Matsya Purana 220: adhyāyaḥ 220

220.1

rājadharmavarṇanam.
matsya uvāca.
rājan! putrasya rakṣā ca kartavyā pṛthivīkṣitā.
ācāryaścātra kartavyo nityayuktaśca rakṣibhiḥ .. 220.1 ..

Matsya said:—O King! a king should well guard his own son A number of trustworthy servants should be retained to guard and a faithful teacher as well to give him instruction He should be grounded in Dharma, Kâma, Artha, archery the use of charriot, elephants and horses and mechanical arts, and various other physical exercises A prince should not be so very truthful, should speak sweet words according to necessity that need not be rigorously true Such instruction should be given to him Men should be employed to guard him under the pretext of guarding his person A prince should not be allowed to mix with men of angry or avaricious disposition, nor with persons who had been insulted and looked down upon His custodians should train him up so that he may be gentle and may not abandon the difficult path of virtue and be led away by passions during his youth The prince who cannot be easily trained up in all such good qualities by good instructions should be well guarded in a secret place where he should have all his comforts A prince devoid of politics and humility soon perishes Persons well trained should be employed in different departments of State First they should be given small offices and then their sphere of work should be gradually widened—1-7

220.2

dharmakāmārthaśāstrāṇi dhanurvedañca śikṣayet.
rathe ca kuñcare cainaṃ vyāyāmaṅkārayetsadā .. 220.2 ..

220.3

śilpāni śikṣayeccainaṃ nāpto mithyā priyaṃ vadet.
śarīrarakṣāvyājena rakṣiṇo'sya niyojayet .. 220.3 ..

220.4

na cāsya saṅgo jātavyaḥ kruddhalubdhāvamānitaiḥ.
tathā ca vinayedenaṃ yathā yauvanagocarai .. 220.4 ..

220.5

indriyairnāpakṛṣyeta satāṃ mārgātsudurgamāt.
guṇādhānamaśakyantu yasya kartuṃ svabhāvayaḥ .. 220.5 ..

220.6

bandhanaṃ tasya kartavyaṃ guptadeśe sukhānvitam.
avinītakumāraṃ hi kulamāśu viśīryate .. 220.6 ..

220.7

adhikāreṣu sarveṣu vinītaṃ viniyojayet.
ādau svalpe tataḥ paścātkrameṇātha mahātsvapi .. 220.7 ..

220.8

mṛgayā pānamakṣāṃśca varjayet pṛthivīpatiḥ.
etānye sevamānāstu vinaṣṭāḥ pṛthivīkṣitaḥ .. 220.8 ..

They should be kept away from the vices of drinking, hunting expeditions and gambling for many kings addicted to them have been ruined and their number is legion A sovereign should also not let the princes sleep in course of the day, nor should they be allowed to travel with no purpose in view—8 9

220.9

bahavo naraśārdūla! teṣāṃ saṅkhyā na vidyate.
divā svāpaṃ kṣitīśastu viśeṣeṇa vivarjayet .. 220.9 ..

220.10

vākyāruṣyaṃ na kartavyaṃ daṇḍapāruṣyameva ca.
parokṣanindā ca tathā varjanīyā mahīkṣitā.. 220.10 ..

A sovereign should not inflict severe punishment, nor should he use harsh words and speak ill of anyone at his back—10

220.11

arthasya dūṣaṇaṃ rājā dviprakāraṃ vivarjayet.
arthānāṃ dūṣaṇañcaikaṃ tathārtheṣu ca dūṣaṇam .. 220.11 ..

A sovereign should avoid the two evils arising out of wealth, viz—the evils arising out of not being used properly and of being used improperly--11

220.12

prākārāṇāṃ samucchedo durgādīnāmasatkriyā.
arthānāṃ dūṣaṇaṃ proktaṃ viprakīrṇatvameva ca .. 220.12 ..

Not to guard well the enclosure walls, not to repair the forts, not to collect wealth from various places, to give out wealth to unfit countries, and to unfit persons in improper times, are regarded as not using wealth properly, whereas to use wealth in vicious and bad works is regarded as using wealth improperly—12 13 }

220.13

adeśakāle yaddānamapātre dānameva ca.
artheṣu dūṣaṇaṃ proktamasatkarma pravartanam .. 220.13 ..

220.14

kāmaḥ krodho mado māno lobho harṣastathaiva ca.
ete varjyāḥ prayatnena sādaraṃ pṛthivīkṣitā .. 220.14 ..

A sovereign should tactfully drive away lust, anger, pride, avarice and too much pleasure After conquering them he should win his retainers and afterwards he should endear himself to his country and city and his subjects—14 15

220.15

eteṣāṃ vijayaṃ kṛtvā kāryo bhṛtya-jayastataḥ.
kṛtvā bhṛtyajayaṃ rājā paurān jānapadān jayet .. 220.15 ..

