युधिष्ठिर उवाच मित्रैः प्रहीयमाणस्य बह्वमित्रस्य का गतिः। राज्ञः संक्षीणकोशस्य बलहीनस्य भारत॥
Yudhishthira said How should a king behave who is shorn of friends, has many enemies, and an exhausted treasury, and is destitute of troops, O Bharata.
दुष्टामात्यसहायस्य च्युतमन्त्रस्य सर्वतः। राज्यात् प्रच्यवमानस्य गतिमभ्यामपश्यतः॥ परचक्राभियातस्य परराष्ट्राणि मृद्गतः। विग्रहे वर्तमानस्य दुर्बलस्य वलीयसा॥ असंविहितराष्ट्रस्य देशकालावजानतः। अप्राप्यं च भवेत् सान्त्वंभेदो वाप्यतिपीडनात्। जीवितं त्वर्थहेतुर्वा तत्र किं सुकृतं भवेत्॥
Again how should he behave hiinself when he is surrounded by wicked ministers, when his counsels are all divulged, when he does not find his way clearly before him, when he attacks another kingdom, when he is engaged in grinding a hostile kingdom, and when though weak he is at war with a powerful king? How should a king act whose affairs are iilmanaged and who disregards the requirements of place and time, who is unable, for his oppressions, to bring about peace and create disunion among his enemies? Should he try to acquire wealth by foul means or should he sacrifice his life without seeking wealth?
भीष्म उवाच गुह्यं धर्मज मा प्राक्षीरतीव भरतर्षभ। अपृष्ठो नोत्सहे वक्तुं धर्ममेतं युधिष्ठिर॥ धर्मो ह्यणीयान् वचनाद् बुद्धिश्च भरतर्षभ। श्रुत्वोपास्य सदाचारैः साधुर्भवति स क्वचित्॥
Bhishma said Conversant as you are with duties, you have, O foremost of Bharata's race, asked me a question dealing with the mystery of duties. Without being asked, O Yudhishthira, I could not venture to dwell upon this duty. Morality is very subtile. One understands it, О foremost of Bharata's race by the help of scriptural texts. By remembering what one has heard and by doing good acts, some one in some place may become a righteous person.
कर्मणा बुद्धिपूर्वेण भवत्याढ्यो न वा पुनः। तादृशोऽयमनुप्रश्नः संव्यवस्यः स्वया धिया॥
By acting intelligently the king may or may not acquire wealth. Guided by your own intelligence do you think what reply should be given to your query on this subject.
उपायं धर्मबहुलं यात्रार्थं शृणु भारत। नाहमेतादृशं धर्मं बुभूषे धर्मकारणात्॥
Listen, O Bharata, to the highly meritorious expedient which kings should follow (during times of distress). For the sake of true morality, however, I would not call those means fair.
दुःखादान इह ह्येष स्यात् तु पश्चात् क्षयोपमः। अभिगम्यमतीनां हि सर्वासामेव निश्चयः॥
If the treasury filled by oppression, such a conduct brings the king to the brink of destruction. Such is the conclusion of all intelligente men who have deliberated upon the subject.
यथा यथा हि पुरुषो नित्यं शास्त्रमवेक्षते। तथा तथा विजानाति विज्ञानमथ रोचते।॥
The scriptures or science which one always studies imparts him the knowledge becomes agreeable to him.
अविज्ञानादयोगो हि पुरुषस्योपजायते। विज्ञानादपि योगश्च योगो भूतिकरः परः॥ अशङ्कमानो वचनमनसूयुरिदं शृणु।
Ignorance yields barrenness of invention about means. Finding out of expedicnts, again, through the help of knowledge, becomes the source of great happiness. Without cherishing any misgivings and any malice, here these instructions.
राज्ञः कोशक्षयादेव जायते बलसंक्षयः॥ कोशं च जनयेद् राजा निर्जलेभ्यो यथा जलम्।
Through the decrease of the treasury, the king's army suffers deterioration. The king should, therefore, replenish his treasury like one creating water in a forest which is without water.
कालं प्राप्यानुगृह्णीयादेष धर्मः सनातनः। उपायधर्म प्राप्येमं पूर्वैराचरितं जनैः॥
In pursuance of this code of morality practised by the ancients, the king should, when the opportunity presents itself, show mercy to his subjects. This is eternal duty.
