Devanagari
नैनो राज्ञ: प्रजाभर्तुर्धर्मयुद्धे वधो द्विषाम् ।
इति मे न तु बोधाय कल्पते शासनं वच: ॥ ५० ॥
Verse text
naino rājṣaḥ prajā-bhartur
dharma-yuddhe vadho dviṣām
iti me na tu bodhāya
kalpate śāsanaṁ vacaḥ
Synonyms
na
—
never
;
enaḥ
—
sins
;
rājṣaḥ
—
of the king
;
prajā
—
bhartuḥ — of one who is engaged in the maintenance of the citizens
;
dharma
—
for the right cause
;
yuddhe
—
in the fight
;
vadhaḥ
—
killing
;
dviṣām
—
of the enemies
;
iti
—
all these
;
me
—
for me
;
na
—
never
;
tu
—
but
;
bodhāya
—
for satisfaction
;
kalpate
—
they are meant for administration
;
śāsanam
—
injunction
;
vacaḥ
—
words of .
Translation
There is no sin for a king who kills for the right cause, who is engaged in maintaining his citizens. But this injunction is not applicable to me.
Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
There is no sin for the king who kills the enemy in a righteous war, protecting the citizens. This rule does not apply to me.
Purport
Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira thought that although he was not actually involved in the administration of the kingdom, which was being carried on well by Duryodhana without harm to the citizens, he caused the killing of so many living beings only for his personal gain of the kingdom from the hands of Duryodhana. The killing was committed not in the course of administration but for the sake of self-aggrandizement, and as such he thought himself responsible for all the sins.
Commentary (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
Killing the enemy is not a sin. This rule does not apply, since it is an instruction for one who is protecting the people. One is permitted to kill those who are killing one’s citizens. Since Duryodhana was protecting the citizens, I have committed sins, since I have killed only out of greed for a kingdom.