Mahabharata — Volume II (Dutt edition) — Chapter 31

MBh 2 31.1

युधिष्ठिर उवाच वल्गु चित्रपदं श्लक्ष्णं याज्ञसेनि त्वया वचः। उक्तं तच्छ्रुतमस्माभिर्नास्तिक्यं तु प्रभाषसे॥

yudhiṣṭhira uvāca valgu citrapadaṃ ślakṣṇaṃ yājñaseni tvayā vacaḥ| uktaṃ tacchrutamasmābhirnāstikyaṃ tu prabhāṣase||

Yudhishthira said : O Yajnaseni, your speech is sweet, clear and full of nice expressions; we have listened to it; you speak of atheism.

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

MBh 2 31.2

नाहं कर्मफलान्वेषी राजपुत्रि चराम्युत। ददामि देयमित्येव यजै यष्टव्यमित्युत॥

nāhaṃ karmaphalānveṣī rājaputri carāmyuta| dadāmi deyamityeva yajai yaṣṭavyamityuta||

O princess, I never act being desirous of the fruits thereof; I distribute (a thing) which should be distributed and I perform a sacrifice which should be performed.

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

MBh 2 31.3

अस्तु वात्र फलं मा वा कर्तव्यं पुरुषेण यत्। गृहे वा वसता कृष्णे यथाशक्ति करोमि तत्॥

astu vātra phalaṃ mā vā kartavyaṃ puruṣeṇa yat| gṛhe vā vasatā kṛṣṇe yathāśakti karomi tat||

I perform, as best as I can, O Krishna, what a householder should do, not caring for the fruits (of my actions).

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

MBh 2 31.4

धर्मं चरामि सुश्रोणि नधर्मफलकारणात्। आगमाननतिक्रम्य सतां वृत्तमवेक्ष्य च॥

dharmaṃ carāmi suśroṇi nadharmaphalakāraṇāt| āgamānanatikramya satāṃ vṛttamavekṣya ca||

O fair-lady, I act piously not for getting the fruits of virtue but for not transgressing the Vedas and seeing the conduct of the pious.

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

MBh 2 31.5

धर्म एव मनः कृष्णे स्वभावाच्चैव मेधृतम्। धमवाणिज्यको हीनो जघन्योधर्मवादिनाम्॥ नधर्मफलमाप्नोति योधर्मं दोग्धुमिच्छति। यश्चैनं शङ्कते कृत्वा नास्तिक्यात् पापचेतनः॥

dharma eva manaḥ kṛṣṇe svabhāvāccaiva medhṛtam| dhamavāṇijyako hīno jaghanyodharmavādinām|| nadharmaphalamāpnoti yodharmaṃ dogdhumicchati| yaścainaṃ śaṅkate kṛtvā nāstikyāt pāpacetanaḥ||

My mind and nature, O Krishna, are naturally bent upon virtue; that vile trader of virtue, the worst of the virtuous, who wishes to reap the fruits of virtue, does never obtain them; nor does a vicious-minded person, for his scepticism, who doubts a virtuous act, having accomplished it.

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

MBh 2 31.6

अतिवादाद् वदाम्येष माधर्ममभिशङ्किथाः। धर्माभिशङ्की पुरुषस्तिर्यग्गतिपरायणः॥

ativādād vadāmyeṣa mādharmamabhiśaṅkithāḥ| dharmābhiśaṅkī puruṣastiryaggatiparāyaṇaḥ||

From the evidence of the Vedas I say, “You should never doubt virtue; the person doubting virtue is destined to be born among the brutes."

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

MBh 2 31.7

धर्मो यस्याभिशक्यः स्यादाष वा दुर्बलात्मनः। वेदाच्छूद्र इवापेयात् स लोकादजरामरात्॥

dharmo yasyābhiśakyaḥ syādāṣa vā durbalātmanaḥ| vedācchūdra ivāpeyāt sa lokādajarāmarāt||

A weak-minded man who doubts religion, virtue and the words of the Rishis, is precluded form the regions of immortality and bliss as the Shudras are from the Vedas.