अन्यो धर्मः समर्थानामापत्स्वन्यश्च भारत। प्राक्कोशात् प्राप्यतें धर्मो वृत्तिधर्माद् गरीयसी॥
For able and competent men the duties are of one kind. In times of distress, however, one's duties assume a different aspect. Without riches a king may, by penances acquire religious merit. Life, however, is much more important than religious merit.
धर्मं प्राप्य न्यायवृत्तिं न बलीयान् न विन्दति। यस्माद् बलस्योपपत्तिरेकान्तेन न विद्यते॥ तस्मादापत्स्वधर्मोऽपि श्रूयते धर्मलक्षणः। अधर्मो जायते तस्मिन्निति वै कवयो विदुः॥
By acquiring only religious merit, a king, who is weak never succeeds in acquiring just and proper means for maintenance; and because he cannot, by even his best endeavours, acquire power by the help of only religious merit, therefore the practices in time of distress are sometimes regarded as quite of a piece with morality. The learned, however, opine that those practices beget sinfulness.
अनन्तरं क्षत्रियस्य तत्र किं विचिकित्स्यते। यथास्य धर्मो न ग्लायेन्नेयाच्छत्रुवशं यथा। तत् कर्तव्यमिहेत्याहुर्नात्मानमवसादयेत्॥
After the time of distress is over, what should the Kshatriya do? He should act in such a way that his merit may not be dissipated. He should also act in such a way that he may not have to yield to his foes. These are his duties. He should not be despondent.
सर्वात्मनैव धर्मस्य न परस्य न चात्मनः। सर्वोपायैरुज्जिहीर्षेदात्मानमिति निश्चयः॥ तत्र धर्मविदां तात निश्चयो धर्मनैपुणम्। उद्यमो नैपुणं क्षात्रे बाहुवीर्यादिति श्रुतिः॥
He should not try to save the merit of others or of himself. On the other hand, he should save his own self. This is the settled conclusion. There runs this Shruti, viz., that Brahmanas, who are conversant with duties, should be proficient in them. Likewise, as regards the Kshatriya, his proficiency should be in exertion, since might of arms is his great wealth.
क्षत्रियो वृत्तिसंरोधे कस्य नादातुमर्हति। अन्यत्र तापसस्वाच्च ब्राह्मणस्वाच्च भारत॥
When a Kshatriya's means of sustenance are gone, what should he not take excepting what belongs to ascetics and Brahmanas?
यथा वै ब्राह्मणः सीदन्नयाज्यमपि याजयेत्। अभोज्यानानि चाश्नीयात् तथेदं नात्र संशयः॥
Even as a Brahmana in a time of distress may officiate at the sacrifice of a person for whom he should never officiate and eat forbidden food, so there is no doubt that a Kshatriya may take riches from every one say ascetics and Brahmanas.
पीडितस्य किमद्वारमुत्पथो विधृतस्य च। अद्वारतः प्रद्रवति यदा भवति पीडितः॥
Even one attacked (by an enemy and seeking the means of escape) what can be an unfair means? For a person confined in a ungeon and seeking escape what can be an improper path? When a person becomes afflicted, he escapes by even an improper way.
यस्य कोशबलग्लान्या सर्वलोकपराभवः। भैक्ष्यचर्या न विहिता न च विट् शूद्रजीविका॥
For a Kshatriya who has, for his insufficient treasury and army, become exceedingly humiliated, neither a life of mendicancy nor the profession of a Vaishya or that of a Shudra has been sanctioned.
स्वधर्मानन्तरा वृत्तिर्जात्याननुपजीवतः। जहतः प्रथमं कल्पमनुकल्पेन जीवनम्॥
The profession prescribed for a Kshatriya is the acquisition of wealth by battle and victory. He should never beg of a member of his own caste. The person who maintains himself ordinarily by following the practices primarily sanctioned, for him, may, in times of distress, support himself by following the practices laid down in the alternative.
आपद्गतेन धर्माणामन्यायेनोपजीवनम्। अपि ह्येतद् ब्राह्मणेषु दृष्टं वृत्तिपरिक्षये॥
In a time of distress, when ordinary practices cannot be followed, a Kshatriya may support himself by even unjust and improper means. The very Brahmanas, it is seen, do the same when their means of living run out.
