"Yudhishthira said, 'Thou hast spoken to me about the four modes of human
life. I desire to know more of-them. Do thou discourse on them in detail.'
"Bhishma said, 'O Yudhishthira of mighty arms, all the duties that are
practised in this world by the righteous are known to thee as they are
known to me. O foremost of virtuous persons, listen now to me about what
thou askest, viz. the merit (that a king acquires) in consequence of the
duties practised by others leading other modes of life. All the
merits, O son of Kunti, that belong to persons practising the duties of
the four modes of life, attach, O foremost of men, to righteous kings. A
king who is not governed by lust and hate, who rules with the aid of the
science of chastisement, and who looks equally on all creatures, O
Yudhishthira, attains to the object of the Bhaikshya mode of life.
That king who is possessed of knowledge, who makes gifts to deserving
persons on proper occasions, who knows how to favour and punish, who
conducts himself in all things according to the injunctions of the
scriptures, and who has tranquillity of soul, attains to the object of
the Garhasthya mode of life. That king who always worships those that are
deserving of worship by giving them their due, completely attains, O son
of Kunti, to the object of the Bhaikshya mode of life. That king, O
Yudhishthira, who rescues from distress, to the best of his power, his
kinsmen and relatives and friends, attains to the object of the
Vanaprashtha mode of life. That king who on every occasion honours those
that are foremost among men and those that are foremost among Yatis,
attains, O son of Kunti, to the object of the Vanaprashtha mode of life.
That king, O Partha, who daily makes offerings unto the Pitris and large
offerings unto all living creatures including men, attains to the object
of the same mode of life. That king, O tiger among men, who grinds the
kingdoms of others for protecting the righteous, attains to the object of
the same mode of life. In consequence of the protection of all creatures
as also of the proper protection of his own kingdom, a king earns the
merit of as many sacrifices as the number of creatures protected, and
accordingly attains to the object of the Sannyasa mode of life. Study of
the Vedas every day, forgiveness, and worship of preceptors, and services
rendered to one's own teacher, lead to the attainment of the object of
Brahmacharya. That king who silently recites his mantras every day and
who always worships the gods according to the ordinance, attains, O tiger
among men, to the object of the Garhasthya mode of life. That king who
engages in battle with the resolve of protecting his kingdom or meeting
with death, attains to the object of the Vanaprastha mode of life. That
king who gives unto persons leading a Vanaprastha mode of life and unto
Brahmanas versed in the three Vedas attains to the object of the
Vanaprastha mode of life. That king who displays compassion towards all
creatures and abstains entirely from cruelty, attains to the objects of
all the modes of life. That king, O Yudhishthira, who shows compassion to
the young and the old, O son of Kunti, under every circumstance, attains
to the objects of every mode of life. That king, O perpetuator of Kuru's
race, who affords relief to all oppressed people that seek his
protection, attains to the object of the Garhasthya mode of life. That
king who protects all creatures mobile and immobile, and honours them is
they deserve, attains to the object of the Garhasthya mode of life.
Bestowing favours and inflicting punishments upon the wives and brothers,
elder and younger, and upon their sons and grandsons, are the domestic
duties of a king and these constitute his best penances. By honouring
those that are righteous and deserving of worship and protecting those
that have (by their penances) acquired it knowledge of self, a king, O
tiger among men, attains to the object of the Garhasthya mode of life.
Inviting to this home, O Bharata, persons that have betaken themselves to
that Vanaprastha and other modes of life, and treating them with food,
constitute the domestic duties of a king. That king who duly adheres to
the duties laid down by the Creator, obtains the blessed merits of all
the modes of life. That king, O son of Kunti, in whom no virtue is
wanting, that foremost of men, O Yudhishthira, is said by the learned to
be a person in the observance of the Vanaprastha and all the other modes
of life. That king who duly honours the office or rank which deserves
honour, the race or family which deserves honour, and those old men that
deserve honour is said, O Yudhishthira, to live in all the modes of
life. A king, O son of Kunti, by observing the duties of his country
and those of his family, acquires, O tiger among men, the merits of all
the modes of life. That king who at proper seasons bestows upon righteous
persons affluence or gifts of value, earns the merits, O king, of all the
modes of life. That king, O son of Kunti, who while overcome with danger
and fear still keeps his eye on the duties of all men, earns the
merits of all the modes of life. The king obtains a share of the merits
earned under his protection by righteous people in his dominions. On the
other hand, if kings, O tiger among men, do not protect the righteous
people within their dominions, they then take the sins of the latter (of
omission and commission). Those men also, O Yudhishthira. who assist
kings (in protecting their subjects), become equally entitled, O sinless
one, to a share of the merits earned by others (in consequence of that
protection). The learned say that the Garhasthya, which we have adopted,
is superior to all the other modes of life. The conclusions in respect of
it are very clear. It is certainly sacred, O tiger among men. That man
who regards all creatures to be like his own self, who never does any
harm and has his wrath under control, obtains great happiness both here
and hereafter. A king can easily cross the ocean of the world, with
kingly duties as his boat passed of great speed, urged on by the breeze
of gifts, having the scriptures for its tackle and intelligence for the
strength of its helmsman, and kept afloat by the power of righteousness.
When the principle of desire in his heart is withdrawn from every earthly
object, he is then regarded as one resting on his understanding alone. In
this state he soon attains to Brahma. Becoming cheerful by
meditation and by restraining desire and other passions of the heart, O
tiger among men, it king, engaged in discharging the dully of protection,
succeeds in obtaining great merit. Do thou, therefore, O Yudhishthira,
exert thyself carefully in protecting Brahmanas of pious deeds and
devoted to the study of the Vedas, as also all other men. By exercising
the duty of protection only, O Bharata, the king earns merit that is a
hundred times greater than what is earned by recluses in their asylums
within the wood.'
"I have now described, O eldest son of Pandu, the diverse duties of men.
Do thou adhere to kingly duties that are eternal and that have been
practised by great men since days of old. If thou employest thyself with
concentrated attention to the duty of protecting (thy subjects), O tiger
among men, thou mayst then, O son of Pandu, obtain the merits of all the
four modes of life and of all the four orders of men!"
