Asramawasika Parwa 12

Mahabharata 15.12

 

Asramawasika Parwa 12

 

1 [धृ]
     संधिविग्रहम अप्य अत्र पश्येथा राजसत्तम
     दवियॊनिं तरिविधॊपायं बहु कल्पं युधिष्ठिर
 2 राजेन्द्र पर्युपासीथाश छित्त्वा दवैविध्यम आत्मनः
     तुष्टपुष्टबलः शत्रुर आत्मवान इति च समरेत
 3 पर्युपासन काले तु विपरीतं विधीयते
     आमर्द काले राजेन्द्र वयपसर्पस ततॊ वरः
 4 वयसनं भेदनं चैव शत्रूणां कारयेत ततः
     कर्शनं भीषणं चैव युद्धि चापि बहु कषयम
 5 परयास्यमानॊ नृपतिस तरिविधं परिचिन्तयेत
     आत्मनश चैव शत्रॊश च शक्तिं शास्त्रविशारदः
 6 उत्साहप्रभु शक्तिभ्यां मन्त्रशक्त्या च भारत
     उपपन्नॊ नरॊ यायाद विपरीतम अतॊ ऽनयथा
 7 आददीत बलं राजा मौलं मित्रबलं तथा
     अटवी बलं भृतं चैव तथा शरेणी बलं च यत
 8 तत्र मित्रबलं राजन मौलेन न विशिष्यते
     शरेणी बलं भृतं चैव तुल्य एवेति मे मतिः
 9 तथा चारबलं चैव परस्परसमं नृप
     विज्ञेयं बलकालेषु रज्ञा काल उपस्थिते
 10 आपदश चापि बॊद्ध्यव्या बहुरूपा नराधिप
    भवन्ति राज्ञां कौरव्य यास ताः पृथग अतः शृणु
 11 विकल्पा बहवॊ राजन्न आपदां पाण्डुनन्दन
    सामादिभिर उपन्यस्य शमयेत तान नृपः सदा
 12 यात्रां यायाद बलैर युक्तॊ राजा षड्भिः परंतप
    संयुक्तॊ देशकालाभ्यां बलैर आत्मगुणैस तथा
 13 तुष्टपुष्टबलॊ यायाद राजा वृद्ध्युदये रतः
    आहूतश चाप्य अथॊ यायाद अनृताव अपि पार्थिवः
 14 सथूणाश्मानं वाजिरथप्रधानां; धवजद्रुमैः संवृतकूलरॊधसम
    पदातिनागैर बहु कर्दमां नदीं; सपत्ननाशे नृपतिः परयायात
 15 अथॊपपत्त्या शकटं पद्मं वज्रं च भारत
    उशना वेद यच छास्त्रं तत्रैतद विहितं विभॊ
 16 सादयित्वा परबलं कृत्वा च बलहर्षणम
    सवभूमौ यॊजयेद युद्धं परभूमौ तथैव च
 17 लब्धं परशमयेद राजा निक्षिपेद धनिनॊ नरान
    जञात्वा सवविषयं तं च सामादिभिर उपक्रमेत
 18 सर्तथैव महाराज शरीरं धारयेद इह
    परेत्येह चैव कर्तव्यम आत्मनिःश्रेयसं परम
 19 एवं कुर्वञ शुभा वाचॊ लॊके ऽसमिञ शृणुते नृपः
    परेत्य सवर्गं तथाप्नॊति परजा धर्मेण पालयन
 20 एवं तवया कुरु शरेठ वर्तितव्यं परजाहितम
    उभयॊर लॊकयॊस तात पराप्तये नित्यम एव च
 21 भीष्मेण पूर्वम उक्तॊ ऽसि कृष्णेन विदुरेण च
    मयाप्य अवश्यं वक्तव्यं परीत्या ते नृपसत्तम
 22 एतत सर्वं यथान्यायं कुर्वीथा भूरिदक्षिण
    परियस तथा परजानां तवं सवर्गे सुखम अवाप्स्यसि
 23 अश्वमेध सहस्रेण यॊ यजेत पृथिवीपतिः
    पालयेद वापि धर्मेण परजास तुल्यं फलं लभेत

