Mahabharata — Volume II (Dutt edition) — Chapter 32

MBh 2 32.1

द्रौपद्युवाच नावमन्ये न गर्हे चधर्मं पार्थ कथंचन। ईश्वरं कुत एवाहमवमस्ये प्रजापतिम्॥

draupadyuvāca nāvamanye na garhe cadharmaṃ pārtha kathaṃcana| īśvaraṃ kuta evāhamavamasye prajāpatim||

Draupadi said : I never disregard or speak ill of religion, O son of Pritha; why should I disregard God, the lord of creations?

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

MBh 2 32.2

आर्ताहं प्रलपामीदमिति मां विद्धि भारत। भूयश्च विलपिष्यामि सुमनास्त्वं निबोध मे॥

ārtāhaṃ pralapāmīdamiti māṃ viddhi bhārata| bhūyaśca vilapiṣyāmi sumanāstvaṃ nibodha me||

O descendant of Bharata, consider me raving as being stricken with misery, listen to me, I shall again bewail.

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

MBh 2 32.3

कर्म खल्विह कर्तव्यं जानतामित्रकर्शन। अकर्माणो हि जीवन्ति स्थावरा नेतरे जनाः॥

karma khalviha kartavyaṃ jānatāmitrakarśana| akarmāṇo hi jīvanti sthāvarā netare janāḥ||

O represser of enemies, forsooth every conscious being should engage in actions in this world; it is only the immobile and not even other creatures that can live without action.

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

MBh 2 32.4

यावद्गोस्तनपानाच्च यावच्छायोपसेवनात्। जन्तवः कर्मणा वृत्तिमाप्नुवन्ति युधिष्ठिर॥

yāvadgostanapānācca yāvacchāyopasevanāt| jantavaḥ karmaṇā vṛttimāpnuvanti yudhiṣṭhira||

Immediately after the birth the calf sucks the mother's teat. (People feel distress) as soon as incantations are performed on their statues; the creatures, O Yudhishthira, deserve the character of their lives according to pristine actions.

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

MBh 2 32.5

जङ्गमेषु विशेषेण मनुष्या भरतर्षभ। इच्छन्ति कर्मणा वृत्तिमवाप्तुं प्रेत्य चेह च॥

jaṅgameṣu viśeṣeṇa manuṣyā bharatarṣabha| icchanti karmaṇā vṛttimavāptuṃ pretya ceha ca||

O foremost of Bharatas, this is the difference of man from mobile creatures, that he aspires to like his course of life both in this world and in the next by means of his acts.

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

MBh 2 32.6

उत्थानमभिजानन्ति सर्वभूतानि भारत। प्रत्यक्षं फलमश्नन्ति कर्मणां लोकसाक्षिकम्॥

utthānamabhijānanti sarvabhūtāni bhārata| pratyakṣaṃ phalamaśnanti karmaṇāṃ lokasākṣikam||

O descendant of Bharata, all creatures perceive the impression of the pristine life and they visibly reap in this world the fruits of their acts.

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

MBh 2 32.7

सर्वे हि स्वं समुत्थानमुपजीवन्ति जन्तवः। अपिधाता विधाता च यथायमुदके बकः॥

sarve hi svaṃ samutthānamupajīvanti jantavaḥ| apidhātā vidhātā ca yathāyamudake bakaḥ||

All creatures live according to the impression of the pristine life, even the creatures and the ordainers of the universe like a crane that lives on the water.

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

MBh 2 32.8

अकर्मणां वै भूतानां वृत्तिः स्यान्न हि काचन। तदेवाभिप्रपद्येत न विहन्यात् कदाचन॥

akarmaṇāṃ vai bhūtānāṃ vṛttiḥ syānna hi kācana| tadevābhiprapadyeta na vihanyāt kadācana||

The course of life for a creatures that does not act is impossible; for them there is action and never inaction.