220.16

kṛtvā ca vijayanteṣāṃ śatrūn bāhyāṃstato jayet.
bāhyāśca vividhā jñeyāstulyābhyantarakṛtrimāḥ .. 220.16 ..

Then he should conquer the external foes. These outside enemies are of various classes according as they are equal to him or under his control or quite accidental and so artificial arising out of needs, and they should be treated with greater or less caution as they belong to the former or latter class—16

220.17

guravaste yathā pūrvaṃ teṣu yatnaparo bhavet.
pitṛpaitāmahaṃ mitramamitrañca tathā ripoḥ .. 220.17 ..

[The friends are of three kinds (1) as they are the friends of the father and the grandfather, (2) the enemy's enemy, and (3) an acquired friend arising out of necessity Among them the previous kinds of friends are superior—17 18

220.18

kṛtrimañca mahābhāga! mitraṃ trividhamucyate.
tathāpi ca guruḥ pūrvaṃ bhavettatrāpi cādṛtaḥ .. 220.18 ..

220.19

svāmyamātyo janapado durgaṃ daṇḍastathaiva ca.
kośo mitrañca dharmajña! saptāṅgaṃ rājyamucyate .. 220.19 ..

(1) King, (2) ministers, (3) country and subjects, (4) fort, (5) penal laws, (6) treasure, and (7) friends are the seven component parts of an Empire—19 in his people A king who is both mild and strong according to circumstances is prosperous in this life as well as in the next one! A sovereign should never joke with his retainers.—20-24

220.20

saptāṅgasyāpi rājyasya mūlaṃ svāmī prakīrtitaḥ.
tanmūlatvāttathāṅgānāṃ sa turakṣyaḥ prayatnataḥ .. 220.20 ..

220.21

ṣaḍaṅgarakṣā kartavyā tathā tena prayatnataḥ.
aṅgebhyo yastathaikastu drohamācarate'lpadhīḥ .. 220.21 ..

220.22

bandhastasya tu kartavyaḥ śīghrameva mahīkṣitā.
na rājñā mṛdunā bhāvyaṃ mṛdurhi paribhūyate .. 220.22 ..

220.23

na bhāvyaṃ dāruṇenāpi tīkṣṇādudvijate janaḥ.
kāle bhṛduryo bhavati kāle bhavati dāruṇaḥ .. 220.23 ..

220.24

rājā lokadvayāpekṣī tasya lokadvayaṃ bhavet.
bhṛtyaiḥ saha mahīpālaḥ parihāsaṃ vivarjayet .. 220.24 ..

220.25

bhṛtyāḥ paribhavantīha nṛpaṃ harṣavaśaṅgatam.
vyasanāni ca sarvāṇi bhūpatiḥ parivarjayet .. 220.25 ..

For the latter begin then to despise him Besides this he should give up all passionate habits It is however meet for him to have his hobbies for the acquirement of realms The subjects of a haughty sovereign are not amiable, he should therefore speak to everyone with a smiling face—25-27

220.26

lokasaṃgrahaṇārthāya kṛtakavyasanī bhavet.
śauṇḍīrasya narendrasya nityamudriktacetasaḥ .. 220.26 ..

220.27

janā virāgamāyānti sadā duḥsevyabhāvataḥ.
smitapūrvābhibhāṣīsyāt sarvasyaiva mahīpatiḥ .. 220.27 ..

220.28

badhyeṣvapi mahābhāga! bhrukuṭiṃ na samācaret.
bhāvyaṃ dharmabhṛtāṃ śreṣṭha! sthūllakṣyeṇa bhūbhujā .. 220.28 ..

He should not show his temper even to those who may be fit to be condemned to death He should always be dignified —28

220.29

sthūlalakṣyasya vaśagā sarvā bhavati medinī.
adīrghasūtraśca bhavet sarvakarmasu pārthivaḥ .. 220.29 ..

Such a king always makes himself dear to his subjects and he should be bountiful and generous for a generous king conquers the whole world He should not give way to laziness but he should be quick in doing everything, all the works of a procrastinate king suffer But where too much affection, haughtiness, selfishness quarrel vicious and unpleasant acts are concerned a king should be slow, he is then praised! He should always keep his policy confidential, one who makes it known brings ruination on him The sovereign whose policy is not known to any until it is accomplished conquers all the world Empires always depend on the basis of sound policy, the latter should therefore always be well guarded—29 33

220.30

dīrghasūtrasya nṛpateḥ karmahānirdhruvambhavet.
rāge darpe ca māne ca drohe pāpe ca karmaṇi .. 220.30 ..