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

MBh 2 31.8

वेदाध्यायीधर्मपरः कुले जातो मनस्विनि। स्थविरेषु स योक्तव्यो राजर्षिर्धर्मचारिभिः॥

vedādhyāyīdharmaparaḥ kule jāto manasvini| sthavireṣu sa yoktavyo rājarṣirdharmacāribhiḥ||

O large-minded lady, one studying the Vedas, virtuous and born in a high race, (though young) is considered aged by the pious royal saints.

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

MBh 2 31.9

पापीयान् स हि शूद्रेभ्यस्तस्करेभ्यो विशिष्यते। शास्त्रातिगो मन्दबुद्धिर्योधर्ममभिशङ्कते॥

pāpīyān sa hi śūdrebhyastaskarebhyo viśiṣyate| śāstrātigo mandabuddhiryodharmamabhiśaṅkate||

That vicious-minded one, who transgresses the scriptures and doubts virtue is regarded as lower even than the Shudras and robbers.

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

MBh 2 31.10

प्रत्यक्षं हि त्वया दृष्ट ऋषिर्गच्छन् महातपाः। मार्कण्डेयोऽप्रमेयात्माधर्मेण चिरजीविता॥

pratyakṣaṃ hi tvayā dṛṣṭa ṛṣirgacchan mahātapāḥ| mārkaṇḍeyo'prameyātmādharmeṇa cirajīvitā||

You have seen with your own eyes the great ascetic Markandeya of incomparable magnanimity come to us who has been rendered immortal by virtue.

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

MBh 2 31.11

व्यासो वसिष्ठो मैत्रेयो नारदो लोमशः शुकः। अन्ये च ऋषयः सर्वेधर्मेणैव सुचेतसः॥

vyāso vasiṣṭho maitreyo nārado lomaśaḥ śukaḥ| anye ca ṛṣayaḥ sarvedharmeṇaiva sucetasaḥ||

Vyasa, Vasishtha, Maitreya, Narada Lomasha, Shuka and all other Rishis have become of pure souls by virtue.

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

MBh 2 31.12

प्रत्यक्षं पश्यसि ह्येतान् दिव्ययोगसमन्वितान्। शापानुग्रहणे शक्तान् देवेभ्योऽपि गरीयसः॥

pratyakṣaṃ paśyasi hyetān divyayogasamanvitān| śāpānugrahaṇe śaktān devebhyo'pi garīyasaḥ||

You yourself see all these endued with celestials asceticism capable of cursing or blessing and superior even to the celestials,

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

MBh 2 31.13

एते हिधर्ममेवादौ वर्णयन्ति सदानघे। कर्तव्यममरप्रख्याः प्रत्यक्षागमबुद्धयः॥

ete hidharmamevādau varṇayanti sadānaghe| kartavyamamaraprakhyāḥ pratyakṣāgamabuddhayaḥ||

O sinless lady, these sages, equal to the Rishis and who can see what is written in the Vedas, describe virtue as the foremost duty.

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

MBh 2 31.14

अतो नार्हसि कल्याणिधातारंधर्ममेव च। राज्ञि मूढेन मनसा क्षेप्तुं शङ्कितुमेव च।॥

ato nārhasi kalyāṇidhātāraṃdharmameva ca| rājñi mūḍhena manasā kṣeptuṃ śaṅkitumeva ca|||

You should not, O blessed queen, with a foolish mind either doubt or censure the Providence or (His act).

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

MBh 2 31.15

उन्मत्तान् मन्यते बाल: सर्वानागतनिश्चयान्। धर्माभिशङ्को नान्यस्मात् प्रमाणमधिगच्छति॥ आत्मप्रमाण उन्नद्धः श्रेयसो ह्यवमन्यकः। इन्द्रियप्रीतिसम्बद्धं यदिदं लोकसाक्षिकम्। एतावन्मन्यते बालो. मोहमन्यत्र गच्छति॥

unmattān manyate bāla: sarvānāgataniścayān| dharmābhiśaṅko nānyasmāt pramāṇamadhigacchati|| ātmapramāṇa unnaddhaḥ śreyaso hyavamanyakaḥ| indriyaprītisambaddhaṃ yadidaṃ lokasākṣikam| etāvanmanyate bālo. mohamanyatra gacchati||

The fool, who doubts religion and disregards virtue and being proud of the proof of his own reasoning, does not receive it from others, considers all these sages who look upon the future as present, like mad man. He considers the external world as conducive to the gratification of senses and is blind to everything else.