क्षत्रिये संशयः कस्मादित्येवं निश्चितं सदा। आददीत विशिष्टेभ्यो नावसीदेत् कथंचन॥ हन्तारं रक्षितारं च प्रजानां क्षत्रियं विदुः। तस्मात् संरक्षता कार्यमादानं क्षत्रबन्धुना॥
When the Brahmanas act thus, what doubt is there regarding the conduct of the Kshatriya)? This is, indeed, settled. Without despairing and yielding to destruction, a Kshatriya nay, by force, take, what he can, from rich persons. Know that the Kshatriya may, by force, take, what he can, from rich persons. Know that the Kshatriya is the protector and the destroyer of the people. Therefore, a Kshatriya in difficulty should take by force, what he can, with a view to protect the people.
अन्यत्र राजन् हिंसाया वृत्तिर्नेहास्ति कस्यचित्। अप्यरण्यसमुत्थस्य एकस्य चरतो मुनेः॥
No person in this world, O king, can maintain himself without injuring other creatures. The very ascetic leading a solitary life in the forest is no exception.
न शङ्खलिखितां वृत्तिं शक्यमास्थाय जीवितुम्। विशेषतः कुरुश्रेष्ठ प्रजापालनमीप्सया॥
A Kshatriya should not live, depending upon destiny, especially he, O chief of the Kurus, who wishes to rule.
परस्परं हि संरक्षा राज्ञा राष्ट्रेण चापदि। नित्यमेव हि कर्तव्या एष धर्मः सनातनः॥
The king and the kingdom should always mutually protect each other. This is an eternal duty.
राजा राष्ट्रं यथाऽऽपत्सु द्रव्यौघैरपि रक्षति। राष्ट्रेण राजा व्यसने रक्षितव्यस्तथा भवेत्॥
As the king protects, by spending all his money, the kingdom, when it is in distress, so should the kingdom protect the kingdom protect the king when he is in distress.
कोशं दण्डं बलं मित्रं यदन्यदपि संचितम्। न कुर्वीतान्तरं राष्ट्र राजा परिगतः क्षुधा।॥
The king, even when reduced to straits, should never abandon his treasury, his machinery for punishing the wicked, his army, his friends and allies, and uther necessary institutions and the chiefs living in his kingdom.
बीजं भक्तेन सम्पाद्यमिति धर्मविदो विदुः। अत्रैतच्छम्बरस्याहुमहामायस्य दर्शनम्॥
Masters of duty say that one must keep his seeds, even from his very food. This a truth cited from the work of Shamvara, well-known for his great powers of illusion.
धिक् तस्य जीवितं राज्ञो राष्ट्रं यस्यावसीदति। अवृत्त्यान्यमनुष्योऽपि यो वैदेशिक इत्यपि॥
Fie on the life of that king whose kingdom is weakened. Fie on the life of that men who from want of means goes to a foreign country in quest of a living.
राज्ञः कोशबलं मूलं कोशमूलं पुनर्बलम्। तन्मूलं सर्वधर्माणां धर्ममूलाः पुनः प्रजा:॥
The king depends upon his treasury and army. His army, again, depends on his treasury. His army is the source of all his religious merits. His religious merits, again, are the root of his people.
नान्यानपीडयित्वेह कोशः शक्यः कुतो बलम्। तदर्थं पीडयित्वा च दोषं प्राप्तुं न सोऽर्हति॥
The treasury can never be replenished without oppressing others. How then can the army be maintained without oppression? The king, therefore, in times of difficulty, commits no sin by oppressing his subjects for filling the treasury.
अकार्यमपि यज्ञार्थं क्रियते यज्ञकर्मसु। एतस्मात् कारणाद् राजा न दोषं प्राप्तुमर्हति॥
For celebrating sacrifices many improper deeds are done. Therefore a king commits no sin by doing improper acts (when he seeks to fill his treasury in a time of distress).
