Mahabharata — Volume II (Dutt edition) — Chapter 259

MBh 2 259.1

वैशम्पायन उवाच वने निवसतां तेषां पाण्डवानां महात्मनाम्। वर्षाग्येकादशातीयुः कृच्छ्रेण भरतर्षभ॥

vaiśampāyana uvāca vane nivasatāṃ teṣāṃ pāṇḍavānāṃ mahātmanām| varṣāgyekādaśātīyuḥ kṛcchreṇa bharatarṣabha||

Vaishampayana said : O best of the Bharata race, thus living in the forest, the high-souled Pandavas spent eleven years in great misery.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 2 259.2

फलमूलाशनास्ते हि सुखाहाँ दुःखमुत्तमम्। प्राप्तकालमनुध्यान्तः सेहिरे वरपूरुषाः॥

phalamūlāśanāste hi sukhāhā~ duḥkhamuttamam| prāptakālamanudhyāntaḥ sehire varapūruṣāḥ||

Although deserving of happiness, those best of men, brooding over their miserable plight, passed their days in misery living on fruits and roots.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 2 259.3

युधिष्ठिरस्तु राजर्षिरात्मकर्मापराधजम्। चिन्तयन् स महाबाहुर्धातृणां दुःखमुत्तमम्॥ न सुष्वाप सुखं राजा हृदि शल्यैरिवार्पितैः। दौरात्म्यमनुपश्यंस्तत् काले द्यूतोद्भवस्य हि॥

yudhiṣṭhirastu rājarṣirātmakarmāparādhajam| cintayan sa mahābāhurdhātṛṇāṃ duḥkhamuttamam|| na suṣvāpa sukhaṃ rājā hṛdi śalyairivārpitaiḥ| daurātmyamanupaśyaṃstat kāle dyūtodbhavasya hi||

That royal sage, the illustrious Yudhishthira, reflecting that the extremity of misery which had befallen his brothers was owing to his own fault and remembering also the sufferings that had arisen from his act of gambling, could not sleep in peace. He felt as if his heart had been pierced with a lance.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 2 259.4

संस्मरन् परुषा वाचः सूतपुत्रस्य पाण्डवः। निःश्वासपरमो दीनो बिभ्रत् कोपविषं महत्॥

saṃsmaran paruṣā vācaḥ sūtaputrasya pāṇḍavaḥ| niḥśvāsaparamo dīno bibhrat kopaviṣaṃ mahat||

Remembering the harsh words of the Suta's son, the Pandava, repressing the venom of his wrath passed his days in humble guise and he often sighed heavily.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 2 259.5

अर्जुनो यमजौ चोभौ द्रौपदी च यशस्विनी। स च भीमो महातेजाः सर्वेषामुत्तमो बली॥ युधिष्ठिरमुदीक्षन्तः सेहुर्दुःखमनुत्तमम्।

arjuno yamajau cobhau draupadī ca yaśasvinī| sa ca bhīmo mahātejāḥ sarveṣāmuttamo balī|| yudhiṣṭhiramudīkṣantaḥ sehurduḥkhamanuttamam|

Arjuna and both the twins and the illustrious Draupadi and the mighty Bhima, he that was strongest of all men, felt the greatest pain in casting their eyes on Yudhishthira.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 2 259.6

अवशिष्टमल्पकालं मन्वानाः पुरुषर्षभाः॥ वपुरन्यदिवाकार्षुरुत्साहामर्षचेष्टितैः।

avaśiṣṭamalpakālaṃ manvānāḥ puruṣarṣabhāḥ|| vapuranyadivākārṣurutsāhāmarṣaceṣṭitaiḥ|

Thinking that only a short time remained (of their exile) those foremost of men, influenced by rage and hope and by resorting to various exertions and endeavours made their bodies assume almost different shapes.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 2 259.7

