अवज्ञाय हितं भृत्या भजन्ते बहुदोषताम्। आदातुं चास्य वित्तानि प्रार्थयन्तेऽल्पचेतसः
Disregarding their master's welfare, servants indulge in many faults; those of little intelligence seek to take his wealth.
यानं वस्त्राण्यलंकाराञ्शयनान्यासनानि च। भोजनान्यथ पानानि सर्वोपकरणानि च
Vehicles, garments, ornaments, beds, seats, food and drink, and all implements,
आददीरन्नधिकृता यथाकाममचेतसः। प्रदिष्टानि च देयानि न दद्युर्भर्तृशासनात्
The unworthy, heedless ones would seize as they wish; and what is assigned to be given, they would not give, even by the master's command.
न चैनं भर्तृपूजाभिः पूजयन्ति कदाचन। अव्रज्ञानं हि लोकेऽस्मिन्मरणादपि गर्हितम्
Nor do they ever honor him with the respect due to a master; for in this world, contempt is considered more disgraceful than death.
क्षमिणं तादृशं तांत ब्रुवन्ति कटुकान्यपि। प्रेष्याः पुत्राश्च भृत्याश्च तथोदासीनवृत्तयः
Even servants, sons, and attendants, whose conduct is indifferent, speak harsh words to such a forgiving person.
अप्यस्य दारानिच्छन्ति परिभूय क्षमावतः। दाराश्चास्य प्रवर्तन्ते यथाकाममचेतसः
Even his own wife disregards and disrespects the patient man; his wife acts as she pleases, without restraint.
तथा च नित्यमुदिता यदि नाल्पमपीश्वरात्। `अकृतोपद्रवः कश्चिन्महानपि न पूज्यते
Thus, even if he is always cheerful and has not caused the slightest harm, a great man is not honored by his dependents.
पूजयन्ति नरा नागान्न तार्क्ष्यं नामघातिनम् ।।' एते चान्ये च बहवो नित्यं दोषाः क्षमावताम्
People honor serpents, not Garuda, the slayer of serpents; and these and many other faults always afflict the patient.
अथ वैरोचने दोषानिमान्विद्ध्यक्षमांवताम् ।। अथ वैरोचने दोषानिमान्विद्ध्यक्षमावताम्
Now, O son of Virocana, know these faults of the impatient as well.
अस्थाने यदि वा स्थाने सततं रजसावृतः। क्रुद्धो दण्डान्प्रणयति विविधान्स्वेन तेजसा
Whether appropriate or not, one who is always covered by passion, when angry, inflicts various punishments by his own power.
मित्रैः सह विरोधं च प्राप्नुते तेजसाऽऽवृतः। आप्नोति द्वेष्यतां चैव लोकात्स्वजनतस्तथा
Overpowered by his own energy, he comes into conflict with friends and becomes hated by people and even by his own kin.
सोऽवमानादर्थहानिमुपालम्भमनादरम्। संतापद्वेषमोहांश्च शत्रूंश्च लभते नरः
Such a man, due to disrespect, suffers loss of wealth, reproach, disregard, distress, hatred, delusion, and gains enemies.
क्रोधाद्दण्डान्मनुष्येषु विविधान्पुरुषोऽनयात्। भ्रश्यते शीघ्रमैश्वर्यात्प्राणेभ्यः स्वजनादपि
Because of anger, a man inflicts various punishments on people unjustly, and quickly loses his prosperity, life, and even his own people.
योपकर्तॄश्च हर्तॄश्च तेजसैवोपगच्छति। तस्मादुद्विजते लोकः सर्पाद्वेश्मगतादिव
He encounters both benefactors and thieves because of his energy; therefore, people shrink from him as from a snake in the house.
यस्मादुद्विजतेलोकः कथं तस्य भवो भवेत्। अन्तरं तस्य दृष्ट्वैव लोको विकुरुते ध्रुवम्
Since people shrink from him, how can he have prosperity? Seeing him, people certainly turn away.
