भीष्म उवाच नाधर्मेण महीं जेतुं लिप्सत जगतीपतिः। अधर्मविजयं लब्ध्वा को नु मन्येत भूमिप:॥
Bhishma said “A king should never desire to conquer the Earth by unfair means even if such subjugation would secure him the sovereignty of the whole Earth. What king is there who becomes happy after acquiring victory by unfair means?
अधर्मयुक्तो विजयो ह्यध्रुवोऽस्व→ एव च। सादयत्येष राजानं महीं च भरतर्षभ॥
A victory sullied by unrighteousness is uncertain and never leads to heaven. Such a victory, O foremost of Bharata's race, weakens both the king and the Earth.
विशीर्णकवचं चैव तवास्मीति च वादिनम्। कृताञ्जलिं न्यस्तशस्त्रं गृहीत्वा न हि हिंसयेत्॥
A warrior whose armour has slipped off of his body, or who prays for rescue, saying-I am yours,-or joining his hands, or who has thrown off his weapon, may simply be captured but never killed.
बलेन विजितो यश्च न तं युध्येत भूमिपः। संवत्सरं विप्रणयेत् तस्माज्जातः पुनर्भवेत्॥
If a hostile king be defeated by the army of the invader, the latter should not himself fight his defeated enemy. O the other hand, he should bring him to his place and induce him for whole year to say-I to say-I am your slave!-Whether he says or does not say this, the defeated enemy, by living for a year in the house of his victor, indeed gains a new life.
नार्वाक्संवत्सरात् कन्या प्रष्टव्या विक्रमाता। एवमेव धनं सर्वं यच्चान्यत्सहसाऽऽहृतम्॥
If a king carries forcibly a maiden from the house of his defeated foe, he should keep her for a year and ask her whether she would a : marry him or any one else. If she does not agree, she should then be returned. He should likewise deal with all other kinds of wealth that are acquired by force.
न तु वध्यधनं तिष्ठेत् पिबेयुर्ब्राह्मणाः पयः। युजीरन्नप्यनडुहः क्षन्तव्यं वा तदा भवेत्॥ राज्ञा राजैव योद्धव्यस्तथा धर्मो विधीयते। नान्यो राजानमभ्यस्येदराजन्यः कथञ्चन॥
The king should never appropriate the riches confiscated from thieves and others awaiting execution. The kine captured from the enemy by force should be given away to the Brahmanas so that they may drink their milk. The bulls taken from the enemy should be engaged in agricultural work or returned to the enemy. It is laid down that a king should fight with a king. One who is not a king should never strike a king.
अनीकयोः संहतयोर्यदीयाद् ब्राह्मणोऽन्तरा। शान्तिमिच्छन्नुभयतो न योद्धव्यं तदा भवेत्॥
If a Brahmana, with a view to secure peace, fearlessly intervenes between the two contending armies, both should immediately stop fighting.
मर्यादां शाश्वती भिन्द्याद् ब्राह्मणं योऽभिलङ्घयेत्। अथ चेल्लङ्घयेदेव मर्यादां क्षत्रियब्रुवः॥
He would break an eternal rule who would kill or wound such a Brahmana. If any Kshatriya breaks that rule, he would become the most cursed of his order.
असंख्येयस्तदूर्ध्वं स्यादनादेयश्च संसदि। यस्तु धर्मविलोपेन मर्यादाभेदनेन च॥
Furthermore, the Kshatriya, who destroys righteousness and transgresses all wholesome restrictions, is not regarded as a Kshatriya and should be driven from society.
तां वृत्तिं नानुवर्तेत विजीगीषुर्महीपतिः। धर्मलब्धाद्धि विजयाल्लाभः कोऽभ्यधिको भवेत्॥
A king, desirous of winning victory, should never behave thus. What gain can be greater than victory won fairly.
सहसानार्यभूतानि क्षिप्रमेव प्रसादयेत्। सान्त्वेन भोगदानेन स राज्ञां परमो नयः॥
The sections of men who are liable to excite people (in a newly conquered kingdom) should forthwith, be conciliated with soothing words and presents. This is a good policy which the king should adopt.
भुज्यमाना ह्ययोगेन स्वराष्ट्रादभितापिताः। अमित्रास्तमुपासीरन् व्यसनौघप्रतीक्षिणः॥
It instead of doing this, a king tries to govern them with impolicy, they would then leave the kingdom and side with his foes and wait for calamities to overwhelm him.
अमित्रोपग्रहं चास्य ते कुर्यः क्षिप्रमापदि। संतुष्टाः सर्वतो राजन् राजव्यसनकाक्षिणः॥
Watching for the calamities of the king, discontented men promptly side with the latter's enemies, O monarch, in time of danger.
नामित्रो विनिकर्तव्यो नातिच्छेद्यः कथञ्चन। जीवितं ह्यष्यतिच्छिन्नः संत्यजेच्च कदाचन॥
An enemy should not be imposed on by unfair means. Nor should he be wounded morally. For if struck morally, his very life may disappear.
अल्पेनापि च संयुक्तस्युष्यत्येव नराधिपः। शुद्धं जीवितमेवापि तादृशो बहु मन्यते॥
If a king is satisfied with little resources he considers life alone as valuable.
यस्य स्फीतो जनपदः सम्पन्नः प्रियराजकः। संतुष्टभृत्यसचिवो दृढमूलः स पार्थिवः॥
That king, whose dominions are extensive and rich, whose subjects are loyal, whose servants and officers are all contented, is said to be firmly settled.
ऋत्विक्पुरोहिताचार्या ये चान्ये श्रुतसत्तमाः। पूजार्हाः पूजिता यस्य स वै लोकविदुच्यते॥
That king whose Ritvijas, priests, preceptors and others about him that are wellversed in the scriptures and worthy of honours are all duly honoured, is considered as the master of the worldly ways.
एतेनैव च वृत्तेन महीं प्राप सुरोत्तमः। अनेन चेन्द्रविषयं विजिगीषन्ति पार्थिवाः॥
It was by such conduct that Indra became the king of the world. It is by this conduct that earthly kings attain to the dignity of Indra.
भूमिवर्जं धनं राजा जित्वा राजन् महाहवे। अपि चान्नौषधीः शश्वदाजहार प्रतर्दनः॥
Defeating his enemies in great battle, King Pratardana took all their wealth, including their very grain and medicinal herbs, but left their land untouched.
अग्निहोत्राग्निशेषं च हविर्भोजनमेव च। आजहार दिवोदासस्ततो विप्रकृतोऽभवत्॥
After subjugating his foes, King Divodasa brought away the very residue of their sacrificial fires, their clarified butter, and their food. Therefore he was deprived of the merit of his conquests.
सराजकानि राष्ट्राणि नाभागो दक्षिणां ददौ। अन्यत्र श्रोत्रियस्वाच्च तापसार्थाच्च भारत॥
King Nabhaga gave away whole kingdoms with their rulers as sacrificial presents to the Brahmanas, save the wealth of learned Brahmanas and ascetics.
उच्चावचानि वित्तानि धर्मज्ञानां युधिष्ठिर। आसन् राज्ञां पुराणानां सर्वं तन्मम रोचते॥
The conduct, O Yudhishthira, of all the righteous kings of yore, was excellent, and I approve of it wholly.
सर्वविद्यातिरेकेण जयमिच्छेन्महीपतिः। न मायया न दम्भेन य इच्छेद् भूतिमात्मनः॥
That king who wishes for his own prosperity should try to make conquests by fair means, but never with deceit but ones on or with pride.'