कस्यचित् त्वथ कालस्य व्यासः सत्यवतीसुतः॥ आजगाम महायोगी पाण्डवानवलोककः। तमागतमभिप्रेक्ष्य कुन्तीपुत्रो युधिष्ठिरः॥ प्रत्युद्गम्य महात्मानं प्रत्यगृह्णाद् यथाविधि।

kasyacit tvatha kālasya vyāsaḥ satyavatīsutaḥ|| ājagāma mahāyogī pāṇḍavānavalokakaḥ| tamāgatamabhiprekṣya kuntīputro yudhiṣṭhiraḥ|| pratyudgamya mahātmānaṃ pratyagṛhṇād yathāvidhi|

After a while the son of Satyavati, Vyasa, the great Yogi came there to see the Pandavas. Seeing him coming, the son of Kunti, Yudhishthira, went forward and duly received that high-souled one.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 2 259.8

तमासीनमुपासीनः शुश्रूषुर्नियतेन्द्रियः॥ तोषयन् प्रणिपातेन व्यासं पाण्डवनन्दनः।

tamāsīnamupāsīnaḥ śuśrūṣurniyatendriyaḥ|| toṣayan praṇipātena vyāsaṃ pāṇḍavanandanaḥ|

Having gratified Vyasa by bowing down to him, the self-controlled Pandava (Yudhishthira), when the Rishi sat down, sat down before him with the desire of listening to him.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 2 259.9

तानवेक्ष्य कृशान् पौत्रान् वने वन्येन जीवतः॥ महर्षिरनुकम्पार्थमब्रवीद्वाष्पगद्गदम्।

tānavekṣya kṛśān pautrān vane vanyena jīvataḥ|| maharṣiranukampārthamabravīdvāṣpagadgadam|

Seeing his grandson lean and living on forest produce, that great Rishi, moved by compassion spoke thus in accents choked with tears.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 2 259.10

युधिष्ठिर महाबाहो शृणु धर्मभृतां वर॥ नातप्ततपसो लोके प्राप्नुवन्ति महासुखम्। सुखदुःखे हि पुरुषः पर्यायेणोपसेवते॥

yudhiṣṭhira mahābāho śṛṇu dharmabhṛtāṃ vara|| nātaptatapaso loke prāpnuvanti mahāsukham| sukhaduḥkhe hi puruṣaḥ paryāyeṇopasevate||

"O mighty armed Yudhishthira, O foremost of all virtuous men, lear; those men who do not perform asceticism never obtain great happiness in this world; men experience happiness and misery by turn.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 2 259.11

न ह्यनन्तं सुखं कश्चित् प्राप्नोति पुरुषर्षभ। प्रज्ञावांस्त्वेव पुरुषः संयुक्तः परया धिया॥ उदयास्तमनज्ञो हि न हृष्यति न शोचति।

na hyanantaṃ sukhaṃ kaścit prāpnoti puruṣarṣabha| prajñāvāṃstveva puruṣaḥ saṃyuktaḥ parayā dhiyā|| udayāstamanajño hi na hṛṣyati na śocati|

O foremost of the Bharatas, no man ever enjoys unmixed happiness. A wise man, possessing high wisdom, knowing that life has its ups and downs, is neither filled with joy nor with grief.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 2 259.12

सुखमापतितं सेवेद् दुःखमापतितं वहेत्॥ कालप्राप्तमुपासीत सस्यानामिव कर्षकः।

sukhamāpatitaṃ seved duḥkhamāpatitaṃ vahet|| kālaprāptamupāsīta sasyānāmiva karṣakaḥ|

When happiness comes one should enjoy it and when misery comes one should bear it. As a sower of crops must wait for the (proper) season (to gather his crops).

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 2 259.13

तपसो हि परं नास्ति तपसा विन्दते महत्॥ नासाध्यं तपस: किंचिदिति बुद्ध्यस्व भारत।

tapaso hi paraṃ nāsti tapasā vindate mahat|| nāsādhyaṃ tapasa: kiṃciditi buddhyasva bhārata|

There is nothing superior to asceticism. Asceticism produces great results. descendant of Bharata, know that there is nothing which asceticism cannot produce.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 2 259.14

सत्यमार्जवमक्रोधः संविभागो दमः शमः।।१७। अनसूयाविहिंसा च शौचमिन्द्रियसंयमः। पावनानि महाराज नराणां पुण्यकर्मणाम्॥

satyamārjavamakrodhaḥ saṃvibhāgo damaḥ śamaḥ||17| anasūyāvihiṃsā ca śaucamindriyasaṃyamaḥ| pāvanāni mahārāja narāṇāṃ puṇyakarmaṇām||