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

MBh 2 31.16

प्रायश्चित्तं न तस्यास्ति योधर्ममभिशङ्कते। ध्यायन् स कृपणः पापो न लोकान् प्रतिपद्यते॥

prāyaścittaṃ na tasyāsti yodharmamabhiśaṅkate| dhyāyan sa kṛpaṇaḥ pāpo na lokān pratipadyate||

Whoever, doubts religion has no expatiation of his sin; that wretched and vile person feels anxicty (here) and does not attain to the regions (of bliss) hereafter.

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

MBh 2 31.17

प्रमाणाद्धि निवृत्तो हि वेदशास्त्रार्थनिन्दकः। कामलोभातिगो मूढो नरकं प्रतिपद्यते॥

pramāṇāddhi nivṛtto hi vedaśāstrārthanindakaḥ| kāmalobhātigo mūḍho narakaṃ pratipadyate||

That stupid person, who does not regard evidences, who vilifics the interpretation of the Vedic texts and who commits sin under the influence of lust and covetousness, is doomed to hell.

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

MBh 2 31.18

यस्तु नित्यं कृतमतिर्धर्ममेवाभिपद्यते। अशङ्कमानः कल्याणि सोऽमुत्रानन्त्यमश्नुते॥

yastu nityaṃ kṛtamatirdharmamevābhipadyate| aśaṅkamānaḥ kalyāṇi so'mutrānantyamaśnute||

O blessed lady, he however, who, with faith and without any doubt follows religion, attains to eternal bliss in the next world.

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

MBh 2 31.19

आर्षं प्रमाणमुत्क्रम्यधर्मं न प्रतिपालयन्। सर्वशास्त्रातिगो मूढः शं जन्मसु न विन्दति॥

ārṣaṃ pramāṇamutkramyadharmaṃ na pratipālayan| sarvaśāstrātigo mūḍhaḥ śaṃ janmasu na vindati||

That stupid person, who transgresses the evidences of the Rishis, who does not follow religion and who transgresses all the scriptures, never obtains bliss in any life.

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

MBh 2 31.20

यस्य नार्षं प्रमाणं स्याच्छिष्टाचारच भाविनि। न वै तस्य परो लोको नायमस्तीति निश्चयः॥

yasya nārṣaṃ pramāṇaṃ syācchiṣṭācāraca bhāvini| na vai tasya paro loko nāyamastīti niścayaḥ||

For him, O fair lady, who disregards the words of the Rishis and does not care for the evidence of the pious, neither this world nor the next exists.

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

MBh 2 31.21

शिष्टैराचरितंधर्मं कृष्णे मा स्माभिशङ्किथाः। पुराणमृषिभिः प्रोक्तं सर्वज्ञैः सर्वदर्शिभिः॥

śiṣṭairācaritaṃdharmaṃ kṛṣṇe mā smābhiśaṅkithāḥ| purāṇamṛṣibhiḥ proktaṃ sarvajñaiḥ sarvadarśibhiḥ||

Doubt not, O Krishna, the ancient religion which is followed by the good and formulated by the omniscient and omnipotent Rishis.

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

MBh 2 31.22

धर्म एव प्लवो नान्यः स्वर्ग द्रौपदि गच्छताम्। सैव नौः सागरस्येव वणिजः पारमिच्छतः॥

dharma eva plavo nānyaḥ svarga draupadi gacchatām| saiva nauḥ sāgarasyeva vaṇijaḥ pāramicchataḥ||

O Draupadi, virtue is the only raft and nothingelse to those who wish to go to heaven, like a ship to the merchant wishing to cross the Ocean.

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

MBh 2 31.23

अफलो यदिधर्मः स्याच्चरितोधर्मचारिभिः। अप्रतिष्ठे तमस्येतज्जगन्मज्जेदनिन्दिते॥

aphalo yadidharmaḥ syāccaritodharmacāribhiḥ| apratiṣṭhe tamasyetajjaganmajjedanindite||

O blameless lady, if the pieties practised by the virtuous had no fruits then this world would been enshrouded by infamous darkness.

