Adhyaya 220

Verse 1

आणे अभिषेकमन्त्रा नामोनविंशत्यधिकद्विशततमो ऽध्यायः अभिषिञ्चन्तु पान्त चेति ख , ग , घ , ङ , छ , ज , ञ , ट च अथ विंशत्यधिकद्विशततमो ऽध्यायः सहायसम्पत्तिः पुष्कर उवाच सो ऽभिषिक्तः सहामात्यो जयेच्छत्रून्नृपोत्तमः राज्ञा सेनापतिः कार्यो ब्राह्मणः क्षत्रियो ऽथ वा

“These are the consecration-mantras (abhiṣeka-mantrāḥ).” Thus ends the two-hundred-and-nineteenth chapter. “May they anoint (him); may they protect (him),” and so forth—mantras beginning with the syllables kha, ga, gha, ṅa, cha, ja, ña, and ṭa. Now begins the two-hundred-and-twentieth chapter, “The securing of support/allies.” Puṣkara said: “That excellent king—once consecrated, together with his ministers—should conquer his enemies. The king should appoint a commander of the army (senāpati), whether a brāhmaṇa or a kṣatriya.”

Verse 2

कुलीनो नीतिशास्त्रज्ञः प्रतीहारश् च नीतिवित् दूतश् च प्रियवादी स्यादक्षीणो ऽतिबलान्वितः

The pratīhāra (chamberlain) should be of noble lineage, learned in political science, and skilled in statecraft; and the dūta (envoy) should be sweet-spoken, indefatigable, and endowed with great strength.

Verse 3

ताम्बूलधारी ना स्त्री वा भक्तः क्लेशसहप्रियः सान्धिविग्रहिकः कार्यः षाड्गुण्यादिविशारदः

The minister in charge of peace and war (sandhi-vigrahika) should be a man—not a woman—loyal, fond of enduring hardships, and one who habitually bears tāmbūla (betel); he should be appointed as sandhi-vigrahika, being well-versed in the sixfold policy (ṣāḍguṇya) and related strategic principles.

Verse 4

खड्गधारी रक्षकः स्यात्दारथिः स्याद्बलादिवित् सूदाध्यक्षो हितो विज्ञो महानसगतो हि सः

The sword-bearer should serve as a protector; the charioteer should be one who understands forces and related matters. The superintendent of cooks (and provisions) should be well-disposed and competent; indeed, he is connected with the great kitchen—the stores of the royal household.

Verse 5

सभासदस्तु धर्मज्ञा लेखको ऽक्षरविद्धितः आह्वानकालविज्ञाः स्युर्हिता दौवारिका जनाः

The members of the court-assembly should be knowers of dharma; the scribe should be skilled in letters and writing. There should be attendants who know the proper times for summoning persons; and the doorkeepers should be reliable and well-disposed.

Verse 6

रत्नादिज्ञो धनाध्यक्षः अनुद्वारे हितो नरः स्यादायुर्वेदविद्वैद्यो गजध्यक्षो ऽथ हयादिवित्

One skilled in gems and the like should be appointed superintendent of the treasury; at the inner gate a trustworthy, well-disposed man should be stationed. A physician should be learned in Ayurveda; likewise the superintendent of elephants should be an expert, and so too one knowledgeable about horses and related matters.

Verse 7

जितश्रमो गजारोहो हयाध्यक्षो हयादिवत् दुर्गाध्यक्षो हितो धीमान् स्थपतिर्वास्तुवेदवित्

He should be one who has conquered fatigue and is skilled in riding elephants; the superintendent of horses should be expert in horses and related matters. The commandant of the fort should be benevolent and intelligent; and the chief architect (sthāpati) should be a knower of Vāstu-veda, the science of architecture.

Verse 8

यन्त्रमुक्ते पाणिमुक्ते अमुक्ते मुक्तधारिते अस्त्राचार्यो नियुद्धे च कुशलो नृपतेर्हितः

A master of weaponry should be proficient in missiles discharged by a device, discharged by the hand, not discharged but held in readiness, and in sustaining or controlling what has been discharged; and he should also be skilled in close combat. Such an instructor is beneficial to the king.

Verse 9

वृद्धश्चान्तःपुराध्यक्षः पञ्चाशद्वार्षिकाःस्त्रियः सप्तत्यव्दास्तु पुरुषाश् चरेयुः सर्वकर्मसु

The superintendent of the inner palace should be an elderly person. Women of fifty years and above, and men of seventy years and above, should be employed to move about within it and to carry out all duties there.

Verse 10

जाग्रत्स्यादायुधागारे ज्ञात्वा वृत्तिर्विधीयते उत्तमाधममध्यानि बुद्ध्वा कर्माणि पार्थिवः

Let him remain vigilant in the armoury; and, after ascertaining each person’s conduct and means of livelihood, the king should assign duties—having discerned who are excellent, who are inferior, and who are middling.

Verse 11

उत्तमाधममध्यानि पुरुषाणि नियोजयेत् ज्येच्छुः पृथिवीं राजा सहायाननयोद्धितान्

A king who desires to protect and rightly govern the earth should appoint men of superior, inferior, and middling capacity to their fitting posts, and keep as assistants those not inclined to fight—non-combatants suited to counsel and administration.