Truth, sincerity, freedom from anger, justice, self-control, restraint of faculties, immunity from malice, guilelessness, sanctity and mortification of the senses, these, O great king, purify a man of pure acts.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 2 259.15

अधर्मरुचयो मूढास्तिर्यग्गतिपरायणाः। कृच्छ्रां योनिमनुप्राप्ता न सुखं विन्दते जनाः॥

adharmarucayo mūḍhāstiryaggatiparāyaṇāḥ| kṛcchrāṃ yonimanuprāptā na sukhaṃ vindate janāḥ||

Foolish persons, addicted to vice and bestial ways, obtain the birth of beasts in after life and they never enjoy happiness.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 2 259.16

इह यत् क्रियते कर्म तत् परत्रोपयुज्यते। तस्माच्छरीरं युञ्जीत तपसा नियमेन च॥

iha yat kriyate karma tat paratropayujyate| tasmāccharīraṃ yuñjīta tapasā niyamena ca||

The fruits of acts done in this world are obtained in the next world. Therefore one restrains his body by asceticism and the observance of vows.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 2 259.17

यथाशक्ति प्रयच्छेत सम्पूज्याभिप्रणम्य च। काले प्राप्ते च हृष्टात्मा राजन् विगतमत्सरः॥

yathāśakti prayaccheta sampūjyābhipraṇamya ca| kāle prāpte ca hṛṣṭātmā rājan vigatamatsaraḥ||

O king, being free from guile and with a cheerful spirit, one, according to his power, bestows gifts after bowing down to the recipient and paying him homage.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 2 259.18

सत्यवादी लभेतायुरनायासमथार्जवम्। अक्रोधनोऽनसूयश्च निर्वृतिं लभते पराम्॥ दान्तः शमपरः शश्वत् परिक्लेशं न विन्दति। न च तप्यति दान्तात्मा दृष्ट्वा परगतां श्रियम्॥

satyavādī labhetāyuranāyāsamathārjavam| akrodhano'nasūyaśca nirvṛtiṃ labhate parām|| dāntaḥ śamaparaḥ śaśvat parikleśaṃ na vindati| na ca tapyati dāntātmā dṛṣṭvā paragatāṃ śriyam||

A truthful man obtains a life which is free from all trouble. A person, free from anger, attains to sincerity and one free from malice obtains supreme contentments. A man who has subdued his senses and his inner faculties never knows tribulation, nor is a person of subdued senses affected by sorrow at the sight of other's prosperity.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 2 259.19

संविभक्ता च दाता च भोगवान् सुखवान् नरः। भवत्यहिंसकश्चैव परमारोग्यमश्नुते॥

saṃvibhaktā ca dātā ca bhogavān sukhavān naraḥ| bhavatyahiṃsakaścaiva paramārogyamaśnute||

A man who gives every one his due and he who gives boons obtains happiness and every object of enjoyment, while a man who is free from envy reaps perfect ease.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 2 259.20

मान्यमानयिता जन्म कुले महति विन्दति। व्यसनैर्न त संयोगं प्राप्नोति विजितेन्द्रियः॥

mānyamānayitā janma kule mahati vindati| vyasanairna ta saṃyogaṃ prāpnoti vijitendriyaḥ||

He who honours those to whom honour is due obtains birth in an illustrious family and he who has subdued his senses never mects with any misfortune.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 2 259.21

शुभानुशयबुद्धिर्हि संयुक्तः कालधर्मणा। प्रादुर्भवति तद्योगात् कल्याणमतिरेव सः॥

śubhānuśayabuddhirhi saṃyuktaḥ kāladharmaṇā| prādurbhavati tadyogāt kalyāṇamatireva saḥ||

A man whose mind follows good after death is born on that account possessing a virtuous mind.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 2 259.22

