भीष्म उवाच वनस्पतीन् भक्ष्यफलान्न च्छिन्द्युर्विषये तव। ब्राह्मणानां मूलफलं धर्म्यमाहुर्मनीषिणः॥
Bhishma said “Let not fruit growing trees be cut down in your dominions. Fruits and roots are the property of the Brahmanas. The sages have declared this as an injunction of religion.
ब्राह्मणेभ्योऽतिरिक्तं च भुञ्जीरनितरे जनाः। न ब्राह्मणापराधेन हरेदन्यः कथंचन॥
The residue, after supporting the Brahmanas, should be devoted to the support of other people, Nobody should take by inuring the Brahmanas.
विप्रश्चेत् त्यागमातिष्ठेदात्मार्थे वृत्तिकर्शितः। परिकल्प्यास्य वृत्तिः स्यात् सदारस्य नराधिप॥
If a Brahmana, for want of support, wishes to leave a kingdom for securing maintenance elsewhere, the king, O monarch, should, with love and respect, give him the means of sustenance.
स चेन्नोपनिवर्तेत वाच्यो ब्राह्मणसंसदि। कस्मिन्निदानी मर्यादामयं लोकः करिष्यति॥
If he does not still abstain from leaving the kingdom, the king should repair to a concourse of Brahmanas and say-Such a Brahmana is leaving the kingdom. In whom shall my subjects then find an authority for guiding them?
असंशयं निवर्तेत न चेद् वक्ष्यत्यतः परम्। पूर्वं परोक्षं कर्तव्यमेतत् कौन्तेय शाश्वतम्॥
If alter this, he does not renounce his intention of leaving, and does not say anything, the king should say to him-Forget the past!—This, O son of Kunti, is the eternal way of the royal duty.
आहुरेतज्जना नित्यं न चैतच्छ्रद्दधाम्यहम्। निमन्त्र्यश्च भवेद् भोगैरवृत्त्या च तदाचरेत्॥
The king should further say to him,-Indeed, O Brahmana, people say that only that which is sufficient should be assigned to a Brahmana to maintain him. I, however, do not hold that opinion. On the other hand, I think that if a Brahmana seeks to abandon a kingdom for the king neglecting to provide him with means of support, such means should be assigned to him, and, further, if he wishes to take that step for procuring the means of luxury, he should still be requested to stay and supplied with those luxuries.
कृषिगोरक्ष्यवाणिज्यं लोकानामिह जीवनम्। ऊर्ध्वं चैव त्रयी विद्या सा भूतान् भावयत्युत।॥
Agriculture, cattle-tending, and trade, suppiy all men with the means of subsistence. A knowledge of the Vedas, however, supply them with the means of acquiring heaven.
तस्यां प्रवर्तमानायां ये स्युस्तत्परिपन्थिनः। दस्यवस्तद्वधायेह ब्रह्मा क्षत्रमथावृजत्॥
They, therefore, that impede the study of the Vedas and the Vedic practices, are known as enemies of society. For exterminating these that Brahman created Kshatriyas.
शत्रून् जय प्रजा रक्ष यजस्व ऋतुधिर्नृप। युध्यस्व समरे वीरो भूत्वा कौरवनन्दन॥
Subdue your foes, protect your subjects, adore the gods in sacrifices, and fight battles bravely, O delighter of the Kurus!
संरक्ष्यान् पालयेद् राजा स राजा राजसत्तमः। ये केचित् तान् न रक्षन्ति तैरर्थो नास्ति कश्चन॥
A king should protect those who are worthy of protection. The king who does this is the best of rulers. Those kings who do not perform the duty of protection live uselessly.
सदैव राज्ञा योद्धव्यं सर्वलोकाद् युधिष्ठिर। तस्माद्धेतोर्हि युञ्जीत मनुष्यानेव मानवः॥
For the behoof of all his subjects the king should always seek to learn the acts and thoughts of all, O Yudhishthira; and for the reason he should engage spies and secret agents.
आन्तरेभ्यः परान् रक्षन् परेभ्यः पुनरान्तरान्। परान् परेभ्यः स्वान् स्वेभ्यः सर्वान् पालय नित्यदा॥१२
Protecting others from your own, and your own from others, as also others from others, and your own from your own, do you always maintain your subjects.
आत्मानं सर्वतो रक्षन् राजन् रक्षस्व मेदिनीम्। आत्ममूलमिदं सर्वमाहुवै विदुषो जनाः॥
Guarding his own self first from every one, the king should protect the Earth. Men of knowledge have said that everything originate from self.
