Chapter 59

Vaisampayana said, “Rising from their beds the next day and performingthe morning rites laid down in the scriptures, the Pandavas and theYadavas set out (for the spot where Bhishma lay) on their cars resemblingfortified towns. Proceeding to the field of Kuru and approaching thesinless Bhishma, they enquired of that foremost of car-warriors if he hadpassed the night happily. Saluting all the Rishis, and blessed by them inreturn, the princes took their seats around Bhishma. Then kingYudhishthira the just possessed of great energy, having worshippedBhishma duly, said these words with joined hands.

“Yudhishthira said, ‘Whence arose the word Rajan (King), that is used, OBharata, on earth? Tell me this, O scorcher of foes! Possessed of handsand arms and neck like others, having understanding and senses like thoseof others, subject like others to the same kinds of joy and grief, enduedwith back, mouth, and stomach similar to those of the rest of the world,having vital fluids and bones and marrow and flesh and blood similar tothose of, the rest of the world, inhaling and exhaling breaths likeothers, possessed of life-breaths and bodies like other men, resemblingothers in birth and death, in fact, similar to others in respect of allattributes of humanity, for what reason does one man, viz., the king,govern the rest of the world numbering many men possessed of greatintelligence and bravery? Whence is it that one man rules the wide worldteeming with brave and energetic and high-born men of good behaviour? Whydo all men seek to obtain his favour? Why is it that if one man becomesdelighted, the whole world becomes delighted, and if that one man istroubled, the whole world becomes troubled? I desire to hear this indetail, O bull of Bharata’s race! O foremost of speakers, discourse to meon this fully. O king, there cannot but be a grave reason for all thissince it is seen that the whole world bows down to one man as to a god.

“Bhishma said, ‘With concentrated attention, O tiger among kings, listento it in detail as to how in the Krita age sovereignty first began. Atfirst there was no sovereignty, no king, no chastisement, and nochastiser. All men used to protect one another righteously. As they thuslived, O Bharata, righteously protecting one another, they found the task(after some time) to be painful. Error then began to assail their hearts.Having become subject to error, the perceptions of men, O prince, came tobe clouded, and thence their virtue began to decline. When theirperceptions were dimmed and when men became subject to error, all of thembecame covetous. O chief of the Bharatas! And because men sought toobtain objects, which they did not possess, another passion called lust(of acquisition) got hold of them. When they became subject to lust,another passion, named anger, soon soiled them. Once subject to wrath,they lost all consideration of what should be done and what should not.Unrestrained sexual indulgence set in. Men began to utter what theychose. All distinctions between food that is clean and unclean andbetween virtue and vice disappeared. When this confusion set in amongstmen, the Vedas disappeared. Upon the disappearance of the Vedas,Righteousness was lost. When both the Vedas and righteousness were lost,the gods were possessed by fear. Overcome with fear, O tiger among men,they sought the protection of Brahmana. Having gratified the divineGrandsire of the universe, the gods, afflicted with grief, said unto him,with joined hands, ‘O god, the eternal Vedas have been afflicted in theworld of men by covetousness and error. For this, we have been struckwith fear. Through loss of the Vedas, O Supreme Lord, righteousness alsohas been lost. For this, O Lord of the three worlds, we are about todescend to the level of human beings. Men used to pour libations upwardswhile we used to pour rain downwards.[170] In consequence, however, ofthe cessation of all pious rites among men, great distress will be ourlot. Do thou then, O Grandsire, think of that which would benefit us, sothat the universe, created by thy power, may not meet with destruction.’Thus addressed, the Self-born and divine Lord said unto them, ‘I shallthink of what will do good to all. Ye foremost of gods, let your fears bedispelled!’ The Grandsire then composed by his own intelligence atreatise consisting of a hundred thousand chapters. In it were treatedthe subject of Virtue, Profit, and Pleasure. Which the Self-borndesignated as the triple aggregate. He treated of a fourth subject calledEmancipation with opposite meaning and attributes. The triple aggregatein respect of emancipation, viz., to the attributes of Goodness, Passion,and Darkness, and another, (a fourth, viz., the practice of duty withouthope of bliss or reward in this or the other world), were treated in it.Another triple aggregate connected with Chastisement, viz., Conversation,Growth, and Destruction, was treated in it.