Mahabharata — Volume I (Dutt edition) — Chapter 91
MBh 1 91.1
अष्टक उवाच चरन् गृहस्थः कथमेति धर्मान् कथं भिक्षुः कथमाचार्यकर्मा। वानप्रस्थः सत्पथे संनिविष्टो बहून्यस्मिन् सम्प्रति वेदयन्ति॥
aṣṭaka uvāca caran gṛhasthaḥ kathameti dharmān kathaṃ bhikṣuḥ kathamācāryakarmā| vānaprasthaḥ satpathe saṃniviṣṭo bahūnyasmin samprati vedayanti||
Ashtaka said: Those that are learned in the Vedas differ in opinions as regards the respective methods which should be practised by the Grihastas, Brahmacharis, Bhikshus and Vanaprasthas, so that they may acquire religious merits.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 1 91.2
ययातिरुवाच आहूताध्यायी गुरुकर्मस्वचोद्यः पूर्वोत्थायी चरमं चोपशायी। मृदुर्दान्तो धृतिमानप्रमत्तः ध्यायशील: सिध्यति ब्रह्मचारी॥
yayātiruvāca āhūtādhyāyī gurukarmasvacodyaḥ pūrvotthāyī caramaṃ copaśāyī| mṛdurdānto dhṛtimānapramattaḥ dhyāyaśīla: sidhyati brahmacārī||
Yayati said: A Brahmachari must do the following. When he will live in the house of his preceptor, he must receive lessons only when his preceptor will call him to do it. He must serve his preceptor without waiting for his command. He must rise before his preceptor from his bed and go to bed after him. He must be humble, self-controlled, patient, vigilant and devoted to study.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 1 91.3
धर्मागतं प्राप्य धनं यजेत दद्यात् सदैवातिथीन् भोयजेच्च। अनाददानश्च परैरदत्तं सैषा गृहस्थोपनिषत् पुराणी॥
dharmāgataṃ prāpya dhanaṃ yajeta dadyāt sadaivātithīn bhoyajecca| anādadānaśca parairadattaṃ saiṣā gṛhasthopaniṣat purāṇī||
It is said in the oldest Upanishad that he must perform sacrifices after acquiring wealth by honest means. He should spend it in charity; he should be hospitable to all that would come to his house; he should never use anything without giving a portion to others.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 1 91.4
स्ववीर्यजीवी वृजिनान्निवृत्तो दाता परेभ्यो न परोपतापी। तादृङ्मुनिः सिद्धिमुपैति मुख्यां वसन्नरण्ये नियताहारचेष्टः॥
svavīryajīvī vṛjinānnivṛtto dātā parebhyo na paropatāpī| tādṛṅmuniḥ siddhimupaiti mukhyāṃ vasannaraṇye niyatāhāraceṣṭaḥ||
A Muni (Brahmachari) should live in the forest, depending on his own vigour and without searching for food. He should abstain from all vicious acts; he should give away in charity; he should never inflict pain upon any creatures. It is then only that he can gain success.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 1 91.5
अशिल्पजीवी गुणवांश्चैव नित्यं जितेन्द्रियः सर्वतो विप्रयुक्तः। श्चरन् देशानेकचरः स भिक्षुः॥
aśilpajīvī guṇavāṃścaiva nityaṃ jitendriyaḥ sarvato viprayuktaḥ| ścaran deśānekacaraḥ sa bhikṣuḥ||
He is a true Bhikshu, who does not support himself by any manual labour, who possesses many accomplishments, who has his passions under complete control, who is thoroughly unconnected with all worldly concerns, who does not sleep under the shelter of a householder's roof, who is without wife and who travels over many countries, going some distance every day.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 1 91.6
रात्र्या यया वाभिजिताच लोका भवन्ति कामाभिजिताः सुखाचा नरण्यसंस्थो भवितुं यतात्मा॥ दशैव पूर्वान् दश चापरांश्च ज्ञातीनथात्मानमथैकविंशम्। अरण्यवासी सुकृते दधाति विमुच्यारण्ये स्वशरीरधातून्॥
rātryā yayā vābhijitāca lokā bhavanti kāmābhijitāḥ sukhācā naraṇyasaṃstho bhavituṃ yatātmā|| daśaiva pūrvān daśa cāparāṃśca jñātīnathātmānamathaikaviṃśam| araṇyavāsī sukṛte dadhāti vimucyāraṇye svaśarīradhātūn||
A learned should adopt the Vanaprastha mode of life, after the performance of the necessary rites. He should adopt it when he has been able to control his thirst for enjoyments and desire of acquiring wealth. When a man dies in the forest, leading the Vanaprastha mode of life, he mixes his ancestors and grand-children, numbering ten generations including himself, with the divine man essence.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 1 91.7
अष्टक उवाच कतिस्विदेव मुनयः कति मौनानि चाप्युत। भवन्तीति तदाचक्ष्व श्रोतुच्छिामहे वयम्॥
aṣṭaka uvāca katisvideva munayaḥ kati maunāni cāpyuta| bhavantīti tadācakṣva śrotucchiāmahe vayam||
Ashtaka said : How many kinds of Munis are there and how many kinds of Munis (observers of vows)? We desire to hear all this.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 1 91.8
ययातिरुवाच अरण्ये वसतो यस्य ग्रामो भवति पृष्ठतः। ग्रामे वा वसतोऽरण्यं स मुनिः स्याजनाधिप॥
yayātiruvāca araṇye vasato yasya grāmo bhavati pṛṣṭhataḥ| grāme vā vasato'raṇyaṃ sa muniḥ syājanādhipa||
Yayati said: O king, he is a true Muni, who possesses all things pertaining to a village though living in the forest and also possesses all things pertaining to the forest though living in a village.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 1 91.9
अष्टक उवाच कथंस्विद् वसतोऽरण्ये ग्रामो भवति पृष्ठतः। ग्रामे वा वसतोऽरण्यं कथं भवति पृष्ठतः॥
aṣṭaka uvāca kathaṃsvid vasato'raṇye grāmo bhavati pṛṣṭhataḥ| grāme vā vasato'raṇyaṃ kathaṃ bhavati pṛṣṭhataḥ||
Ashtaka said : How is it possible to possess all things pertaining to a village when living in the forest and all things pertaining to a forest when living in a village?