तस्मान्नात्युत्सृजेत्तेजो न च नित्यं मृदुर्भवेत्। कालेकाले तु संप्राप्ते मृदुस्तीक्ष्णोपि वा भवेत्
Therefore, one should not abandon energy excessively, nor always be gentle; at the proper time, one should be gentle or sharp as needed.
काले मृदुर्यो भवति काले भवति दारुणः। स वै सुखमवाप्नोति लोकेऽमुष्मिन्निहैव च
At one time, he should be gentle; at another, harsh. Such a person attains happiness in this world and the next.
क्षमाकालांस्तु वक्ष्यामि शृणु मे विस्तरेण तान्। ये ते नित्यमसंत्याज्या यथा प्राहुर्मनीषिणः
I will now tell you the proper times for patience; listen to me in detail, as the wise have declared those that must always be observed.
पूर्वोपकारी यस्ते स्यादपराधे गरीयसि। उपकारेण तत्तस्य क्षन्तव्यमपराधिनः
If someone has previously done you a favor but commits a serious offense, his offense should be forgiven because of his earlier good deed.
अबुद्धिमाश्रितानां तु क्षन्तव्यमपराधिनाम्। न हि सर्वत्र पाण्डित्वं सुलभं पुरुषेण वै
The offenses of those who act out of ignorance should be forgiven, for wisdom is not easily found everywhere among men.
अथ चेद्बुद्धिजं कृत्वा ब्रूयुस्ते तदबुद्धिजम्। पापान्स्वल्पेऽपि तान्हन्यादपराधे तथाऽनृजून्
But if, after acting knowingly, they claim it was done in ignorance, even a small offense should be punished as a serious wrong.
सर्वस्यैकोपराधस्ते क्षन्तव्यः प्राणिनो भवेत्। द्वितीये सति वध्यस्तु स्वल्पेऽप्यपकृते भवेत्
Every living being should be forgiven for a first offense; but if a second occurs, even a minor fault deserves punishment.
अजानता भवेत्कश्चिदपराधः कृतो यदि। क्षन्तव्यमेव तस्याहुः सुपरीक्ष्य परीक्षया
If someone has committed an offense unknowingly, it is said that, after careful examination, forgiveness should indeed be granted.
मृदुना दारुणं हन्ति मृदुना हन्त्यदारुणम्। नासाध्यं मृदुना किंचित्तस्मात्तीव्रतरं मृदु
Gentleness overcomes harshness, and gentleness also overcomes what is not harsh; there is nothing unattainable by gentleness, therefore gentleness is more powerful than severity.
देशकालौ तु संप्रेक्ष्य बलाबलमथात्मनः। अन्वीक्ष्यकारणं चैव कार्यं तेजः क्षमापि वा
Considering place and time, and one’s own strength and weakness, and having examined the reason, one should act with either vigor or forbearance.
नादेशकाले किंचित्स्याद्देशकालौ प्रतीक्षताम्। तथा लोकभयाच्चैव क्षन्तव्यमपराधितम्
Nothing should be done at an improper place or time; one should wait for the right place and time, and, out of fear of public opinion, offenses should be forgiven.
एत एवंविधाः कालाः क्षमायाः परिकीर्तिताः। अतोऽन्यथाऽनुवर्तत्सु तेजसः काल उच्यते
These are the occasions for forbearance that have been described; when these do not apply, the time for vigor is said to have arrived.
तदहं तेजसः कालं तव मन्ये नराधिप। धार्तराष्ट्रेषु लुब्धेषु सततं चापकारिषु
Therefore, O king, I consider that now is the time for vigor against the greedy and ever-harming sons of Dhritarashtra.
न हि कश्चित्क्षमाकालो विद्यतेऽद्य कुरून्प्रति। तेजसश्चागते काले तेज उत्स्रष्टुमर्हसि
Indeed, there is no time for forbearance now regarding the Kurus; since the time for vigor has come, you should unleash your energy.
मृदुर्भवत्यवज्ञातस्तीक्ष्णादुद्विजते जनः। काले प्राप्ते द्वयं चैतद्यो वेद स महीपतिः
A gentle person is despised, while people shrink from one who is harsh; the king who knows when to be gentle and when to be harsh at the right time is truly wise.