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

MBh 2 32.9

स्वकर्म कुरु मा ग्लासी: कर्मणा भव दंशितः। कृतं हि योऽभिजानाति सहस्रे सोऽस्ति नास्ति च॥

svakarma kuru mā glāsī: karmaṇā bhava daṃśitaḥ| kṛtaṃ hi yo'bhijānāti sahasre so'sti nāsti ca||

You should therefore act and never incur censure by leaving affection; cover yourself with action as with an armour. There might not be one in a thousand who does not truly understand the utility of work.

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

MBh 2 32.10

तस्य चापि भवेत् कार्यं विवृद्धौ रक्षणे तथा। भक्ष्यमाणो ह्यनादानात् क्षीयेत् हिमवानपि॥

tasya cāpi bhavet kāryaṃ vivṛddhau rakṣaṇe tathā| bhakṣyamāṇo hyanādānāt kṣīyet himavānapi||

One should act either for increasing or protecting his wealth; if spent without being earned it vanishes although it be like (the mount) Himavana.

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

MBh 2 32.11

उत्सीदेरन् प्रजाः सर्वा न कुर्युः कर्म चेद् भुवि। तथा ह्येता न वधैरन् कर्म चेदफलं भवेत्॥

utsīderan prajāḥ sarvā na kuryuḥ karma ced bhuvi| tathā hyetā na vadhairan karma cedaphalaṃ bhavet||

All creatures would have been exterminated if there were no action; if acts had born no fruits they would not have multiplied.

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

MBh 2 32.12

अपि चाप्यफलं कर्म पश्यामः कुर्वतो जनान्। नान्यथा ह्यपि गच्छन्ति वृत्ति लोकाः कथंचन॥

api cāpyaphalaṃ karma paśyāmaḥ kurvato janān| nānyathā hyapi gacchanti vṛtti lokāḥ kathaṃcana||

It is sometimes observed that creatures perform acts that give them no fruits; for without action the course of life would be an impossibility.

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

MBh 2 32.13

यश्च दिष्टपरो लोके यश्चापि हठवादिकः। उभावपि शठावेतौ कर्मबुद्धिः प्रशस्यते॥

yaśca diṣṭaparo loke yaścāpi haṭhavādikaḥ| ubhāvapi śaṭhāvetau karmabuddhiḥ praśasyate||

Whoever in this world believe in Destiny and whoever in chance are both the worst of people; those only are praiseworthy who believe in the efficacy of acts.

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

MBh 2 32.14

यो हि दिष्टमुपासीनो निर्विचेष्टः सुखं शयेत्। अवसीदेत् स दुर्बुद्धिरामो घट इवोदके॥

yo hi diṣṭamupāsīno nirviceṣṭaḥ sukhaṃ śayet| avasīdet sa durbuddhirāmo ghaṭa ivodake||

He, who has been at ease without any action and believing in Destiny, is soon consumed like an unburnt earthen pot in water.

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

MBh 2 32.15

तथैव हठदुर्बुद्धिः शक्तः कर्मण्यकर्मकृत्। आसीत न चिरं जीवेदनाथ इव दुर्बलः॥

tathaiva haṭhadurbuddhiḥ śaktaḥ karmaṇyakarmakṛt| āsīta na ciraṃ jīvedanātha iva durbalaḥ||

So also that man, who believes in chance and who, though capable of work, does not work, does not live long, for his life is one of weakness and helplessness.

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

MBh 2 32.16

अकस्मादिह यः कश्चिदर्थं प्राप्नोति पूरुषः। तं हठेनेति मन्यन्ते स हि यत्नो न कस्यचित्॥

akasmādiha yaḥ kaścidarthaṃ prāpnoti pūruṣaḥ| taṃ haṭheneti manyante sa hi yatno na kasyacit||

If a person in the world attains, by accident, to an accession of wealth-people consider it derived from chance for none has tried for it.

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

MBh 2 32.17

यच्चापि किंचित् पुरुषो दिष्टं नाम भजत्युत। दैवेन विधिना पार्थ तद् दैवमिति निश्चितम्॥

yaccāpi kiṃcit puruṣo diṣṭaṃ nāma bhajatyuta| daivena vidhinā pārtha tad daivamiti niścitam||

O son of Pritha, whatever good fortune a person acquires in consequence of religious rites is called Providential.

