SHANTI
PARV MAHABHARAT BOOK 12 CHAPTER 108
Mahabharat
Book 12 Chapter 108 : English
SECTION CVII
"Yudhishthir
said, 'Thou hast, O scorcher of foes, described the course of duties,
the general conduct, the means of livelihood, with their results,
of Brahmans and Kshatriyas and Vaisyas and Sudras. Thou hast discoursed
also on the duties of kings, the subject of their treasuries, the
means of filling them, and the topic of conquest and victory. Thou
hast spoken also of the characteristics of ministers, the measures,
that lead to the advancement of the subjects, the characteristics
of the sixfold limbs of a kingdom, the qualities of armies, the
means of distinguishing the wicked, and the marks of those that
are good, the attributes of those that are equal, those that are
inferior, and those that are superior, the behaviour which a king
desirous of advancement should adopt towards the masses, and the
manner in which the weak should be protected and cherished. Thou
hast discoursed on all these subjects, O cc, laying down instructions
that are plain according to what has been inculcated hi sacred treatise.
Thou hast spoken also of the behaviour that should be adopted by
kings desirous of conquering their foes.
About
Gans :
•
I desire now, O foremost of intelligent men, to listen to the behaviour
that one should observe towards the multitude of courageous men
that assemble round a king! Gans
• I desire to hear how these may grow, how
they may be attached to the king, O Bharat, how may they succeed
in subjugating their foes and in acquiring friends.
• It seems to me that disunion alone can
bring about their destruction. I think it is always difficult to
keep counsels secret when many are concerned.
• I desire to hear all this in detail, O
scorcher of foes! Tell me also, O king, the means by which they
may be prevented from falling out with the king.'
• "Bhishma said, 'Between the aristocracy
on the one side and the kings on the other, avarice and wrath, O
monarch, are the causes that produce enmity. 2 One of these parties
(viz., the king,) yields to avarice. As a consequence, wrath takes
possession of the other (the aristocracy). Each intent upon weakening
and wasting the other, they both meet with destruction.
• By employing spies, contrivances of policy,
and physical force, and adopting the arts of conciliation, gifts,
and disunion and applying other methods for producing weakness,
waste, and fear, the parties assail each other.
• The aristocracy of a kingdom, having the
characteristics of a compact body, become dissociated from the king
if the latter seeks to take too much from them. Dissociated from
the king, all of them become dissatisfied, and acting from fear,
side with the enemies of their ruler.
• If again the aristocracy of a kingdom be
disunited amongst themselves, they meet with destruction. Disunited,
they fall an easy prey to foes. The nobles, therefore, should always
act in concert. If they be united together, they may earn acquisitions
of value by means of their strength and prowess. Indeed, when they
are thus united, many outsiders seek their alliance.
• Men of knowledge applaud those nobles that
art united with one another in bonds of love. If united in purpose,
all of them can be happy. They can (by their example) establish
righteous courses of conduct. By behaving properly, they advance
in prosperity.
• By restraining their sons and brothers
and teaching them their duties, and by behaving kindly towards all
persons whose pride has been quelled by knowledge, 1 the aristocracy
advance in prosperity.
• By always attending to the duties of setting
spies and devising means of policy, as also to the matter of filling
their treasuries, the aristocracy, O thou of mighty arms, advance
in prosperity.
• By showing proper reverence for them that
are possessed of wisdom and courage and perseverance and that display
steady prowess in all kinds of work, the aristocracy advance in
prosperity. Possessed of wealth and resources, of knowledge of the
scriptures and all arts and sciences, the aristocracy rescue the
ignorant masses from every kind of distress and danger. Wrath (on
the of part the king), rupture, 2 terror, chastisement, persecution,
oppression, and executions, O chief of the Bharats, speedily cause
the aristocracy to fall away from the king and side with the king's
enemies.
• They, therefore, that are the leaders of
the aristocracy should be honoured by the king. The affairs of the
kingdom, O king, depend to a great extent upon them. Consultations
should be held with only those that are the leaders of the aristocracy,
and secret agents should be placed, O crusher of foes, with them
only.
• The king should not, O Bharat, consult
with every member of the aristocracy. The king, acting in concert
with the leaders, should do what is for the good of the whole order.
When, however, the aristocracy becomes separated and disunited and
destitute of leaders, other courses of action should be followed.
• If the members of the aristocracy quarrel
with one another and act, each according to his own resources, without
combination, their prosperity dwindles away and diverse kinds of
evil occur.
• Those amongst them that are possessed of
learning and wisdom should tread down a dispute as soon as it happens.
Indeed, if the seniors of a race look on with indifference, quarrels
break out amongst the members.
• Such quarrels bring about the destruction
of a race and produce disunion among the (entire order of the) nobles.
Protect thyself, O king, from all fears that arise from within.
• Fears, however, that arise from outside
are of little consequence. The first kind of fear, O king, may cut
thy roots in a single day. Persons that are equal to one another
in family and blood, influenced by wrath or folly or covetousness
arising from their very
natures, cease to speak with one another. This is an indication
of defeat.
•
It is not by courage, nor by intelligence, nor by beauty, nor by
wealth, that enemies succeed in destroying the aristocracy. It is
only by disunion and gifts that it can be reduced to subjugation.
For this reason, combination has been said to be the great refuge
of the aristocracy.'" 1
Footnotes :
•
233:1 The word is Gan. it literally means an assemblage. There can
be no doubt that throughout this lesson the word has been employed
to denote the aristocracy of wealth and blood that surround a throne.
• 233:2 If the king, moved by avarice, taxes
them heavily, the aristocracy resent it and seek to pull down the
king.
• 234:1 i.e., learned men of humility.
• 234:2 Probably, with the king.
• 235:1 The Burdwan Pundits make a mess of
the last two verses. In 31, there is an incorrect reading in the
Bengal texts. It is Pradhanaccha for pradanaccha. The Burdwan version
repeats the error. K.P. Singha, of course, avoids it, but his version
is rather incomplete.
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