[171] Another aggregate of sixconsisting of the hearts of men, place, time, means, overt acts, andalliances, and causes, were treated in it. The religious rites laid downin the three Vedas, knowledge, and the acts necessary for the support oflife, (viz., agriculture, trade, &c.), O bull of Bharata’s race, and thevery extensive branch of learning called punitive legislation, were laiddown in it. The subjects also of behaviour towards counsellors, of spies,the indications of princes, of secret agents possessed of diverse means,of envoys and agents of other kinds, conciliation, fomenting discord,gifts, and chastisement, O king, with toleration as the fifth, were fullytreated therein. Deliberation of all kinds, counsels for producingdisunion, the errors of deliberation, the results of the success orfailure of counsels, treaties of three kinds, viz., bad, middling, andgood, made through fear, good offices, and gifts of wealth, weredescribed in detail. The four kinds of time for making journeys, thedetails of the aggregate of three, the three kinds of victory, viz., thatsecured righteously, that won by wealth, and that obtained by deceitfulways, were described in detail. The three kinds of attributes, viz., bad,middling, and good, of the aggregate of five (viz., counsellors, kingdom,fort, army, and treasury,) were also treated in it. Chastisements of twokinds, viz., open and secret, were indicated. The eight kinds of openchastisement, as also the eight kinds of secret chastisement, were dealtwith in detail. Cars, elephants, horses, and foot-soldiers, O son ofPandu, impressed labourers, crews, and paid attendants (of armies), andguides taken from the country which is the seat of war, these are theeight instruments, O Kauravya, of open chastisement or forces actingopenly. The use and administration of movable and immovable poison werealso mentioned in respect of the three kinds of things, viz., wearingapparel, food, and incantations. Enemies, allies, and neutrals,–thesealso were described. The diverse characteristics of roads (to be taken,as dependent on stars and planets, etc.), the attributes of the soil (onwhich to encamp), protection of self, superintendence of the constructionof cars and other utensils of war and use, the diverse means forprotecting and improving men, elephants, cars, and steeds, the diversekinds of battle array, strategies, and manoeuvres in war, planetaryconjunctions foreboding evil, calamitous visitations (such asearthquakes), skilful methods of warfare and retreat, knowledge ofweapons and their proper keep, the disorders of troops and how to get ridof them, the means of inspiring the army with joy and confidence,diseases, times of distress and danger, knowledge of guidingfoot-soldiers in battle, the methods of sounding alarms and notifyingorders, inspiring the enemy with fear by display of standards, thediverse methods of afflicting the enemy’s kingdom by means of robbers andfierce wild-tribes, and fire-raisers and poisoners and forgers byproducing disunion among the chief officers of hostile armies, by cuttingdown crops and plants, by destroying the efficiency of the enemy’selephants, by producing alarms, by honouring those among the enemy’ssubjects that are well disposed towards the invader, and by inspiring theenemy with confidence, the waste, growth, and harmony of the sevenessential requisites of sovereignty, capacity for (projected) works, themeans for accomplishing them, the methods of extending the kingdom, themeans of winning over persons residing in the enemy’s territory, thechastisement and destruction of those that are strong, the exactadministration of justice, the extermination of the wicked, wrestling,shooting and throwing and hurling of weapons, the methods of makingpresents and of storing requisite things, feeding the unfed andsupervision over those that have been fed, gifts of wealth in season,freedom from the vices called Vyasanas, the attributes of kings, thequalifications of military officers, the sources of the aggregate ofthree and its merits and faults, the diverse kinds of evil intents, thebehaviour of dependents, suspicion against every one, the avoidance ofheedlessness, the acquisition of objects unattained, the improving ofobjects already acquired, gifts to deserving persons of what has thusbeen improved, expenditure of wealth for pious purposes, for acquiringobjects of desire, and for dispelling danger and distress, were alltreated in that work. The fierce vices, O chief of the Kurus, born oftemper, and those born