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

MBh 2 31.24

निर्वाणं नाधिगच्छेयुर्जीवेयुः पशुजीविकाम्। विद्यां ते नैव युज्येयुर्न चार्थ केचिदाप्नुयुः॥

nirvāṇaṃ nādhigaccheyurjīveyuḥ paśujīvikām| vidyāṃ te naiva yujyeyurna cārtha kecidāpnuyuḥ||

None would have followed emancipation, none would have cared for the acquisition of knowledge or even of wealth and people would have lived like beasts.

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

MBh 2 31.25

तपश्च ब्रह्मचर्यं च यज्ञः स्वाध्याय एव च। दानमार्जवमेतानि यदि स्युरफलानि वै॥ नाचरिष्यन् परेधर्म परे परतरे च ये। विप्रलम्भोऽयमत्यन्तं यदि स्युरफलाः क्रियाः॥ ऋषयश्चैव देवाश्च गन्धर्वासुरराक्षसाः। ईश्वराः कस्य हेतोस्ते चरेयुर्धर्ममादृताः॥

tapaśca brahmacaryaṃ ca yajñaḥ svādhyāya eva ca| dānamārjavametāni yadi syuraphalāni vai|| nācariṣyan paredharma pare paratare ca ye| vipralambho'yamatyantaṃ yadi syuraphalāḥ kriyāḥ|| ṛṣayaścaiva devāśca gandharvāsurarākṣasāḥ| īśvarāḥ kasya hetoste careyurdharmamādṛtāḥ||

If devout penances, life of celibacy, sacrifice, the study of the Vedas, charity and honesty-these were fruitless then people would not have practised virtues, generation after generation. If all the action had been fruitless a terrible confusion would have set in. Why do the Rishis, the gods the Gandharvas, the Asuras and the Rakshasas who are lords of themselves, with love practise virtues?

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

MBh 2 31.26

फलदं त्विह विज्ञायधातारं श्रेयसिध्रुवम्। धर्मं ते व्यचरन् कृष्णे तद्धि श्रेयः सनातनम्॥

phaladaṃ tviha vijñāyadhātāraṃ śreyasidhruvam| dharmaṃ te vyacaran kṛṣṇe taddhi śreyaḥ sanātanam||

Considering for certain that Providence is the giver of fruits in virtue, they practise virtues; O Krishna, for them is eternal bliss.

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

MBh 2 31.27

ह नायमफलोधर्मो नाधर्मोऽफलवानपि। दृश्यन्तेऽपि हि विद्यानां फलानि तपसां तथा॥ त्वमात्मनो विजानीहि जन्म कृष्णेयथा श्रुतम्। वेत्थ चापि यथा जातोधृष्टद्युम्नः प्रतापवान्॥

ha nāyamaphalodharmo nādharmo'phalavānapi| dṛśyante'pi hi vidyānāṃ phalāni tapasāṃ tathā|| tvamātmano vijānīhi janma kṛṣṇeyathā śrutam| vettha cāpi yathā jātodhṛṣṭadyumnaḥ pratāpavān||

Whereas the fruits of knowledge and ascetic observances are seen, virtue and vice can never be devoid of fruits. Recollect, O Krishna, the circumstances of your birth, as you have heard and also the manner in which the powerful Dhristadyumna was born.

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

MBh 2 31.28

एतावदेव पर्याप्तमुपमानं शुचिस्मिते। कर्मणां फलमाप्नोतिधीरोऽल्पेनापि तुष्यति॥

etāvadeva paryāptamupamānaṃ śucismite| karmaṇāṃ phalamāpnotidhīro'lpenāpi tuṣyati||

These are sufficient proofs, O you of sweet smiles; the self-controlled reap the fruits of acts and are satisfied with a little.

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

MBh 2 31.29

बहुनापि ह्यविद्वांसो नैव तुष्यन्त्यबुद्धयः। तेषां नधर्मजं किंचित् प्रेत्य शर्मास्ति वा पुनः॥

bahunāpi hyavidvāṃso naiva tuṣyantyabuddhayaḥ| teṣāṃ nadharmajaṃ kiṃcit pretya śarmāsti vā punaḥ||

Ignorant and stupid persons are not satisfied even with much and they have no happiness begotten of virtue for them in the next world.