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 1 91.10
ययातिरुवाच न ग्राम्यमुपयुञ्जीत य आरण्यो मुनिर्भवेत्। तथास्य वसतोऽरण्ये ग्रामो भवति पृष्ठतः॥
yayātiruvāca na grāmyamupayuñjīta ya āraṇyo munirbhavet| tathāsya vasato'raṇye grāmo bhavati pṛṣṭhataḥ||
Yayati said : A Muni lives in the forest after withdrawing himself from all worldly objects. But though he never seeks to possess things pertaining to a village, he may yet get them by his ascetic powers.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 1 91.11
अनग्निरनिकेतश्चाप्यगोत्रचरणो मुनिः। कौपीनाच्छादनं यावत् तावदिच्छेच चीवरम्॥ यावत् प्राणाभिसंधानं तावदिच्छेच भोजनम्। तथास्य वसतो ग्रामेऽरण्यं भवति पृष्ठतः॥ यस्तु कामान् परित्यज्य त्यक्तकर्मा जितेन्द्रियः। आतिष्ठेच मुनिर्मीनं स लोके सिद्धिमाप्नुयात्॥
anagniraniketaścāpyagotracaraṇo muniḥ| kaupīnācchādanaṃ yāvat tāvadiccheca cīvaram|| yāvat prāṇābhisaṃdhānaṃ tāvadiccheca bhojanam| tathāsya vasato grāme'raṇyaṃ bhavati pṛṣṭhataḥ|| yastu kāmān parityajya tyaktakarmā jitendriyaḥ| ātiṣṭheca munirmīnaṃ sa loke siddhimāpnuyāt||
A true Muni, withdrawn from all earthly objects, might live in a village, leading the life of a hermit. Chad in Kaupina (scantiest of robes,) he considers himself attired in the richest robe. He is content with food just sufficient to support life. He who abandons all desires, who has all his passions under complete control and who has given up all actions, is the man who attains success.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 1 91.12
धौतदन्तं कृत्तनखं सदा स्नातमलंकृतम्। असितं सितकर्माणं कस्तमर्हति नार्चितुम्॥
dhautadantaṃ kṛttanakhaṃ sadā snātamalaṃkṛtam| asitaṃ sitakarmāṇaṃ kastamarhati nārcitum||
Why should you not revere the man who lives on pure food, who refrains from injuring others, whose heart is ever holy, who is effulgent in his ascetic merits, who is free from the leaden weight of desire and who abstains from injury even when it is sanctioned by the scriptures?
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 1 91.13
तपसा कर्शितः क्षामः क्षीणमांसास्थिशोणितः। स च लोकमिमं जित्वा लोकं विजयते परम्॥
tapasā karśitaḥ kṣāmaḥ kṣīṇamāṃsāsthiśoṇitaḥ| sa ca lokamimaṃ jitvā lokaṃ vijayate param||
Emaciated by hard asceticism and reduced in marrow, blood and flesh, such a Muni not only conquers this world, but the highest world.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 1 91.14
यदा भवति निर्द्वन्द्वो मुनिर्मौनं समास्थितः। अथ लोकमिमं जित्वा लोकं विजयते परम्॥
yadā bhavati nirdvandvo munirmaunaṃ samāsthitaḥ| atha lokamimaṃ jitvā lokaṃ vijayate param||
The Muni who sits in Yoga mediation and who becomes indifferent to happiness and misery, honour and insult, conquers this world and conquering it, he conquers the highest world.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 1 91.15
आस्येन तु यदाहारं गोवन्मृगयते मुनिः। अथास्य लोकः सर्वोऽयं सोऽमृतत्वाय कल्पते॥
āsyena tu yadāhāraṃ govanmṛgayate muniḥ| athāsya lokaḥ sarvo'yaṃ so'mṛtatvāya kalpate||
The Muni who eats like the kine and other animals, without providing for it beforehand and without any relish, becomes identified with the whole universe.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)