of lust, in all of ten kinds, were mentioned inthat treatise. The four kinds of vices which the learned say are born oflust, viz., hunting, gambling, drinking, and sexual indulgence, werementioned by the Self-born in that work. Rudeness of speech, fierceness,severity of chastisement, infliction of pain on the body, suicide, andfrustrating one’s own objects, these are the six kinds of faults born ofwrath, that have also been mentioned. Diverse kinds of machines and theiractions have been described there. Devastation of the enemy’sterritories, attacks upon foes, the destruction and removal of landmarksand other indications, the cutting down of large trees (for depriving theenemy and the enemy’s subjects of their refreshing shade), siege offorts, supervision of agriculture and other useful operations, thestorage of necessaries, robes and attire (of troops), and the best meansof manufacturing them, were all described. The characteristics and usesof Panavas, Anakas, conchs, and drums. O Yudhishthira, the six kinds ofarticles (viz., gems, animals, lands, robes, female slaves, and gold) andthe means of acquiring them (for one’s one self) and of destroying them(for injuring the foe), pacification of newly acquired territories,honouring the good, cultivating friendship with the learned, knowledge ofthe rules in respect of gifts and religious rites such as homa, the touchof auspicious articles, attention to the adornment of the body, themanner of preparing and using food, piety of behaviour, the attainment ofprosperity by following in one path, truthfulness of speech, sweetness ofspeech, observance of acts done on occasions of festivity and socialgatherings and those done within the household, the open and secret actsof persons in all places of meeting, the constant supervision of thebehaviour of men, the immunity of Brahmanas from punishment, thereasonable infliction of punishment, honours paid to dependants inconsideration of kinship and merit, the protection of subjects and themeans of extending the kingdom, the counsels that a king who lives in themidst of a dozen of kings, should pursue in respect of the four kinds offoes, the four kinds of allies, and the four kinds of neutrals, the twoand seventy acts laid down in medical works about the protection,exercise, and improvements of the body, and the practices of particularcountries, tribes, and families, were all duty treated in that work.Virtue, Profit, and Pleasure, and Emancipation, were also described init. The diverse means of acquisition, the desire for diverse kinds ofwealth. O giver of profuse presents, the methods of agriculture and otheroperations that form the chief source of the revenue, and the variousmeans for producing and applying illusions, the methods by which stagnantwater is rendered foul, were laid down in it. All those means, O tigeramong kings, by which men might be prevented from deviating from the pathof righteousness and honesty, were all described in it. Having composedthat highly beneficial treatise, the divine Lord cheerfully said unto thedeities having Indra for their head, those words: ‘For the good of theworld and for establishing the triple aggregate (viz., Virtue, Profit,and Pleasure), I have composed this science representing the very cheeseof speech. Assisted by chastisement, this science will protect the world.Dealing rewards and punishments, this science will operate among men. Andbecause men are led (to the acquisition of the objects of theirexistence) by chastisement, or, in other words, chastisement leads orgoverns everything, therefore will this science be known in the threeworlds as Dandaniti (science of chastisement).[172] Containing theessence of all the attributes of the aggregate of six, this science willalways be much regarded by all high-souled persons. Virtue, Profit,Pleasure, and Salvation have all been treated in it.’ After this, thelord of Uma,–the divine and multiform Siva of large eyes, the Source ofall blessings, first studied and mastered it. In view, however, of thegradual decrease of the period of life of human beings, the divine Sivaabridged that science of grave import compiled by Brahman. Theabridgment, called Vaisalakasha, consisting of ten thousand lessons, wasthen received by Indra devoted to Brahman and endued with great asceticmerit. The divine Indra also abridged it into a treatise consisting offive thousand lessons and called it Vahudantaka. Afterwards the puissantVrihaspati, by his intelligence, further abridged the work into atreatise consisting of three thousand lessons and called it Varhaspatya.Next, that preceptor of Yoga, of great celebrity, viz., Kavi ofimmeasurable wisdom, reduced it further into a work of a thousandlessons. In view of the period of men’s lives and the general decrease(of everything), great Rishis did thus, for benefiting the world, abridgethat science. The gods then, approaching that lord of creatures, viz.,Vishnu, said unto him, ‘Indicate, O god, that one among mortals whodeserves to have superiority over the rest.’ The divine and puissantNarayana, reflecting a little, created, by a fiat of his will, a son bornof his energy, named Virajas. The highly blessed Virajas, however, didnot desire sovereignty on earth. His mind, O son of Pandu, inclined to alife of renunciation. Virajas had a son named Krittimat. He too renouncedpleasure and enjoyment.[173] Krittimat had a son named Kardama. Kardamaalso practised severe austerities. The lord of creatures, Kardama, begota son named Ananga. Ananga became a protector of creatures, pious inbehaviour, and fully conversant with the science of chastisement. Anangabegot a son named Ativala, well versed in policy. Obtaining extensiveempire after the demise of his sire, he became a slave of his passions.Mrityu, O king, had a daughter born of his mind, named Sunita andcelebrated over the three worlds. She was married to Ativala and gavebirth to a son named Vena. Vena, a slave of wrath and malice, becameunrighteous in his conduct towards all creatures. The Rishis, thoseutterers of Brahma, slew him with Kusa blades (as their weapon) inspiredwith mantras. Uttering mantras the while, those Rishis pierced the rightthigh of Vena. Thereupon, from that thigh, came out a short-limbed personon earth, resembling a charred brand, with blood-red eyes and black hair.Those utterers of Brahma said unto him, ‘Nishida (sit) here!’ From himhave sprung the Nishadas, viz., those wicked tribes that have the hillsand the forests for their abode, as also those hundreds and thousands ofothers called Mlechchhas, residing on the Vindhya mountains. The greatRishis then pierced the right arm of Vena. Thence sprang a person who wasa second Indra in form. Clad in mail, armed with scimitars, bows, andarrows, and well-versed in the science of weapons, he was fullyacquainted with the Vedas and their branches. All the ordinances of thescience of chastisement, O king, (in their embodied forms) came to thatbest of men. The son of Vena then, with joined hands, said unto thosegreat Rishis, ‘I have attained an understanding that is very keen andthat is observant of righteousness. Tell me in detail what I shall dowith it. That useful task which you will be pleased to indicate, I shallaccomplish without hesitation.’ Thus addressed, the gods that werepresent there, as also the Rishis, said unto him. ‘Do thou fearlesslyaccomplish all those tasks in which righteousness even resides.Disregarding what is dear and what not so, look upon all creatures withan equal eye. Castoff at a distance Just and wrath and covetousness andhonour, and, always observing the dictates of righteousness, do thoupunish with thy own hands the man, whoever he may be, that deviates fromthe path of duty. Do thou also swear that thou wouldst, in thought, word,and deed, always maintain the religion inculcated on earth by the Vedas.Do thou further swear that thou wouldst fearlessly maintain the dutieslaid down in the Vedas with the aid of the science of chastisement, andthat thou wouldst never act with caprice. O puissant one, know thatBrahmanas are exempt from chastisement, and pledge further that thouwouldst protect the world from an intermixture of castes.’ Thusaddressed, Vena’s son replied unto the deities headed by the Rishis,saying, ‘Those bulls among men, viz., the highly blessed Brahmanas, shallever be worshipped by me.’ Those utterers of Brahma then said unto him,’Let it be so!’ Then Sukra, that vast receptacle of Brahma, became hispriest. The Valakhilyas became his counsellors, and the Saraswatas hiscompanions. The great and illustrious Rishi Garga became his astrologer.This high declaration of the Srutis is current among men that Prithu isthe eighth from Vishnu. A little before, the two persons named Suta andMagadha had come into existence. They became his bards and panegyrists.Gratified, Prithu, the royal son of Vena, possessed of great prowess,gave unto Suta the land lying on the sea-coast, and unto Magadha thecountry since known as Magadha. We have heard that the surface of theearth had before been very uneven. It was Prithu who made the terrestrialsurface level. In every Manwantara, the earth becomes uneven.