युधिष्ठिर उवाच भगवन् दानधर्माणां तपसो वा महामुने। किंस्विद् बहुगुणं प्रेत्य किं वा दुष्करमुच्यते॥

yudhiṣṭhira uvāca bhagavan dānadharmāṇāṃ tapaso vā mahāmune| kiṃsvid bahuguṇaṃ pretya kiṃ vā duṣkaramucyate||

Yudhishthira said : O great Rishi, O exalted one, of the bestowal of gifts and asceticism which is of greater efficacy in the next world and which is more difficult to be practised.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 2 259.23

व्यास उवाच दानान्न दुष्करं तात पृथिव्यामस्ति किंचन। अर्थ च महती तृष्णा स च दुःखेन लभ्यते॥

vyāsa uvāca dānānna duṣkaraṃ tāta pṛthivyāmasti kiṃcana| artha ca mahatī tṛṣṇā sa ca duḥkhena labhyate||

Vyasa said : O child, there is nothing in this world more difficult to practise than charity. Men thirst for wealth and obtain it with great difficulty.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 2 259.24

परित्यज्य प्रियान् प्राणान् धनार्थं हि महामते। प्रविशन्ति नरा वीराः समुद्रमटवीं तथा॥

parityajya priyān prāṇān dhanārthaṃ hi mahāmate| praviśanti narā vīrāḥ samudramaṭavīṃ tathā||

O high-minded one, even abandoning (the hope of) dear life itself, heroic men enter into the depths of the sea and the forest for wealth.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 2 259.25

कृषिगोरक्ष्यमित्येके प्रतिपद्यन्ति मानवाः। पुरुषाः प्रेष्यतामेके निर्गच्छन्ति धनार्थिनः॥

kṛṣigorakṣyamityeke pratipadyanti mānavāḥ| puruṣāḥ preṣyatāmeke nirgacchanti dhanārthinaḥ||

For wealth some take to agriculture, some to the tending of the kine and some serve others. Therefore it is extremely difficult to part with wealth which is obtained with such great difficulty.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 2 259.26

तस्माद् दुःखार्जितस्यैव परित्यागः सुदुष्करः। न दुष्करतरं दानात् तस्माद् दानं मतं मम॥

tasmād duḥkhārjitasyaiva parityāgaḥ suduṣkaraḥ| na duṣkarataraṃ dānāt tasmād dānaṃ mataṃ mama||

As there is nothing harder to practise than charity, in my opinion, even bestowal of boons is superior to every thing.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 2 259.27

विशेषस्त्वत्र विज्ञेयो न्यायेनोपार्जितं धनम्। पात्रे काले च देशे च साधुभ्यः प्रतिपादयेत्॥

viśeṣastvatra vijñeyo nyāyenopārjitaṃ dhanam| pātre kāle ca deśe ca sādhubhyaḥ pratipādayet||

Specially this is to be remembered that wellgotten gains should in proper time and place be given away to pious men.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 2 259.28

अन्यायात् समुपात्तेन दानधर्मो धनेन यः। क्रियते न स कर्तारं त्रायते महतो भयात्॥

anyāyāt samupāttena dānadharmo dhanena yaḥ| kriyate na sa kartāraṃ trāyate mahato bhayāt||

But the bestowal of ill-gotten wealth can never rescue the giver from the great fear (of the evil of rebirth).

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)

MBh 2 259.29

पात्रे दानं स्वल्पमपि काले दत्तं युधिष्ठिर। मनसा हि विशुद्धेन प्रेत्यानन्तफलं स्मृतम्॥ अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम्। व्रीहिद्रोणपरित्यागाद् यत् फलं प्राप मुद्गलः॥

pātre dānaṃ svalpamapi kāle dattaṃ yudhiṣṭhira| manasā hi viśuddhena pretyānantaphalaṃ smṛtam|| atrāpyudāharantīmamitihāsaṃ purātanam| vrīhidroṇaparityāgād yat phalaṃ prāpa mudgalaḥ||

O Yudhishthira, it has been said that by bestowing in a pure spirit even a slight gift in due time and to a fit recipient a man obtains inexhaustible fruits in the next world. In this connection a story is told about the fruit obtained by Mudgala by giving away only a Drona of corn.

— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)