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Mahānirvāṇa Tantra 8.129

Traditional

Ullāsas
14
Published
8
Verses
1201
Minutes
600
Level
advanced

Ullāsa 8 · Verse 129

क्षत्रियकर्त्तव्यानिThe duties of the kṣatriya

Verse 129

स्वयं वा चरदृष्ट्या वा प्रजाभावान् विलोकयेत् । एवं स्वजनभृत्यानां भावान् पश्येन्नराधिपः ॥ १२९ ॥

svayaṁ vā caradṛṣṭyā vā prajābhāvān vilōkayēt | ēvaṁ svajanabhṛtyānāṁ bhāvān paśyēnnarādhipaḥ || 129 ||

Translation

Himself, or through the eyes of his agents, he should observe the mind of his subjects; so too the ruler should see the mind of his own people and servants.

Word by word

svayaṁ
himself
vā
or
cara
of his agents
dṛṣṭyā
through the eyes
prajā
of his subjects
bhāvān
the mind
vilōkayēt
he should observe
ēvaṁ
so too
sva
his own
jana
people
bhṛtyānāṁ
and servants
paśyēn
(paśyet) should see
narādhipaḥ
the ruler

Meaning

The commentary explains "cara-dṛṣṭi": a cara is a secret agent skilled in searching out others' affairs; the king sees through his eyes. "Prajā-bhāva" is the intentions or doings of the subjects. A ruler must know what his people think, and what those closest to him think.

Commentary

Hariharānanda Bhāratī’s Sanskrit commentary, translated

"Svayaṁ vā…" and the rest. Caradṛṣṭyā: a cara is a secret agent skilled in searching out the affairs of others; by sight of that kind, through his eyes. Prajābhāvān: the intentions, or the doings, of the subjects.