युधिष्ठिर उवाच कथंविधं पुरं राजा स्वयमावस्तुमर्हति। कृतं वा कारयित्वा वा तन्मे ब्रूहि पितामह॥
Yudhishthira said What should be the kind of city within which the king should himself live? Should he select one already made, or should he cause one to be especially made? Tell me this, O grand-father!
भीष्म उवाच वस्तव्यं यत्र कौन्तेय सपुत्रज्ञातिबन्धुना। न्याय्यं तत्र परिप्रष्टुं वृत्तिं गुप्तिं च भारत॥
Bhishma said “It is proper, O Bharata, to enquire about how should a king live on a city, and how should he defend it, O son of Kunti.
तस्मात् ते वर्तयिष्यामि दुर्गकर्म विशेषतः। श्रुत्वा तथा विधातव्यमनुष्ठेयं च यत्नतः॥
I shall, therefore, describe to you this subject, referring especially to the defences of forts. Having heard me, you should make the arrangements required and conduct yourself attentively as directed.
षड्विधं दुर्गमास्थाय पुराण्यथ निवेशयेत्। सर्वसम्पत्प्रधानं यद् बाहुल्यं चापि सम्भवेत्॥
Keeping his eye on the six different sorts of forts the king should build his cities containing every kind of riches and every article of use in profusion.
धन्वदुर्गं महीदुर्गं गिरिदुर्गं तथैव च। मनुष्यदुर्ग अब्दुर्गं वनदुर्गं च तानि षट्॥
Those six kinds are water-citadels, earthcitadels, hill-citadels, human-citadels, mud citadels, and forest-citadels.
यत्पुरं दुर्गसम्पन्नं धान्यायुधसमन्वितम्। दृढप्राकारपरिखं हस्त्यश्वरथसंकुलम्॥ विद्वांसः शिल्पिनो यत्र निचयाश्च सुसंचिताः। धार्मिकश्च जनो यत्र दाक्ष्यमुत्तममास्थितः॥ ऊर्जस्विनरनागाश्वं चत्वरापणशोभितम्। प्रसिद्धव्यवहारं च प्रशान्तमकुतोभयम्॥ सुप्रभं सानुनादं च सुप्रशस्तनिवेशनम्। शूराढ्यजनसम्पन्नं ब्रह्मघोषानुनादितम्॥ समाजोत्सवसम्पन्नं सदा पूजितदैवतम्। वश्यामात्यबलो राजा तत्पुरं स्वयमाविशेत्॥
The king, with his ministers and the army perfectly loyal to him, should live in that city which is defended by a fort, which contains profuse rice and weapons, which is protected with impenetrable walls and a trench, which has a sufficient number of elephants, horses and cars, which is inhabited by learned men and well-versed in the mechanical arts, where storage of provisions of every sort has been made, whose inhabitants are virtuous and clear in business, strong-bodied and energetic and as also its animals, which has many open squares and rows of shops, where all persons are righteous, where peace reigns where no danger exists, which shines with beauty and resounds with music and songs, where the houses are all spacious, where the residents have among them many brave and rich persons, which echoes with the chanting of Vedic hymns, where festivities and rejoicings frequently take place, and where the deities are always adored.
तत्र कोशं बलं मित्रं व्यवहारं च वर्धयेत्। पुरे जनपदे चैव सर्वदोषान् निवर्तयेत्॥
Living there, the king should always try to fill his treasury, to increase his army, multiply the number of his friends, and establish courts of justice. He should suppress all abuses and evils in both his cities and provinces.
भाण्डागारायुधागारं प्रयत्नेनाभिवर्धयेत्। निचयान् वर्धयेत् सर्वांस्तथा यन्त्रायुधालयान्॥
He should collect provisions of all sorts and replenish his arsenals carefully. He should also increase his storage of rice and other grain, and strengthen his counsels.
काष्ठलोहतुषाङ्गारदारू शृङ्गास्थिवैणवान्। मज्जा स्नेहवसा क्षौद्रमौषधग्राममेव च॥ शणं सर्जरसं धान्यमायुधानि शरांस्तथा। चर्म स्नायुं तथा वेत्रं मुञ्जबल्वजबन्धनान्॥
He should, increase his stores of fuel, iron, chaff, charcoal, timber, horns, bones, bamboos, marrow, oils, clarified butter, fat, honey, medicines, flax, resin, rice, weapons, arrows, leather, catgut, canes, and strings and cords made of Munja grass and other plants and creepers.
आशयाचोदपानाश्च प्रभूतसलिलाकराः। निरोद्धव्याः सदा राज्ञा क्षीरिणश्च महीरुहाः॥
He should multiply the number of tanks and wells containing large quantities of water, and should protect all shady trees.
