अभिज्ञानशाकुन्तल - राजनीति

औत्सुक्यमात्रमवसाययति प्रतिष्ठा
     क्लिश्नाति लब्धपरिपालनवृत्तिरेवं ।
नातिश्रमापनयनाय न च श्रमाय
    राज्यं स्वहस्तधृतदंडमिवातपत्रम् ॥

- अभिज्ञानशाकुन्तल

outsukya mAtram avasAyayati pratiShThA
    klishnAti labdhaparipAlanavRuttiH evam ।
nAtishramApanayanAya na cha shramAya
    rAjyam svahastadhRutadanDamivAtapatram ॥

- abhijnAna shAkuntala

Before becoming a king, a prince is restless looking forward to the power. Once he gets the power, with it comes great responsibility. Also he will be anxious to retain the power. He would have just traded one anxiety for other. Holding the umbrella will give you respite from sun but will make you tired because of effort involved in holding it up. Running a state is similar to that.

- Abhijnanashakuntala

मुद्रराक्षस - भृत्या नृपतेः

अप्राज्ञेन च कातरेन च गुणः स्याद्भक्तियुक्तेन कः
       प्रज्ञविक्रमशालिनोऽपि हि भवेत् किं भक्तिहीनात्फलम् ।
प्रज्ञाविक्रमभक्तयः समुदिताः येषां गुणा भूतये
       ते भृत्या नृपतेः कलत्रमितरे संपत्सु चापत्सु च ॥

- मुद्रराक्षस

aprAjnena cha kAtareNa cha guNaH syAd bhaktiyuktena kaH
       prajnA vikramashAlinaH api hi bhavet kim bhaktihInAt phalam ।
prajnA vikrama bhaktayaH samuditAH yeShAM guNA bhUtaye
       te bhRutyA nRupateH kalatram itare sampatsu chApatsu cha ॥

- mudrarAkShasa

If servant is very loyal, but neither intelligent nor brave then he is of o use. If he is both intelligent and brave but lacks loyalty, then again he is of no use. Only those servants who are loyal, courageous and intelligent are the real reasons of a kings prosperity. The others are only playing supporting roles at all times.

- Mudrarakshasa

कौटिल्य - अपराधं सहेताल्पं

अपराधं सहेताल्पं तुष्येदल्पेऽपि चोदये ।
महोपकारांश्चाध्यक्षान् प्रग्रहेणाभिपूजयेत् ॥

- कौटिल्य

aparAdhaM sahetAlpaM tuShyedalpepi chodaye ।
mahopakArAMshcadhyakShAn pragraheNa abhipUjayet ॥

- kautiLya

Minor offences must be overlooked. One must rejoice at even small successes. When one helps you explicitly, he must be respected.

- Kautilya

मनुस्मृति - प्रजापालन

इन्द्रियाणां जये योगं समातिष्ठेद्दिवानिशम् ।
जितेन्द्रियो हि शक्नोति वशे स्थापयितुं प्रजाः ॥

- मनुस्मृति

indriyANAM jaye yogaM samAtiShThet divA nisham ।
jitendriyo hi shaknoti vashe sthApayituM prajAH ॥

- manu smRuti

A king must practice to keep his senses under control at all times - day and night. Only one who can win over his senses can rule over the subjects effectively.

- Manu Smriti

पञ्चतंत्र - मित्रभेद - मंत्रि

अंतस्सारैरकुटिलैरच्छिदैः सुपरीक्षितैः ।
मंत्रिभिर्धार्यते राज्यं सुस्तंभैरिव मंदिरम् ॥

- पञ्चतंत्र, मित्रभेद

When constructing a building one must choose wood that is intrinsically strong, straight, without any cracks and well inspected so that they can be used as pillars that bear all the load. Similar qualities are to be expected out of minister to shoulder the weight of governance.

- Panchatantra, Mitrabhedha

अभिज्ञान शाकुन्तल - राज धर्म

स्वसुखनिरभिलाषः खिद्यसे कस्य हेतोः
   प्रतिदिनमथवा ते वृत्तिरेवं विधैव ।
अनुभवति हि मूर्ध्ना पादपस्तीव्रमुष्णं
   शमयति परितापं छायया संश्रितानाम् ॥

- अभिज्ञान शाकुन्तल

- Abhijnana Shakuntala

Why are you doing these things even if it hurts your own interest? Perhaps, this is what it is to be a king. Just like a tree bears all the heat during an afternoon to provide shade to those stand under it.

याज्ञवल्क्य - राजधर्म

यस्मिन् देशे य आचारो व्यवहारः कुलस्थितिः ।
तथैव परिपाल्योऽसौ यदा वशमुपागतः ॥

- याज्ञवल्क्य

When a king conquers another state, he must rule that state as per the laws and customs prevailing in that state. He must uphold the dignity of the families in that state. He must ensure that business runs as usual.

- Yajnavalkya

मनु स्मृति - यमव्रतम्

यथा यमः प्रियद्वेषौ प्राप्ते काले नियच्छति ।
तथा राज्ञा नियंतव्याः प्रजास्तद्धि यमव्रतम् ॥

- मनु स्मृति

A king must punish the guilty even if they are his own relatives. Much similar to the way how Yama (Death) takes away a person as soon as his time is over. This penance of impartiality expected from a King is known as Yamavrata (penance of Yama).