[174] Vena’sson removed the rocks and rocky masses lying all around, O monarch, withthe horn of his bow. By this means the hills and mountains becameenlarged. Then Vishnu, and the deities of Indra, and the Rishis, and theRegents of the world, and the Brahmanas, assembled together for crowningPrithu (as the king of the world). The earth herself, O son of Pandu, inher embodied form, came to him, with a tribute of gems and jewels. Ocean,that lord of rivers, and Himavat, the king of mountains, and Sakra, OYudhishthira, bestowed upon him inexhaustible wealth. The great Meru,that mountain of gold, gave unto him heaps of that precious metal. Thedivine Kuvera, borne on the shoulders of human beings, that lord ofYakshas and Rakshasas, gave him wealth enough for gratifying the needs ofreligion, profit, and pleasure. Steeds, cars, elephants, and men, bymillions, O son of Pandu, started into life as soon as Vena’s son thoughtof them. At that time there was neither decrepitude, nor famine, norcalamity, nor disease (on earth). In consequence of the protectionafforded by that king, nobody had any fear from reptiles and thieves orfrom any other source. When he proceeded to the sea, the waters used tobe solidified. The mountains gave him way, and his standard was neverobstructed anywhere. He drew from the earth, as a milcher from a cow,seven and ten kinds of crops for the food of Yakshas, and Rakshasas, andNagas, and other creatures. That high-souled king caused all creatures toregard righteousness as the foremost of all things; and because hegratified all the people, therefore, was he called Rajan (king). Andbecause he also healed the wounds of Brahmanas, therefore, he earned thename of Kshatriya. And because the earth (in his region) becamecelebrated for the practice of virtue, therefore, she came to be calledby many as Prithvi. The eternal Vishnu himself, O Bharata, confirmed hispower, telling him, ‘No one, O king, shall transcend thee.’ The divineVishnu entered the body of that monarch in consequence of his penances.For this reason, the entire universe offered divine worship unto Prithu,numbered among human gods.[175] O king, thy kingdom should always beprotected by the aid of the science of chastisement. Thou shouldst also,by careful observation made through the movements of thy spies, protectit in such a way that no one may be able to injure it.[176] All goodacts, O king, lead to the good (of the monarch). The conduct of a kingshould be regulated by his own intelligence, as also by the opportunitiesand means that may offer themselves.[177] What other cause is there inconsequence of which the multitude live in obedience to one, save thedivinity of the monarch? At that time a golden lotus was born fromVishnu’s brow. The goddess Sree was born of that lotus. She became thespouse of Dharma of great intelligence upon Sree, O son of Pandu, Dharmabegot Artha. All the three, viz., Dharma, and Artha and Sree, wereestablished in sovereignty. A person upon the exhaustion of his merit,comes down from heaven to earth, and takes birth as a king conversantwith the science of chastisement. Such a person becomes endued withgreatness and is really a portion of Vishnu on earth. He becomespossessed of great intelligence and obtains superiority over others.Established by the gods, no one transcends him. It is for this reasonthat everybody acts in obedience to one, and it is for this that theworld cannot command him. Good acts, O king, lead to good. It is for thisthat the multitude obey his words of command, though he belongs to thesame world and is possessed of similar limbs. He who once beheld Prithu’samiable face became obedient to him. Thenceforth he began to regard himas handsome, wealthy, and highly blessed.[178] In consequence of themight of his sceptre, the practice of morality and just behaviour becameso visible on earth. It is through that reason that the earth becameoverspread with virtue.’

“Thus, O Yudhishthira, the histories of all past events, the origin ofthe great Rishis, the holy waters, the planets and stars and asterisms,the duties in respect of the four modes of life, the four kinds of Homa,the characteristics of the four orders of men, and the four branches oflearning, were all treated of in that work (of the Grandsire). Whateverobjects or things, O son of Pandu, there are on earth, were all includedin that treatise of the Grandsire. Histories and the Vedas and thescience of Nyaya were all treated in it, as also penances, knowledge,abstention from injury in respect of all creatures, truth, falsehood, andhigh morality. Worship of persons old in years, gifts, purity ofbehaviour, readiness for exertion, and compassion towards all creatures,were very fully described in it. There is no doubt in this. Since thattime, O monarch, the learned have begun to say that there is nodifference between a god and a king. I have now told thee everythingabout the greatness of kings. What other subject is there, O chief of theBharatas, upon which I shall next have to discourse?”