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

MBh 2 32.18

यत् स्वयं कर्मणा किंचित् फलमाप्नोति पूरुषः। प्रत्यक्षमेतल्लोकेषु तत् पौरुषमिति श्रुतम्॥

yat svayaṃ karmaṇā kiṃcit phalamāpnoti pūruṣaḥ| pratyakṣametallokeṣu tat pauruṣamiti śrutam||

The fruit, that a person reaps by acting himself and which is the direct outcome of his actions, is considered as a proof of manliness.

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

MBh 2 32.19

स्वभावतः प्रवृत्तो यः प्राप्नोत्यर्थं न कारणात्। तत् स्वभावात्मकं विद्धि फलं पुरुषसत्तम॥

svabhāvataḥ pravṛtto yaḥ prāpnotyarthaṃ na kāraṇāt| tat svabhāvātmakaṃ viddhi phalaṃ puruṣasattama||

Of best of men, know that the riches acquired spontaneously and without cause are considered as a spontaneous acquisition.

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

MBh 2 32.20

एवं हठाच्च दैवाच्च स्वभावात् कर्मणस्तथा। यानि प्राप्नोति पुरुषस्तत् फलं पूर्वकर्मणाम्।।२

evaṃ haṭhācca daivācca svabhāvāt karmaṇastathā| yāni prāpnoti puruṣastat phalaṃ pūrvakarmaṇām||2

Whatever is thus acquired accidentally, providentially or spontaneously by a person is the outcome of his pristine actions.

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

MBh 2 32.21

धातापि हि स्वकर्मैव तैस्तैर्हेतुभिरीश्वरः। विदधाति विभज्येह फलं पूर्वकृतं नृणाम्॥

dhātāpi hi svakarmaiva taistairhetubhirīśvaraḥ| vidadhāti vibhajyeha phalaṃ pūrvakṛtaṃ nṛṇām||

And judging according to their pristine actions, the good and bad, the ordainer of the universe distributes among men, their portions in this world.

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

MBh 2 32.22

यद्ध्ययं पुरुषः किंचित् कुरुते वै शुभाशुभम्। तद्धातृविहितं विद्धि पूर्वकर्मफलोदयम्॥

yaddhyayaṃ puruṣaḥ kiṃcit kurute vai śubhāśubham| taddhātṛvihitaṃ viddhi pūrvakarmaphalodayam||

Know that whatever actions, either good or bad, that a person performs are the outcome of God's arrangements with reference to their pristine actions.

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

MBh 2 32.23

कारणं तस्य देहोऽयंधातुः कर्मणि वर्तते। स यथा प्रेरयत्येनं तथायं कुरुतेऽवशः॥

kāraṇaṃ tasya deho'yaṃdhātuḥ karmaṇi vartate| sa yathā prerayatyenaṃ tathāyaṃ kurute'vaśaḥ||

This body is the instrument of God for actions; inert in itself, it performs what is urged on by God.

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

MBh 2 32.24

तेषु तेषु हि कृत्येषु विनियोक्ता महेश्वरः। सर्वभूतानि कौन्तेय कारयत्यवशान्यपि॥

teṣu teṣu hi kṛtyeṣu viniyoktā maheśvaraḥ| sarvabhūtāni kaunteya kārayatyavaśānyapi||

O son of Kunti, it is the supreme Lord of all who makes all creatures do what they do, though they themselves are all inert.

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

MBh 2 32.25

मनसार्थान् विनिश्चित्य पश्चात् प्राप्नोति कर्मणा। बुद्धिपूर्वं स्वयं वीर पुरुषस्तत्र कारणम्॥

manasārthān viniścitya paścāt prāpnoti karmaṇā| buddhipūrvaṃ svayaṃ vīra puruṣastatra kāraṇam||

O hero, having settled upon some object in mind, a man carries it out into action aided by his intelligence; man is himself therefore the cause.