सत्कृताश्च प्रयत्नेन आचार्यद्विकपुरोहिताः। महेष्वासाः स्थपतयः सांवत्सरचिकित्सकाः॥ प्राज्ञा मेधाविनो दान्ता दक्षाः शूरा बहुश्रुताः। कुलीनाः सत्त्वसम्पन्ना युक्ताः सर्वेषु कर्मसु॥
He should entertain with honour the teachers of various sciences, Ritwijas, priests, powerful bowmen, persons skilled in architecture, astronomers, astrologers, physicians, as well as all men endued with wisdom, intelligence, self-control, cleverness, courage, learning, high-descent and energy, and competent to do all work.
पूजयेद् धार्मिकान् राजा निगृह्णीयादधार्मिकान्। नियुज्याच्च प्रयत्नेन सर्ववर्णान् स्वकर्मसु॥
The king should honour the righteous and punish the unrighteous. He should, acting with resolution, compell the several castes follow their respective duties,
बाह्ममाभ्यन्तरं चैव पौरजानपदं तथा। चारैः सुविदितं कृत्वा ततः कर्म प्रयोजयेत्॥
Knowing properly, through spies, the external conduct and the state of mind of the inhabitants of his city and provinces, he should take the necessary steps.
चरान्मन्त्रं च कोशं च दण्डं चैव विशेषतः। अनुतिष्ठेत् स्वयं राजा सर्वं ह्यत्र प्रतिष्ठितम्॥
The king should himself look after his spies and counsels, his treasury, and the instrument for inflicting punishments. Everything depends upon these.
उदासीनारिमित्राणां सर्वमेव चिकीर्षितम्। पुरे जनपदे चैव ज्ञातव्यं चारचक्षुषा॥
Having spies for his eyes, the king should learn all the acts and intentions of his foes, friends, and neutrals.
ततस्तेषां विधातव्यं सर्वमेवाप्रमादतः। भक्तान् पूजयता नित्यं द्विषतश्च निगृह्णता॥
He should then, carefully, concert his own measures, honouring those that are loyal to him and chastising those that are hostile.
यष्टव्यं क्रतुभिर्नित्यं दातव्यं चाप्यपीडया। प्रजानां रक्षणं कार्यं न कार्यं धर्मबाधकम्॥
The king should always worship the gods in sacrifices and make gifts without giving pain to anybody. He should protect his subjects, never doing anything that may stand in the way of righteousness.
कृपणानाथवृद्धानां विधवानां च योषिताम्। योगक्षेमं च वृत्तिं च नित्यमेव प्रकल्पयेत्॥
He should always support and protect the helpless, the lordless, the aged, and widows.
आश्रमेषु यथाकालं चैलभाजनभोजनम्। सदैवोपहरेद् राजा सत्कृत्याभ्यर्च्य मान्य च॥
The king should always honour the ascetics and present them, at proper times, with clothes, vessels and food.
आत्मानं सर्वकार्याणि तापसे राष्ट्रमेव च। निवेदयेत् प्रयत्नेन तिष्ठेत् प्रहश्च सर्वदा॥
The king should, with sufficient care, inform the ascetics of the state of his own self, of all his measures, and of the kingdom, and should always behave humbly in their presence.
सर्वार्थत्यागिनं राजा कुले जातं बहुश्रुतम्। पूजयेत् तादृशं दृष्ट्वा शयनासनभोजनैः॥
When he beholds anchorites of high descent and great learning that have forsaken all earthly objects, he should honour them with presents of beds and seats and food.
तस्मिन् कुर्वीत विश्वासं राजा कस्याञ्चिदापदि। तापसेषु हि विश्वासमपि कुर्वन्ति दस्यवः॥
Whatever the distress which he befalls him, he should confide in an anchorite. The very ribbers place confidence upon persons of that character.
तस्मिन् निधीनादधीत प्रज्ञां पर्याददीत च। न चाप्यभीक्ष्णं सेवेत भृशं वा प्रतिपूजयेत्॥
The king should keep his wealth in charge of an ascetic and should take wise counsels from him. He should not, however, always wait upon them or adore them at all times.
अन्यः कार्यः स्वराष्ट्रेषु परराष्ट्रेषु चापरः। अटवीषु परः कार्यः सामन्तनगरेष्वपि॥
From among those living in his own kingdom, he should select one for friendship. Likewise, he should select another from among those that live in the kingdom of his enemy. He should select a third from among recluses in the forests, and a fourth from among those living in his tributary kingdoms.
तेषु सत्कारमानाभ्यां संविभागांश्च कारयेत्। परराष्ट्राटवीस्थेषु यथा स्वविषये तथा॥
He should treat them hospitably and honour them and assign them the means of maintenance. He should treat the ascetics living in the kingdoms of enemies in the forests in the same way as those that live in his own kingdom.
ते कस्याञ्चिदवस्थायां शरणं शरणार्थिने। राज्ञे दधुर्यथाकामं तापसाः संशितव्रताः॥
Engaged in penances and of rigid vows, they would, if calamity befalls the king and if he prays for protection, grant him what he wants.
एष ते लक्षणोद्देशः संक्षेपेण प्रकीर्तितः। यादृशे नगरे राजा स्वयमावस्तुमर्हति॥
I have now told you briefly the characteristics of the city in which the king should live.