धृतराष्ट्र उवाच ।
१५.११.१
मण्डलानि च बुध्येथाः परेषामात्मनस्तथा ।
उदासीनगुणानां च मध्यमानां तथैव च ॥
उदासीनगुणानां च मध्यमानां तथैव च ॥
M N Dutt
Dhritarashtra said You should always ascertain the Mandalas which belong to you, to your enemies, to neutrals, and to those who are disposed equally towards you and your eneinies, O Bharata.
१५.११.२
चतुर्णां शत्रुजातानां सर्वेषामाततायिनाम् ।
मित्रं चामित्रमित्रं च बोद्धव्यं तेऽरिकर्शन ॥
मित्रं चामित्रमित्रं च बोद्धव्यं तेऽरिकर्शन ॥
M N Dutt
The Mandalas also of the four kinds of enemies, of those called Atatayins, and of allies, and the allies of enemies, should be distinguished by you, O crusher of enemies.
१५.११.३
तथामात्या जनपदा दुर्गाणि विषमाणि च ।
बलानि च कुरुश्रेष्ठ भवन्त्येषां यथेच्छकम् ॥
बलानि च कुरुश्रेष्ठ भवन्त्येषां यथेच्छकम् ॥
M N Dutt
You should sec that the ministers of state, the pcople of the provinces, the garrisons of forts, and the forces, O foremost one of Kuru's race, are not tampered with.
१५.११.४
ते च द्वादश कौन्तेय राज्ञां वै विविधात्मकाः ।
मन्त्रिप्रधानाश्च गुणाः षष्टिर्द्वादश च प्रभो ॥
मन्त्रिप्रधानाश्च गुणाः षष्टिर्द्वादश च प्रभो ॥
M N Dutt
The twelve (enumerated above), O son of Kunti, form the principal concerns of kings. These twelve, as also the sixty, having Ministers for their foremost, should be looked after by the king.
१५.११.५
एतन्मण्डलमित्याहुराचार्या नीतिकोविदाः ।
अत्र षाड्गुण्यमायत्तं युधिष्ठिर निबोध तत् ॥
अत्र षाड्गुण्यमायत्तं युधिष्ठिर निबोध तत् ॥
M N Dutt
Politicians call these by the name of Mandala. Understand, O Yudhishthira, that the six incidents (of peace, war, march, halt, sowing dissension's, and conciliation) depend upon these.
१५.११.६
वृद्धिक्षयौ च विज्ञेयौ स्थानं च कुरुनन्दन ।
द्विसप्तत्या महाबाहो ततः षाड्गुण्यचारिणः ॥
द्विसप्तत्या महाबाहो ततः षाड्गुण्यचारिणः ॥
M N Dutt
Growth and diminution should also be understood, as also the condition of being stationary. The attributes of the six fold incidents, O you of mighty arms, as resting on the seventy-two (already enumerated), should also be, carefully understood.
१५.११.७
यदा स्वपक्षो बलवान्परपक्षस्तथाबलः ।
विगृह्य शत्रून्कौन्तेय यायात्क्षितिपतिस्तदा ।
यदा स्वपक्षोऽबलवांस्तदा संधिं समाश्रयेत् ॥
विगृह्य शत्रून्कौन्तेय यायात्क्षितिपतिस्तदा ।
यदा स्वपक्षोऽबलवांस्तदा संधिं समाश्रयेत् ॥
M N Dutt
When one's own side has vecome strong and the side of the enemy has become weak, it is them, O son of Kunti, that the king should fight against the enemy and try to acquire victory.
१५.११.८
द्रव्याणां संचयश्चैव कर्तव्यः स्यान्महांस्तथा ।
यदा समर्थो यानाय नचिरेणैव भारत ॥
यदा समर्थो यानाय नचिरेणैव भारत ॥
M N Dutt
The king should collect a large quantity of articles (for his commissariat). When able to march out, he should on no account make a delay, O Bharata.
१५.११.९
तदा सर्वं विधेयं स्यात्स्थानं च न विभाजयेत् ।
भूमिरल्पफला देया विपरीतस्य भारत ॥
भूमिरल्पफला देया विपरीतस्य भारत ॥
M N Dutt
Besides, he should on that occasion set his men to work for which they are fit, without being moved by many other consideration. He should, (when obliged to part with a portion of his territories), give his enemy such land as are not productive of a plentiful harvest.
१५.११.१०
हिरण्यं कुप्यभूयिष्ठं मित्रं क्षीणमकोशवत् ।
विपरीतान्न गृह्णीयात्स्वयं संधिविशारदः ॥
विपरीतान्न गृह्णीयात्स्वयं संधिविशारदः ॥
M N Dutt
(When obliged to pay coins), he should give gold containing much base metal. (When obliged to surrender a portion of his army), he should give such men as are not noted for strength. One who is skilled in treatics should, when taking land or gold or men from the enemy, take what is possessed of attributes the reverse of this.
१५.११.११
संध्यर्थं राजपुत्रं च लिप्सेथा भरतर्षभ ।
विपरीतस्तु तेऽदेयः पुत्र कस्यांचिदापदि ।
तस्य प्रमोक्षे यत्नं च कुर्याः सोपायमन्त्रवित् ॥
विपरीतस्तु तेऽदेयः पुत्र कस्यांचिदापदि ।
तस्य प्रमोक्षे यत्नं च कुर्याः सोपायमन्त्रवित् ॥
M N Dutt
In making treaties of peace, the son of the king should be demanded as a hostage, O chief of the Bharatas. A contrary course of conduct would not be wholesome, O son. If a calamity come over the king, he should, with knowledge of means and counsels, try to liberate himself from it. The king, O foremost of kings, should maintain the cheerless and the destitute among his people.
१५.११.१९
असंभवे तु सर्वस्य यथामुख्येन निष्पतेत् ।
क्रमेणानेन मोक्षः स्याच्छरीरमपि केवलम् ॥
क्रमेणानेन मोक्षः स्याच्छरीरमपि केवलम् ॥
M N Dutt
If the issue of the battle turns against him, he should, then, fall, sacrificing all his resources one after another, renouncing his life in this way, he will acquire freedom from all sorrow.
॥ इति १५.११ ॥
Other texts to read
About
Sanskrit Sahitya is a free, open-access digital library of classical Sanskrit literature with AI-powered tools and translations.