220.31

apriye caiva kartavye dīrghasūtraḥ praśasyate.
rājñā saṃvṛtamantreṇa sadā bhāvyaṃ nṛpottama!.. 220.31 ..

220.32

tasyāsaṃvṛtamantrasya rājñaḥ sarvāpado dhruvam.
kṛtānyeva tu kāryāṇi jñāyante yasya bhūpateḥ .. 220.32 ..

220.33

nārabdhāni mahābhāga! tasya syādvasudhāvaśe.
mantramūlaṃ sadā rājyaṃ tasmānmantraḥ surakṣitaḥ .. 220.33 ..

220.34

kartavyaḥ pṛthivīpālairmantrabheda bhayāt sadā.
mantravitsādhito mantraḥ sampattīnāṃ sukhāvahaḥ .. 220.34 ..

A sovereign should solve his policy through wise and sound statesmen for there is always a risk of its leaking out when placed in unreliable hands The solution of a policy through desirable channels therefore is a source of incalculable benefit Many kings are ruined owing to bad advices from ministers—34

220.35

mantracchalena bahavo vinaṣṭāḥ pṛthivīkṣitaḥ.
ākārairiṅgitairgatyā ceṣṭayā bhāṣitena ca .. 220.35 ..

Many sovereigns have been ruined by the unsoundness of their policy Appearance, signs, hearing features speech, eyes and face indicate the inward feelings of a man A king sound in politics has all the world at his command A king should neither hold council with one man nor with too many He should not get into a boat without knowing its rower He should also deal with the robbers that accost him according to the rules of Sâma, etc He should by all means pursue the course that may not be against the wishes of his subjects and may not weaken them—35 39

220.36

netravaktravikāraiśca gṛhyate'ntargataṃ manaḥ.
na yasya kuśalaistasya vaśe sarvā vasundharā.. 220.36 ..

220.37

bhavatīha mahīpāle sadā pārthivanandana!.
naikastu mantrayenmantraṃ rājā na bahubhiḥ saha .. 220.37 ..

220.38

nārohedviṣamāṃ nāvamaparīkṣitanāvikam.
ye cāsya bhūmijayino bhaveyuḥ paripanthinaḥ .. 220.38 ..

220.39

tānānayedvaśe sarvān sāmādibhirupakramaiḥ.
yathā na syāt kṛśībhāvaḥ prajānāmanavekṣayā .. 220.39 ..

220.40

tathā rājñā prakartavyaṃ svarāṣṭraṃ parirakṣatā.
mohādrājā svarāṣṭraṃ yaḥ karṣayatyanavekṣayā .. 220.40 ..

He should minister to every ones comfort in his state The king who brings about weakness of his subjects out of delusion goes to rack and ruin and he is deprived of his kingdom and his brethren As a nourished calf becomes fit to carry loads so is a very well looked after State able to bear the weight of regality The king who is kind to his subjects assures the permanency of his rule and achieves great objects! The King should carefully protect by all means gold grains and land in his Empire and bring them under his control As a father and a mother well guard their sons, so a king should well guard his senses from his own persons and from others He should always enjoy by his senses kept well under control—40-44

220.41

so'cirād bhraśyate rājyājjīvitācca sabāndhavaḥ.
bhṛto vatso jātabalaḥ karmayogyo yathā bhavet .. 220.41 ..

220.42

tathā rāṣṭraṃ mahābhāga! bhṛtaṃ karmasahambhavet.
yo rāṣṭramanughṛhṇāti rājyaṃ sa parirakṣati .. 220.42 ..

220.43

sañjātamupajīvettu vindate sa mahatphalam.
gṛhyāddhiraṇyaṃ dhānyañca mahīṃ rājāsu rakṣitām .. 220.43 ..

220.44

mahatā tu prayatnena svārāṣṭrasya ca rakṣitā.
nityaṃ svebhyaḥ parebhyaśca yathā mātā yathā pitā .. 220.44 ..

220.45

gopitāni sadā kuryāt saṃyatānīndriyāṇi ca.
ajasramupayoktavyaṃ phalantebhyastathaiva ca .. 220.45 ..

All the things in this world are under the control of Daiva and the exertions of men Daiva cannot be clearly recognised, but the exertions are seen to bring about successful results He should also keep all his passions under his control which should be applied to achieve something useful when there is an occasion for that Such a king is universally loved which brings him great wealth name and fame from his Empire as well as from outside.—45 47

220.46

sarvaṃ karmedamāyattaṃ vidhāne daivamānuṣe.
tayordevamacintyañca pauruṣe vidyate kriyā .. 220.46 ..

220.47

evaṃ mahīṃ pālayato'sya bharturlokānurāgaḥ paramo bhavettu.
lokānurāgaprabhavā ca lakṣmīrlakṣmīvataścāpi parā ca lakṣmīḥ .. 220.47 ..