked men of bad conduct. I desire, however, to question you further.
यद्धितं राज्यतन्त्रस्य कुलस्य च सुखोदयम्। आयत्यां च तदात्वे च क्षेमवृद्धिकरं च यत्॥ पुत्रपौत्राभिरामं च राष्ट्रवृद्धिकरं च यत्। अन्नपाने शरीरे च हितं यत्तद् ब्रवीहि मे॥
That which is beneficial to a kingdom, that which yields happiness to the family of kings, that which yields good and advancement in the future and the present, that which is good regarding food, drink and the body, are topics upon which I wish you to dwell.
अभिषिक्तो हि यो राजा राष्ट्रस्थो मित्रसंवृतः। ससुहृत्समुपेतो वा स कथं रजयेत् प्रजाः॥
How should a king, who has been put on the throne occupy it, surrounded by friends, ministers and servants, please his subjects?
यो ह्यसत्प्रग्रहरतिः स्नेहरागबलात्कृतः। इन्द्रियाणामनीशत्वादसज्जनबुभूषकः॥ तस्य भृत्या विगुणतां यान्ति सर्वे कुलोद्गताः। न च भृत्यफलैरथैः स राजा सम्प्रयुज्यते॥
That king, who, taken away by his natural propensities and proclivities, become devoted to evil companions, and flatters wicked men for his being under the influence of his senses, find all servants of good birth and blood displeased with him. Such a king never gets those objects the accomplishment of which depends upon one's having a number of good servants about him.
एतन्मे संशयस्यास्य राजधर्मान् सुदुर्विदान्। बृहस्पतिसमो बुद्ध्या भवान् शंसितुमर्हति॥
You, who are equal to Brihaspati himself in intelligence, should describe to me these duties of kings which are difficult to be ascertained and thereby resolve my doubt.
शंसिता पुरुषव्याघ्र त्वन्नः कुलहिते रतः। क्षत्ता चैको महाप्राज्ञो यो नः शंसति सर्वदा॥
You, O foremost of men, are ever engaged in encompassing the good of our family. For this reason you always describe to us on the duties of the kings. Endued with great wisdom, Vidura also gives always valuable instruction.
त्वत्तः कुलहितं वाक्यं श्रुत्वा राज्यहितोदयम्। अमृतस्याव्ययस्येव तृप्तः स्वप्स्याम्यहं सुखम्॥
Hearing instructions from you which are productive of good to our family and kingdom, I shall be able to live happily like a person pleased with having drunk the immortal nectar.
कीदृशाः संनिकर्षस्था भृत्याः सर्वगुणान्विताः। कीदृशैः किं कुलीनैर्वा सह यात्रा विधीयते॥
What classes of servants are to be considered as inferior and what as possessing all accomplishments? Helped by what class of servants or by servants of what kind of birth, should a king rule?
न ह्येको भृत्यरहितो राजा भवति रक्षिता। राज्यं चेदं जनः सर्वस्तत्कुलीनोऽभिकाङ्क्षति॥
If the king choose to act alone and without servants, he can never protect his people. All persons, however, of high birth wish for the acquisition of sovereignty? us
भीष्म उवाच न च प्रशास्तुं राज्यं हि शक्यमेकेन भारत। असहायवता तात नैवार्थाः केचिदप्युत॥ लब्धुं लब्धा ह्यपि सदा रक्षितुं भरतर्षभ।
Bhishma said The king, O Bharata, cannot along govern his kingdom. Without servants to help him, he cannot accomplish any object. Even if he gains any object, he cannot retain it.
यस्य भृत्यजन: सर्वो ज्ञानविज्ञानकोविदः॥ हितैषी कुलजः स्निग्धः स राज्यफलमश्नुते॥
That king, whose servants are all gifted with knowledge and wisdom, who always seek the well being of their master, and who are of high birth and quiet disposition, enjoys the happiness of sovereignty.
मन्त्रिणो यस्य कुलजा असंहार्याः सहोषिताः। नृपतेर्मतिदाः सन्तः सम्बन्धज्ञानकोविदाः॥ अनागतविधातार: कालज्ञानविशारदाः। अतिक्रान्तमशोचन्तः स राज्यफलम श्नुते॥
That king, whose ministers are all born in respectable families, incapable of being alienated from him, who always live with him, who always give advice to their master, who are endued with wisdom and goodness, who have a knowledge of all things, who can provide for future events and contingencies, who have a good knowledge of the virtues of time, and who never regret for the past, succeeds in enjoying the happiness of sovereignty.
समदुःखसुखा यस्य सहायाः प्रियकारिणः। अर्थचिन्तापराः सत्याः स राज्यफलमश्नुते॥
That king, whose servants partake of his sorrows and joys, who always do what he likes, who always try to accomplish their maser's objects, and all of whom are faithful, enjoys the happiness of sovereignty.
जनपदः संनिकर्षगतः सदा। अक्षुद्रः सत्पथालम्बी स राजा राज्यभाग्भवेत्॥ यस्य नार्तो
That king, whose subjects are always happy and magnanimous, and who always went to path of the righteous, enjoys the happiness of sovereignty.
कोशाख्यपटलं यस्य कोशवृद्धिकरैर्नरैः। आप्तैस्तुष्टैश्च सततं चीयते स नृपोत्तमः॥
He is the best of kings, the various sources of whose revenue are managed and supervised by contented and trustworthy men who know fully the means of multiplying the finances.
कोष्ठागारमसंहावैराप्तैः संचयतत्परैः। पात्रभूतैरलुब्धैश्च पाल्यमानं गुणी भवेत्॥
That king acquires great riches and merit whose repositories and barns are looked after by trustworthy, devoted, and uncovetous and scrupulous servants always always bent upon gathering.
व्यवहारश्च नगरे यस्य कर्मफलोदयः। दृश्यते शंखलिखितः स धर्मफलभाङ् नृपः॥
That king in whose city justice is administered properly which leads to the fining the plaintiff or the defendant, if his case is untrue, and in which criminal laws are administered after the manner of Shankha and Likhita, acquires the merit of sovereignty.
संगृहीतमनुष्यश्च यो राजा राजधर्मवित्। षड्वर्गं प्रतिगृह्णाति स धर्मफलमश्नुते॥
That king, who wins over subjects by kindness, who is master of the duties of kings, and who is mindful of six cardinal objects, acquires the merit of sovereignty.