Matsya Purana 226: adhyāyaḥ 226

226.1

rājadharmavarṇane rājño devasāmyatvavarṇanam.

Matsya said:—A king is created by Brahmâ for the preservation of all the beings for awarding to the Devas their respective shares of sacrificial oblations and for inflicting proper punishment to the guilty.—1.

226.2

matsya uvāca.
daṇḍapraṇayanārthāya rājā sṛṣṭaḥ svayambhuvā.
devabhāgānupādāya sarvabhūtādi guptaye .. 226.1 ..

226.3

tejasā yadamuṃ kaścinnaiva śaknoti vīkṣitum.
tato bhavati lokeṣu rājā bhāskaravatprabhuḥ .. 226.2 ..

A king is like the Sun, for, none dare look at him with hostile eyes. Everyone is pleased at the sight of him, he satisfies all eyes, therefore he is like the Moon.—2-3.

226.4

yadāsya darśane lokaḥ prasādamupagaccati.
nayanānandakāritvāttadā bhavati candramāḥ .. 226.3 ..

226.5

yathā yamaḥ priyadveṣye prāpte kāle prayacchati.
tathā rājñā vidhātavyāḥ prajāstadvi yamavratam .. 226.4 ..

A king like Dharmaraja bestows his affection and inflicts his punishment on the people according to circumstances. He has therefore the attributes of Dharmarâja.—4.

226.6

varuṇena yathā pāśairbaddha eva pradṛśyate.
tathā pāpānnigṛhṇīyād vratametadvi vāruṇam .. 226.5 ..

Just as the God Varuṇa flings His noose round the enemy's neck, similarly a king also throws his fetters round the feet of the wicked. This is the king's Vâruṇavrata (vow).—5.

226.7

paripūrṇaṃ yathā candraṃ dṛṣṭvā hṛṣyati mānavaḥ.
tathā prakṛtayo yasmin sa candrapratimo nṛpaḥ .. 226.6 ..

People are satisfied to look at their king as they are at the sight of the Moon. He is always rigorous and strong to curb the sinners and he should burn as fire does all his enemies who are envious and wicked. This is his Âgneyavrata.—6-7.

226.8

pratāpayuktastejasvī nityaṃ syāt sarvakarmasu.
duṣṭasāmanta hiṃsreṣu rājāgneyavrate sthitaḥ .. 226.7 ..

226.9

yathā sarvāṇi bhūtāni bibhrataḥ pārthivaṃ vratam.
indrasyārkasya vātasya yamasya varuṇasya ca .. 226.8 ..

He should always observe this Âgneya vrata. As the earth holds up all the beings, so a king nourishes all his subjects. This is his Pârthivavrata. As all the subjects of a sovereign are steady in their devotion to him, so is he in his devotion to Indra, Sûrya, Vâyu, Yama, Varuṇa, Chandramâ, Agni and Pṛithvî. He sustains his subjects as Indra pours forth rain for four months during the rains. This is Indra vrata. He takes revenues from his subjects as the Sun draws in moisture by his rays for eight months. This is Sûryavrata.—8-10.

226.10

candrasyāgneḥ pṛthivyāśca tejo vrataṃ nṛpaścaret.
vārṣikān caturo māsān yathendropyathavarṣati .. 226.9 ..

226.11

tathābhivarṣetsvaṃ rājyaṃ kāmamindravrataṃ smṛtam.
aṣṭau māsān yathādityastoyaṃ harati raśmibhiḥ .. 226.10 ..

226.12

praviśya sarvabhūtāni yathā carati mārutaḥ.
tathā cāraiḥ praveṣṭavyaṃ vratametaddhi mārutam.. 226.11 ..

As air pervades through and through all the being, so does the king know the hearts of all his subjects through his spies. This is Vâyuvrata.—11.