 

 1 [dhṛ]
     saṃdhivigraham apy atra paśyethā rājasattama
     dviyoniṃ trividhopāyaṃ bahu kalpaṃ yudhiṣṭhira
 2 rājendra paryupāsīthāś chittvā dvaividhyam ātmanaḥ
     tuṣṭapuṣṭabalaḥ śatrur ātmavān iti ca smaret
 3 paryupāsana kāle tu viparītaṃ vidhīyate
     āmarda kāle rājendra vyapasarpas tato varaḥ
 4 vyasanaṃ bhedanaṃ caiva śatrūṇāṃ kārayet tataḥ
     karśanaṃ bhīṣaṇaṃ caiva yuddhi cāpi bahu kṣayam
 5 prayāsyamāno nṛpatis trividhaṃ paricintayet
     ātmanaś caiva śatroś ca śaktiṃ śāstraviśāradaḥ
 6 utsāhaprabhu śaktibhyāṃ mantraśaktyā ca bhārata
     upapanno naro yāyād viparītam ato 'nyathā
 7 ādadīta balaṃ rājā maulaṃ mitrabalaṃ tathā
     aṭavī balaṃ bhṛtaṃ caiva tathā śreṇī balaṃ ca yat
 8 tatra mitrabalaṃ rājan maulena na viśiṣyate
     śreṇī balaṃ bhṛtaṃ caiva tulya eveti me matiḥ
 9 tathā cārabalaṃ caiva parasparasamaṃ nṛpa
     vijñeyaṃ balakāleṣu rajñā kāla upasthite
 10 āpadaś cāpi boddhyavyā bahurūpā narādhipa
    bhavanti rājñāṃ kauravya yās tāḥ pṛthag ataḥ śṛṇu
 11 vikalpā bahavo rājann āpadāṃ pāṇḍunandana
    sāmādibhir upanyasya śamayet tān nṛpaḥ sadā
 12 yātrāṃ yāyād balair yukto rājā ṣaḍbhiḥ paraṃtapa
    saṃyukto deśakālābhyāṃ balair ātmaguṇais tathā
 13 tuṣṭapuṣṭabalo yāyād rājā vṛddhyudaye rataḥ
    āhūtaś cāpy atho yāyād anṛtāv api pārthivaḥ
 14 sthūṇāśmānaṃ vājirathapradhānāṃ; dhvajadrumaiḥ saṃvṛtakūlarodhasam
    padātināgair bahu kardamāṃ nadīṃ; sapatnanāśe nṛpatiḥ prayāyāt
 15 athopapattyā śakaṭaṃ padmaṃ vajraṃ ca bhārata
    uśanā veda yac chāstraṃ tatraitad vihitaṃ vibho
 16 sādayitvā parabalaṃ kṛtvā ca balaharṣaṇam
    svabhūmau yojayed yuddhaṃ parabhūmau tathaiva ca
 17 labdhaṃ praśamayed rājā nikṣiped dhanino narān
    jñātvā svaviṣayaṃ taṃ ca sāmādibhir upakramet
 18 sartathaiva mahārāja śarīraṃ dhārayed iha
    pretyeha caiva kartavyam ātmaniḥśreyasaṃ param
 19 evaṃ kurvañ śubhā vāco loke 'smiñ śṛṇute nṛpaḥ
    pretya svargaṃ tathāpnoti prajā dharmeṇa pālayan
 20 evaṃ tvayā kuru śreṭha vartitavyaṃ prajāhitam
    ubhayor lokayos tāta prāptaye nityam eva ca
 21 bhīṣmeṇa pūrvam ukto 'si kṛṣṇena vidureṇa ca
    mayāpy avaśyaṃ vaktavyaṃ prītyā te nṛpasattama
 22 etat sarvaṃ yathānyāyaṃ kurvīthā bhūridakṣiṇa
    priyas tathā prajānāṃ tvaṃ svarge sukham avāpsyasi
 23 aśvamedha sahasreṇa yo yajet pṛthivīpatiḥ
    pālayed vāpi dharmeṇa prajās tulyaṃ phalaṃ labhet