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

MBh 2 32.26

संख्यातुं नैव शक्यानि कर्माणि पुरुषर्षभ। अगारनगराणां हि सिद्धिः पुरुषहैतुकी॥ तिले तैलं गवि क्षीरं काष्ठे पावकमन्ततः। धियाधीरो विजानीयादुपायं चास्य सिद्धये॥

saṃkhyātuṃ naiva śakyāni karmāṇi puruṣarṣabha| agāranagarāṇāṃ hi siddhiḥ puruṣahaitukī|| tile tailaṃ gavi kṣīraṃ kāṣṭhe pāvakamantataḥ| dhiyādhīro vijānīyādupāyaṃ cāsya siddhaye||

O best of men, the number of actions cannot be ascertained for towns and palaces are the result of man's acts. By the aid of their intelligence, intelligent men know that oil may be had from sesame, curds from milk and that food may be cooked by means of igniting fuel; they know the means for accomplishing them.

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

MBh 2 32.27

ततः प्रवर्तते पश्चात् कारणैस्तस्य सिद्धये। तां सिद्धिमुपजीवन्ति कर्मजामिह जन्तवः॥

tataḥ pravartate paścāt kāraṇaistasya siddhaye| tāṃ siddhimupajīvanti karmajāmiha jantavaḥ||

Thereupon they set themselves, by instruinents, to accomplishing them; and creatures maintain their lives by the results acquired in these directions by their own acts.

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

MBh 2 32.28

कुशलेन कृतं कर्म क; साधु स्वनुष्ठितम्। इदं त्वकुशलेनेति विशेषादुपलभ्यते॥

kuśalena kṛtaṃ karma ka; sādhu svanuṣṭhitam| idaṃ tvakuśaleneti viśeṣādupalabhyate||

If a work is done by a clever work-man it is done well; from the difference in execution another work may be said to be that of an unskilled hand.

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

MBh 2 32.29

इष्टापूर्तफलं न स्यान्न शिष्यो न गुरुर्भवेत्। पुरुषः कर्मसाध्येषु स्याच्चेदयमकारणम्॥

iṣṭāpūrtaphalaṃ na syānna śiṣyo na gururbhavet| puruṣaḥ karmasādhyeṣu syāccedayamakāraṇam||

If a person were not himself the instrument of his acts, the sacrifices would not bear any fruits in his case nor would anybody be a disciple or preceptor.

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

MBh 2 32.30

कर्तृत्वादेव पुरुषः कर्मसिद्धौ प्रशस्यते। असिद्धौ निन्द्यते चापि कर्मनाशात् कथं त्विह॥

kartṛtvādeva puruṣaḥ karmasiddhau praśasyate| asiddhau nindyate cāpi karmanāśāt kathaṃ tviha||

It is because a person is himself the instrument of his action that he is praised when or he acquires success, so the doer is censured when he is unsuccessful; nothing else exists.

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

MBh 2 32.31

सर्वमेव हठेनैके दैवेनैके वदन्त्युत। पुंसः प्रयत्न केचित्त्रैधमेतन्निरुच्यते॥ न चैवेतावता कार्यं मन्यन्त इति चापरे। अस्ति सर्वमदृश्यं तु दिष्टं चैव तथा हठः॥

sarvameva haṭhenaike daivenaike vadantyuta| puṃsaḥ prayatna kecittraidhametannirucyate|| na caivetāvatā kāryaṃ manyanta iti cāpare| asti sarvamadṛśyaṃ tu diṣṭaṃ caiva tathā haṭhaḥ||

Some say that everything is the outcome of chance, some say everything is providential, whereas others hold that this, is not so, but everything that is said to be the outcome of Destiny or chance is the result of pristine actions.

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

MBh 2 32.32

दृश्यते हि हठाच्चैव दिष्टाच्चार्थस्य संततिः। किंचिद् दैवाद्धठात् किंचित् किंचिदेव स्वभावतः।३४॥ पुरुषः फलमाप्नोति चतुर्थं नात्र कारणम्। कुशलाः प्रतिजानन्ति ये वै तत्त्वविदो जनाः॥

dṛśyate hi haṭhāccaiva diṣṭāccārthasya saṃtatiḥ| kiṃcid daivāddhaṭhāt kiṃcit kiṃcideva svabhāvataḥ|34|| puruṣaḥ phalamāpnoti caturthaṃ nātra kāraṇam| kuśalāḥ pratijānanti ye vai tattvavido janāḥ||

It is seen that wealth proceeds from chance Destiny; something accidental and something natural. In the acquisition of fruits for a man, there is not the fourth cause; this is said by those who are cognizant of truth and well-versed in knowledge.