- Manu Smriti

भागवत - राजधर्म

य उद्धरेत्करं राजा राजा प्रजा धर्मेष्वशिक्षयन् ।
प्रजानां शमलं भुंक्ते भगं च स्वं जहाति सः ॥

- भागवत

A king who collects taxes also must let the subjects understand the value of Dharma. If not, he will be no greater than some one protecting in exchange for money. So, if he does not teach them the value of Dharma, it is as of he is eating their waste.

- Bhagavata

अभिज्ञान शाकुन्तला - राजधर्म

भानुः सकृद्युक्ततुरंग एव
    रात्रिं दिवं गन्धवहः प्रयाति ।
शेषः सदैवाहितभूमिभारः
    षष्ठांशवृत्तेरपि धर्म एषः ॥

- अभिज्ञान शाकुन्तला

There is no rest for the Sun who has taken it up on him to pour light on this world every day. The wind blows day and night. Adi Shesha supports the weight of the earth all the time. Like wise, there is no rest for a king who takes one-sixth of everyone's earnings. He has to work tirelessly towards protecting his subjects.

- Abhijnana Shakuntala

कौटिल्य - राजधर्म

प्रजा संरक्षणं धर्मो धार्मिकस्य महीभृतः ।
तस्मादसाधून् धर्माय निघ्नन् दोषैर्न लिप्यते ॥

- कौटिल्य

Protection of his subjects is the utmost duty of a King. In the process he has to punish/kill the rogues who trouble the subjects. There is no sin attached to such acts.

- Kautilya

कर्णभार - प्रजापालन

धर्मो हि यत्नैः पुरुषेण साध्यः
    भुजङ्गजिह्वचपला नृपुश्रियः ।
तस्मात्प्रजापालनमात्रबुद्ध्या
    हतेषु देहेषु गुणा धरन्ते ॥

- कर्णभार

One must follow dharma even when it is difficult to do so. The wealth and kingdom are as fickle as the tongue of a snake. Hence a wise king will rule fairly and strive to keep the subjects happy. In this way his fame will live even after his body is dead.

- Karnabhara

मनुस्मृति - दण्ड

दण्डः शास्ति प्रजाः सर्वाः दण्ड एवाभिरक्षति ।
दण्डः सुप्तेषु जागर्ति दण्डं धर्मं विदुर्बुधाः ॥

- मनुस्मृति

Punishment is what helps the king rule his subjects justly. It protects all the subjects (from miscreants). It protects even those who are sleeping (from thieves). Hence the wise men think that punishment is an integral part of Dharma (moral code of life)

- Manu Smriti

महाभारत - शान्ति - राज्यं

राज्यं हि सुमहत्तन्त्रं धार्यते नाकृतात्मभिः |
न शक्यं मृदुना वोढुमायासस्थानमुत्तमम् ||

- महाभारत, शान्ति

Governing a state is a huge responsibility. A person who has not conquered his senses can not carry out the responsibility. Also a person who is too soft and gets tired easily can not be a king.

- Mahabharatha, Shanti

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रामायण - अरण्य - षड्भाग

अधर्मस्तु महांस्तात भवत्तस्य महीपतेः |
यो हरेद् बलिषड्भागं न च रक्षति पुत्रवत् ||

- रामायण,अरण्य

If a king does not protect his subjects like his own sons in spite of taking one sixth of their earnings as tax, then his act shall attract a lot of sin.

- Ramayana, Aranya

मनुस्मृति - राजा

अदण्ड्यान् दण्डयन् राजा दंड्यांश्चैवाप्यदण्डयन् |
अयशो महदाप्नोति नरकं चैव गच्छति ||

- मनुस्मृति

If a king punishes the innocent and fails to punish the guilty, he will become very infamous. In addition to that, he will go to hell.

- Manu Smriti

रामायण - सुंदर - राजनीति

अकृतात्मानमासाद्य राजानमनये रतम् |
समृद्धानि विनश्यन्ति राष्ट्राणि नगराणि च ||

- रामायण, सुंदर

If a person who has not overcome his senses, one who believes in sensory pleasures is made the king, then in spite of all the wealth, such nations and cities will get destroyed.

- Ramayana, Sundara

मनुस्मृति - राजधर्म

विक्रोशंतो यस्य राष्ट्राद्ध्रियंते दस्युभिः प्रजाः |
संपश्यतः सभृत्यस्य मृतः स न तु जीवति ||

- मनुस्मृति

A king and his officers are as good as dead under whose watch the thieves (and other rogues) steal from and trouble subjects. It is the duty of a king to keep his subjects safe.

- Manu Smriti

मनुस्मृति - राजा

योऽरक्षन् बलिमादत्ते करं शुल्कं च पार्थिवः |
प्रतिभागं च दण्डं च स सद्यो नरकं व्रजेत् ||

- मनुस्मृति

A king who collects varieties of taxes, tolls, shares, fines without actually protecting the subjects or their properties will surely end in hell.

- Manu Smriti

मनुस्मृति - पापचेतसः

ये कार्यिकेभ्योऽर्थमेव गृह्णीयुः पापचेतसः |
तेषां सर्वस्वमादाय राजा कुर्यात् प्रवासनम् ||

- मनुस्मृति

A king must identify those wicked corrupt officials who take bribe from people who come for help. He must confiscate all their wealth and chase them out of the country.

- Manu Smriti