 

Dhritarashtra said, 'O best of kings, thou shouldst also reflect properly on war and peace. Each is of two kinds. The means are various, and the circumstances also, under which war or peace may be made, are various, O Yudhishthira. O thou of Kuru's race, thou shouldst, with coolness, reflect on the two (viz., thy strength and weakness) with regard to thyself. Thou shouldst not suddenly march against a foe that is possessed of contented and healthy soldiers, and that is endued with intelligence. On the other hand, thou shouldst think carefully of the means of vanquishing him. Thou shouldst march against a foe that is not provided with contented and healthy combatants. When everything is favourable, the foe may be beaten. After that, however, the victor should retire (and stay in a strong position). He should next cause the foe to be plunged into various calamities, and sow dissensions among his allies. He should afflict the foe and inspire terror in his heart, and attacking him weaken his forces. The king, conversant with the scriptures that marches against a foe, should think of the three kinds of strength, and, indeed, reflect on his own strength and of his foe. Only that king, O Bharata, who is endued with alacrity, discipline, and strength of counsels, should march against a foe. When his position is otherwise, he should avoid defensive operations. The king should provide himself with power of wealth, power of allies, power of foresters, power of paid soldiery, and power of the mechanical and trading classes, O puissant one. Among all these, power of allies and power of wealth are superior to the rest. The power of classes and that of the standing army are equal. The power of spies is regarded by the king as equal in efficacy to either of the above, on many occasions, when the time comes for applying each. Calamity, O king, as it overtakes rulers should be regarded as of many forms. Listen, O thou of Kuru's race, as to what those diverge forms are. Verily of various kinds are calamities, O son of Pandu. Thou shouldst always count them, distinguishing their forms, O king, and strive to meet them by applying the well-known ways of conciliation and the rest (without concealing them through idleness). The king should, when equipt with a good force, march (out against a foe), O scorcher of enemies. He should attend also to the considerations of time and place, while preparing to march, as also to the forces he has collected and his own merits (in other respects). That king who is attentive to his own growth and advancement should not march unless equipt with cheerful and healthy warriors. When strong, O son of Pandu, he may march in even an unfavourable season. The king should make a river having quivers for its stones, steeds and cars for its current, and standards for the trees that cover its banks, and which is miry with foot-soldiers and elephants. Even such a river should the king apply for the destruction of his foe. Agreeably to the science known to Usanas, arrays called Sakata, Padma, and Vijra, should be formed, O Bharata, for fighting the enemy. Knowing everything about the enemy's strength through spies, and examining his own strength himself the king should commence war either within his own territories or within those of his foe. The king should always gratify his army, and hurl all his strongest warriors (against the enemy). First ascertaining the state of his kingdom, he should apply conciliation or the other well-known means. By all means, O king, should the body be protected. One should do that which is highly beneficial for one both here and hereafter. The king, O monarch, by behaving duly according to these ways, attains to Heaven hereafter, after ruling his subjects righteously in this world. O foremost one of Kuru's race, it is even thus that thou shouldst always seek the good of thy subjects for attaining to both the worlds. Thou hast been instructed in all duties by Bhishma, by Krishna, and by Vidura, I should also, O best of kings, from the affection I bear thee, give thee these instructions. O giver of profuse presents in sacrifices, thou shouldst do all this duly. Thou shalt, by conducting thyself in this way, become dear to thy subjects and attain to felicity in Heaven. That king who adores the deities in a hundred horse-sacrifices, and he who rules his subjects righteously, acquire merit that is equal.