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

MBh 2 32.33

तथैवधाता भूतानामिष्टानिष्टफलप्रदः। यदि न स्यान्न भूतानां कृपणो नाम कश्चन॥

tathaivadhātā bhūtānāmiṣṭāniṣṭaphalapradaḥ| yadi na syānna bhūtānāṃ kṛpaṇo nāma kaścana||

If God himself were not the bestower of good or bad fruits then among creatures there would not be any miserable being.

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

MBh 2 32.34

यं यमर्थमभिप्रेप्सुः कुरुते कर्म पूरुषः। तत्तत् सफलमेव स्याद् यदि न स्यात् पुरा कृतम्।

yaṃ yamarthamabhiprepsuḥ kurute karma pūruṣaḥ| tattat saphalameva syād yadi na syāt purā kṛtam|

If pristine actions had no existence then all purposes for which a man would work should prove successful.

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

MBh 2 32.35

त्रिद्वारामर्थसिद्धिं तु नानुपश्यन्ति ये नराः। तथैवानर्थसिद्धिं च यथा लोकास्तथैव ते॥

tridvārāmarthasiddhiṃ tu nānupaśyanti ye narāḥ| tathaivānarthasiddhiṃ ca yathā lokāstathaiva te||

Those persons, who do not observe these three doors for the accomplishment of objects as well as for the failure, are dull and exist like the body itself.

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

MBh 2 32.36

कर्तव्यमेव कर्मेति मनोरेष विनिश्चयः। एकान्तेन ह्यनीहोऽयं पराभवति पूरुषः॥

kartavyameva karmeti manoreṣa viniścayaḥ| ekāntena hyanīho'yaṃ parābhavati pūruṣaḥ||

Man should always act; for this is the conclusion of Manu; a person that does not act is always defeated.

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

MBh 2 32.37

कुर्वतो हि भवत्येव प्रायेणेह युधिष्ठिर। एकान्तफलसिद्धिं तु न विन्दत्यलसः क्वचित्॥

kurvato hi bhavatyeva prāyeṇeha yudhiṣṭhira| ekāntaphalasiddhiṃ tu na vindatyalasaḥ kvacit||

A man of action in this world, O Yudhishthira, generally meets with success; the idle however never acquire success.

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

MBh 2 32.38

असम्भवे त्वस्य हेतुः प्रायश्चित्तं तु लक्षयेत्। कृते कर्मणि राजेन्द्र तथानृण्यमवाप्नुते॥

asambhave tvasya hetuḥ prāyaścittaṃ tu lakṣayet| kṛte karmaṇi rājendra tathānṛṇyamavāpnute||

If success becomes impossible a person should remove the difficulties; when engaged in action, O king, he is freed from debts (whether he is successful or not).

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

MBh 2 32.39

अलक्ष्मीराविशत्येनं शयानमलसं नरम्। नि:संशयं फलं लब्ध्वा दक्षो भूतिमुपाश्नुते॥

alakṣmīrāviśatyenaṃ śayānamalasaṃ naram| ni:saṃśayaṃ phalaṃ labdhvā dakṣo bhūtimupāśnute||

Adversity overpowers a person who is idle and lies down, whereas whoever is active reaps success and enjoys prosperity.

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

MBh 2 32.40

अनर्थाः संशयावस्थाः सिद्ध्यन्ते मुक्त संशयाः। धीरा नराः कर्मरता ननु निःसंशयाः क्वचित्॥

anarthāḥ saṃśayāvasthāḥ siddhyante mukta saṃśayāḥ| dhīrā narāḥ karmaratā nanu niḥsaṃśayāḥ kvacit||

Intelligent persons engaged confidently in acts consider all who are diffident as doubting and unsuccessful.