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

MBh 2 31.30

कर्मणां श्रुतपुण्यानां पापानां च फलोदयः। प्रभवश्चात्ययश्चैव देवगुह्यानि भाविनि॥

karmaṇāṃ śrutapuṇyānāṃ pāpānāṃ ca phalodayaḥ| prabhavaścātyayaścaiva devaguhyāni bhāvini||

The fruits of the holy acts laid down in the Vedas as well as of sinful acts, the root and the destruction of actions, O fair lady, are mysteries even to the celestials,

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

MBh 2 31.31

नैतानि वेद यः कश्चिन्मुह्यन्तेऽत्र प्रजा इमाः। अपि कल्पसहस्रेण न स श्रेयोऽधिगच्छति॥

naitāni veda yaḥ kaścinmuhyante'tra prajā imāḥ| api kalpasahasreṇa na sa śreyo'dhigacchati||

These are not known to all; ordinary people are ignorant of these; he does not follow in a thousand Kalpa the well-being of the celestials.

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

MBh 2 31.32

रक्ष्यान्येतानि देवानां गूढमाया हि देवताः। कृताशाश्च व्रताशाश्च तपसा दग्धकिल्बिषाः। प्रसादैर्मानसैर्युक्ताः पश्यन्त्येतानि वै द्विजाः॥

rakṣyānyetāni devānāṃ gūḍhamāyā hi devatāḥ| kṛtāśāśca vratāśāśca tapasā dagdhakilbiṣāḥ| prasādairmānasairyuktāḥ paśyantyetāni vai dvijāḥ||

These are kept (in secrecy) by the celestials for their illusive energy is mysterious; those Brahmanas that have conquered their aspirations, those that have built up their hopes, those whose sins have been burnt down by ascetic observances, those who have got contented minds, can observe these.

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

MBh 2 31.33

न फलादर्शनाद्धर्मः शङ्कितव्यो न देवताः। यष्टव्यं च प्रयत्नेन दातव्यं चानसूयता॥

na phalādarśanāddharmaḥ śaṅkitavyo na devatāḥ| yaṣṭavyaṃ ca prayatnena dātavyaṃ cānasūyatā||

For not seeing the fruit you should not doubt religion or the gods; you should perform sacrifices assiduously and charities without any insolence.

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

MBh 2 31.34

कर्मणां फलमस्तीह तथैतद्धर्मशासनम्। ब्रह्मा प्रोवाच पुत्राणां यदृषिर्वेद कश्यपः॥

karmaṇāṃ phalamastīha tathaitaddharmaśāsanam| brahmā provāca putrāṇāṃ yadṛṣirveda kaśyapaḥ||

Acts have their fruits in this world and virtue is eternal; as said by Kashyapa, Brahma told all this to his sons.

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

MBh 2 31.35

तस्मात् ते संशयः कृष्णे नीहार इव नश्यतु। व्यवस्य सर्वमस्तीति नास्तिक्यं भावमुत्सृज॥

tasmāt te saṃśayaḥ kṛṣṇe nīhāra iva naśyatu| vyavasya sarvamastīti nāstikyaṃ bhāvamutsṛja||

O Krishna, let your doubt be destroyed like dews meditating upon all this. Let your scepticism yield to faith.

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

MBh 2 31.36

ईश्वरं चापि भूतानांधातारं मा च वै क्षिप। शिक्षस्वैनं नमस्वैनं मा तेऽभूद् बुद्धिरीदृशी॥

īśvaraṃ cāpi bhūtānāṃdhātāraṃ mā ca vai kṣipa| śikṣasvainaṃ namasvainaṃ mā te'bhūd buddhirīdṛśī||

Do not speak ill of God who is the lord of all creatures; learn to know him; bow to him; let not your understanding be such.

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

MBh 2 31.37

यस्य प्रसादात् तद्भक्तो मर्यो गच्छत्यमर्त्यताम्। उत्तमां देवतां कृष्णे मावमंस्थाः कथंचन॥

yasya prasādāt tadbhakto maryo gacchatyamartyatām| uttamāṃ devatāṃ kṛṣṇe māvamaṃsthāḥ kathaṃcana||

Never disregard that Supreme being, Krishna, by whose mercy the mortals, by pious observances, become immortals.

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