अर्थार्थमन्यद् भवति विपरीतमथापरम्। अनर्थार्थमथाप्यन्यत् तत् सर्वं ह्यर्थकारणम्। एवं बुद्ध्या सम्प्रपश्येनमेधावी कार्यनिश्चयम्॥
For the sake of wealth improper practices are followed in seasons of distress. If (at such times) such improper practices be not followed, evil is the sure consequence. All those institutions that are maintained for working destruction and miso y exist for the sake of collecting wealth. Guided by such considerations, an intelligent king should settle his conduct.
यज्ञार्थमन्यद् भवति यज्ञोऽन्यार्थस्तथा परः। यज्ञस्यार्थार्थमेवान्यत् तत् सर्वं यज्ञसाधनम्॥
As animals and other articles are a necessary or sacrifices, as sacrifices are for purifying the heart, and as animals, sacrifices, and purity of the heart, are all for final liberation, even so policy and punishment exist for the treasury, the treasury, exists for the army, and policy and treasury and army all the three exists for defeating enemies and protecting or enlarging the kingdom.
उपमामत्र वक्ष्यामि धर्मतत्त्वप्रकाशिनीम्। यूपं छिन्दन्ति यज्ञार्थं तत्र ये परिपन्थिनः॥ दुमाः केचन सामन्ता ध्रुवं छिन्दन्ति तानपि। ते चापि निपतन्तोऽन्यान् निघ्नन्त्येव वनस्पतीन्॥
I shall here quote an example illustrating the true way of morality. A large tree is cut down for making out of it a sacrificial stake. In cutting it, other trees which stand in its way have also to be cut down. These, also, while falling down, kill others standing there about.
एवं कोशस्य महतो ये नराः परिपन्थिनः। तानहत्वा न पश्यामि सिद्धिमत्र परंतप॥
So they who stand in the way of replenishing a treasury must be killed. I do not see how else success can be acquired.
धनेन जयते लोकावुभौ परमिमं तथा। सत्यं च धर्मवचनं यथा नास्त्यधनस्तथा॥
By wealth, both the worlds, viz., this and the other, can be acquired, as also Truth and religious merit. A person who has no wealth is more dead than alive.
सर्वोपायैराददीत धनं यज्ञप्रयोजनम्। न तुल्यदोषः स्यादेवं कार्याकार्येषु भारत॥
Wealth for the celebration of sacrifices should be won by every means. The demerit of an act, done in an hour of difficulty, does not equal to that which permeates the same, if done at other tinies, O Bharata.
नैतौ सम्भवतो राजन् कथंचिदपि पार्थिवा न हरण्येषु पश्यामि धनवृद्धानहं क्वचित्॥
The acquisition of wealth and its abandonment cannot both be possibly suen in the same individual, O king. I do not see a rich man in the forest.
यदिदं दृश्यते वित्तं पृथिव्यामिह किंचन। ममेदं स्यान्ममेदं स्यादित्येवं काक्षते जनः॥
With respect to wealth which is seen in this world, every one fights with every one else, saying,-This shall be mine.-This shall be imine.
न च राज्यसमो धर्मः कश्चिदस्ति परंतप। धर्मः संशब्दितो राज्ञामापदर्थमतोऽन्यथा।॥
There is nothing, O scorcher of foes, which yields greater merit to a king than the possession of a kingdom. It is sinful for a king to oppress his subjects with heavy taxes at ordinary times. In a season of distress, it is quite different.
दानेन कर्मणा चान्ये तपसान्ये तपस्विनः। बुद्ध्या दाक्ष्येण चैवान्ये विन्दन्ति धनसंचयान्॥
Some acquire wealth by gifts and sacrifices; some who like penances acquire the same by penances; some acquire it by the help of their intelligence and cleverness.
अधनं दुर्बलं प्राहुर्धनेन बलवान् भवेत्। सर्वं धनवता प्राप्यं सर्वं तरति कोशवान्॥
A person who has no wealth is said to be weak, while he who has wealth becomes powerful. A man of riches may acquire everything. A king who has a well-replenished treasury can accomplish everything.
कोशेन धर्मः कामश्च परलोकस्तथा ह्ययम्। तं च धर्मेण लिप्सेत नाधर्मेण कदाचन॥
By his treasury a king may acquire religious merit, gratify his desire for pleasure, acquire the next world, and this also. The treasury, however, should be filled by the help of righteousness and never by unrighteous deeds, which pass for righteousness in times of difficulty.