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

MBh 2 32.41

एकान्तेन ह्यनर्थोऽयं वर्ततेऽस्मासु साम्प्रतम्। स तु निःसंशयं न स्यात् त्वयि कर्मण्यवस्थिते॥

ekāntena hyanartho'yaṃ vartate'smāsu sāmpratam| sa tu niḥsaṃśayaṃ na syāt tvayi karmaṇyavasthite||

Now we are overtaken by misfortune and if you engage in action this misfortune will certainly be removed.

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

MBh 2 32.42

अथवा सिद्धिरेव स्यादभिमानं तदेव ते। वृकोदरस्य बीभत्सोमा॑त्रोश्च यमयोरपि॥

athavā siddhireva syādabhimānaṃ tadeva te| vṛkodarasya bībhatsomā̭trośca yamayorapi||

Even if you are unsuccessful it shall be proved to you. Vrikodara, Vivatsu and the twins (that you are unable to take the kingdom).

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

MBh 2 32.43

अन्येषां कर्म सफलमस्माकमपि वा पुनः। विप्रकर्षण बुध्येत कृतकर्मा यथाफलम्।॥

anyeṣāṃ karma saphalamasmākamapi vā punaḥ| viprakarṣaṇa budhyeta kṛtakarmā yathāphalam|||

The actions of others have been seen crowned with success and ours might be as well; how can one, performing action, perceive beforehand what would be the result?

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

MBh 2 32.44

पृथिवीं लागलेनेह भित्त्वा बीजं वपत्युत। आस्तेऽथ कर्षकस्तूष्णीं पर्जन्यस्तत्र कारणम्॥

pṛthivīṃ lāgaleneha bhittvā bījaṃ vapatyuta| āste'tha karṣakastūṣṇīṃ parjanyastatra kāraṇam||

Having tilled the ground with plough one sows the seeds; the tiller then sits silent (for) the clouds are the next cause.

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

MBh 2 32.45

वृष्टिश्चेन्नानुगृहणीयादनेनास्तत्र कर्षकः। यदन्यः पुरुषः कुर्यात् तत् कृतं सफलं मया॥

vṛṣṭiścennānugṛhaṇīyādanenāstatra karṣakaḥ| yadanyaḥ puruṣaḥ kuryāt tat kṛtaṃ saphalaṃ mayā||

If however the clouds do not favour him the cultivator is not to blame-he says :-"I have done what others do."

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

MBh 2 32.46

तच्चेदं फलमस्माकमपराधो न मे क्वचित्। इतिधीरोऽन्ववेक्ष्यैव नात्मानं तत्र गर्हयेत्।।

taccedaṃ phalamasmākamaparādho na me kvacit| itidhīro'nvavekṣyaiva nātmānaṃ tatra garhayet||

If however I do not meet with success I am not to blame thinking this he contents himself and does not reproach himself.

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

MBh 2 32.47

कुर्वतो नार्थसिद्धिर्मे भवतीति ह भारत। निर्वेदो नात्र कर्तव्यो द्वावन्यौ ह्या कारणम्॥

kurvato nārthasiddhirme bhavatīti ha bhārata| nirvedo nātra kartavyo dvāvanyau hyā kāraṇam||

O descendant of Bharata, no one should despair saying, “I am working still I do not succeed," for besides exertion there are two other ause for success.

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

MBh 2 32.48

सिद्धिर्वाप्यथवासिद्धिरप्रवृत्तिरतोऽन्यथा। बहूनां समवाये हि भावानां कर्म सिद्ध्यति॥

siddhirvāpyathavāsiddhirapravṛttirato'nyathā| bahūnāṃ samavāye hi bhāvānāṃ karma siddhyati||

Success or failure, no one should despair, for success in action depends upon the union of many circumstances.

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

MBh 2 32.49

गुणाभावे फलं न्यूनं भवत्यफलमेव च। अनारम्भे हि न फलं न गुणो दृश्यते क्वचित्॥

guṇābhāve phalaṃ nyūnaṃ bhavatyaphalameva ca| anārambhe hi na phalaṃ na guṇo dṛśyate kvacit||

One element wanting proportionate success does not come or nothing at all; if however no exertion is made no success is acquired, nor any quality is seen.