किं छिद्रं को नु सङ्गो मे किं वास्त्यविनिपातितम्। कुतो मामाश्रयेद् दोष इंति नित्यं विचिन्तयेत्॥
The king should always think of these, viz.,-What are his shortcomings to what evil habits he is addicted, what are the sources of his weakness, and what are the sources of his follies.
अतीतदिवसे वृत्तं प्रशंसन्ति न वा पुनः। गुप्तैश्चारैरनुमतैः पृथिवीमनुसारयेत्॥
The king should make secret and trusted agents travel through the kingdom for ascertaining whether his conduct of the previous day has, or has not, met with the approbation of the subjects.
जानीयुर्यदि ते वृत्तं प्रशंसन्ति न वा पुनः। कच्चिद् रोचेज्जनपदे कच्चिद् राष्ट्रे च मे यशः॥ धर्मज्ञानां धृतिमतां संग्रामेष्वपलायिनाम्।
Indeed, he should know whether his conduct is or is not, generally applauded, or is, or is not, liked by the people of the provinces, and whether he has, or has not, succeeded in gaining a good name in his kingdom.
राष्ट्रे तु येऽनुजीवन्ति ये तु राज्ञोऽनुजीविनः॥ अमात्यानां च सर्वेषां मध्यस्थानां च सर्वशः। ये च त्वाभिप्रशंसेयुर्निन्देयुरथवा पुनः॥ सर्वान् सुपरिणीतांस्तान् कारयेथा युधिष्ठिर।
Amongst the virtuous and wise, amongst those who never retreat from battle, and those who do not live in your kingdom, those who depend on you, and those who are your ministers, as well as those who do not follow party, they who praise or blame you should never be disregarded by you, O Yudhishthira!
एकान्तेन हि सर्वेषां न शक्यं तात रोचितुम्। मित्रामित्रमथो मध्यं सर्वभूतेषु भारत॥
No man, O sire, can acquire the golden opinion of all persons in the world. All persons have friends, foes, and indifferent ones, O Bharata.
युधिष्ठिर उवाच तुल्यबाहुबलानां च तुल्यानां च गुणैरपि। कथं स्यादधिकः कश्चित् स च भुजीत मानवान्॥
Yudhishthira said Of persons all of whom are equal in strength of arms and accomplishments' how does one reign supreme over all the others, and how does he succeed in lording over them all.
भीष्म उवाच यच्चरा ह्यचरानधुरंदष्ट्रान् दंष्ट्रिणस्तथा। आशीविषा इव क्रुद्धा भुजङ्गान् भुजगा इव॥
Bhishma said The mobile creatures devour things that are immobile; animals having teeth devour those that have none; angry snakes of dreadful venom devour smaller ones of their own species.
एतेभ्यश्चाप्रमत्तः स्यात् सदा शत्रोर्युधिष्ठिर। भारुण्डसदृशा ह्येते निपतन्ति प्रमादतः॥
The king, O Yudhishthira, should always be careful of his subjects as also of his eremies. If he becomes careless, they attack him like vultures.
कच्चित् ते वणिजो राष्ट्रे नोद्विजन्ति करार्दिताः। क्रीणन्तो बहुनाल्पेन कान्तारकृतविश्रमाः॥
Take care, O king, that the traders in your kingdom, who purchase articles for purposes of trade at prices high and low, and who while itenerating have to sleep or take rest in forests and inaccessible regions, may not suffer from the imposition of heavy taxes.
कच्चित् कृषिकरा राष्ट्रं न जहेत्यतिपीडिताः। ये वहन्ति धुरं राज्ञां ते भरन्तीतरानपि॥
Let not the agriculturists in your kingdom leave it through oppression; they, who bear the burden of the king, support the other residents also of the kingdom.
इतो दत्तेन जीवन्ति देवाः पितृगणास्तथा। मानुषोरगरक्षांसि वयांसि पशवस्तथा॥
The gifts made by you in this world support the gods, Pitris, men, Nagas, Rakshasas, birds, and animals.
एषा ते राष्ट्रवृत्तिश्च राज्ञां गुप्तिश्च भारत। एतमेवार्थमाश्रित्य भूयो वक्ष्यामि पाण्डव॥
These, O Bharata, are the instruments of governing a kingdom and protecting its king. I shall again talk to you on the subject, son of Pandu."