Verse 12

धर्मिष्ठान् धर्मकायेषु शूरान् सङ्ग्रामकर्मसु निपुणानर्थकृत्येषु सर्वत्र च तथा शुचीन्

He should appoint those most devoted to dharma for matters of law and justice; the brave for the duties of war; the skilled for tasks connected with wealth and administration; and, in every sphere, likewise those who are pure and incorrupt.

Verse 13

स्त्रीषु षण्डान्नियुञ्जीत तीक्ष्णान् दारुणकर्मसु यो यत्र विदितो राज्ञा शुचित्वेन तु तन्नरं

For matters concerning women, the king should appoint eunuchs; and for fierce, cruel, or arduous tasks he should appoint men of sharp disposition. And whatever man is known to the king, here or there, for his purity—let that man be assigned accordingly.

Verse 14

धर्मे चार्थे च कामे च नियुञ्जीताधमे ऽधमान् राजा यथार्हं कुर्याच्च उपाधाभिः परीक्षितान्

In matters of dharma, wealth, and pleasure, the king should appoint even the low and the lowest to duties suited to their capacity; and he should also place in fitting posts those who have been tested by stratagems (secret trials).

Verse 15

समन्त्रो च यथान्यायात् कुर्याद्धस्तिवनेचरान् तत्पदान्वेषणे यत्तानध्यक्षांस्तत्र कारयेत्

And, with the appropriate mantras, he should, in due legal form, deploy elephant-foresters (trackers). For the search for those footprints, he should then appoint supervisors there to direct and oversee the work.

Verse 16

यस्मिन् कर्मणि कौशल्यं यस्य तस्मिन् नियोजयेत् पितृपैतामहान् भृत्यान् सर्वकर्मसु योजयेत्

Whatever task a person is skilled in, one should appoint him to that very task; and one should also employ hereditary servants—those of one’s father and grandfather—in all duties.

Verse 17

विना दायादकृत्येषु तत्र ते हि समागताः परराजगृहात् प्राप्तान् जनान् संश्रयकाम्यया

Even without having performed the obligatory duties of heirs, they nevertheless assembled there, seeking protection and patronage for the people who had arrived from another king’s residence—that is, from a foreign realm or court.

Verse 18

दुष्टानप्यथ वादुष्टान् संश्रयेत प्रयत्नतः दुष्टं ज्ञात्वा विश्वसेन्न तद्वृत्तिं वर्तयेद्वशे

Even when dealing with the wicked, one may, with due effort, have recourse to them for a purpose; but once one has recognized someone as wicked, one should not trust him, nor allow oneself to be governed by his conduct.

Verse 19

देशान्तरागतान् पार्श्वे चारैज्ञात्वा हि पूजयेत् शत्रवो ऽग्निवर्षं सर्पो निस्त्रिंशमपि चैकतः

Having ascertained through spies those who have come from other regions and are staying nearby, the king should honorably receive them; for enemies may assail from a single quarter in many forms—like a shower of fire, like a serpent, and even like a sword.

Verse 20

रिपननर्थकृत्येष्विति ख जनानाश्रयकाम्ययेति ख भृत्या वशिष्टं विज्ञेयाः कुभृट्याश् च तथैकतः चारचक्षुर्भवेद्राजा नियुञ्जीत सदाचरान्

“(Some read:) ‘in matters that harm the enemy and avert misfortune’; (some read:) ‘with the desire to become a refuge for the people.’” Thus the best servants are to be recognized, and likewise the bad servants as well. The king should have spies as his eyes and appoint those of good conduct.

Verse 21

जनस्याविहितान् सौम्यांस् तथाज्ञातान् परस्परं वणिजो मन्त्रकुशलान् सांवत्सरचिकित्सकान्

O gentle one, the king should keep watch over those not properly vouched for by the people, those unknown to one another, merchants, those skilled in spells/mantras, and itinerant physicians who practice treatments according to the seasons (the annual cycle).

Verse 22

तथा प्रव्रजिताकारान् बलाबलविवेकिनः नैकस्य राजा श्रद्दध्याच्छ्रद्दध्याद् बहुवाक्यतः

Likewise, the king may place trust in those who bear the appearance of renunciants and can discern strength and weakness; yet he should not rely on a single person—rather, he should be convinced by the counsel of many.

Verse 23

रागापरागौ भृत्यानां जनस्य च गुणागुणान् शुभानामशुभानाञ्च ज्ञानङ्कुर्याद्वशाय च

For the sake of bringing them under control, he should ascertain the attachments and aversions of his servants and of the people, and also discern their merits and faults—what is auspicious and what is inauspicious.

Verse 24

अनुरागकरं कर्म चरेज्जह्माद्विरागजं जनानुरागया लक्ष्म्या राजा स्याज्जनरञ्जनात्

Let the king undertake deeds that kindle the people’s affection, avoiding acts born of fickleness and cold dispassion; through prosperity (Lakṣmī) arising from winning the people’s goodwill, a ruler becomes truly a king—by delighting the populace.