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

MBh 2 32.50

देशकालावुपायांश्च मङ्गलं स्वस्तिवृद्धये। युनक्ति मेधयाधीरो यथाशक्ति यथाबलम्॥

deśakālāvupāyāṃśca maṅgalaṃ svastivṛddhaye| yunakti medhayādhīro yathāśakti yathābalam||

The man is by his intelligence and according to his might and power, brings place, time, means and auspicious rites for the acquisition of prosperity.

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

MBh 2 32.51

अप्रमत्तेन तत् कार्यमुपदेष्टा पराक्रमः। भूयिष्ठं कर्मयोगेषु दृष्ट एव पराक्रमः॥

apramattena tat kāryamupadeṣṭā parākramaḥ| bhūyiṣṭhaṃ karmayogeṣu dṛṣṭa eva parākramaḥ||

One should assiduously engage in action, his guide being his prowess; among the qualities necessary for action energy is the foremost.

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

MBh 2 32.52

यत्रधीमानवेक्षेत श्रेयांसं बहुभिर्गुणैः। साम्नैवार्थं ततो लिप्सेत् कर्म चास्मै प्रयोजयेत्॥

yatradhīmānavekṣeta śreyāṃsaṃ bahubhirguṇaiḥ| sāmnaivārthaṃ tato lipset karma cāsmai prayojayet||

If an intelligent man finds his enemy superior to him in many qualities he should accomplish his object by the arts of conciliation and proper appliances.

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

MBh 2 32.53

व्यसनं वास्य काक्षेत विवासं वा युधिष्ठिर। अपि सिन्धोगिरेर्वापि किं पुनर्मर्त्यधर्मिणः॥

vyasanaṃ vāsya kākṣeta vivāsaṃ vā yudhiṣṭhira| api sindhogirervāpi kiṃ punarmartyadharmiṇaḥ||

O Yudhishthira, he should wish for the calamity and banishment (of his foe), what of mortal men, even he be an ocean or a mountain.

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

MBh 2 32.54

उत्थानयुक्तः सततं परेषामन्तरैषौ। आनृण्यमाप्नोति नरः परस्यात्मन एव च॥

utthānayuktaḥ satataṃ pareṣāmantaraiṣau| ānṛṇyamāpnoti naraḥ parasyātmana eva ca||

A person, by actively praying into the holes of his enemy, satisfies a debt to himself as well as to his enemies.

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

MBh 2 32.55

न त्वेवात्मावमन्तव्यः पुरुषेण कदाचन। न ह्यात्मपरिभूतस्य भूतिर्भवति शोभना॥

na tvevātmāvamantavyaḥ puruṣeṇa kadācana| na hyātmaparibhūtasya bhūtirbhavati śobhanā||

A man should never think ill of himself; whoever thinks ill of himself never earnis splendid prosperity.

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

MBh 2 32.56

एवंसंस्थितिका सिद्धिरियं लोकस्य भारत। तत्र सिद्धिर्गतिः प्रोक्ता कालावस्थाविभागतः॥

evaṃsaṃsthitikā siddhiriyaṃ lokasya bhārata| tatra siddhirgatiḥ proktā kālāvasthāvibhāgataḥ||

O descendant of Bharata, the success of persons is thus situated; it is said that the course of success depends upon time and situation.

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

MBh 2 32.57

ब्राह्मणं मे पिता पूर्वं वासयामास पण्डितम्। सोऽपि सर्वामिमां प्राह पित्रे मे भरतर्षभ॥ नीति बृहस्पतिप्रोक्ता भ्रातृन् मेऽचाहयत् पुरा। तेषां सकाशादौषमहमेतां तदा गृहे॥

brāhmaṇaṃ me pitā pūrvaṃ vāsayāmāsa paṇḍitam| so'pi sarvāmimāṃ prāha pitre me bharatarṣabha|| nīti bṛhaspatiproktā bhrātṛn me'cāhayat purā| teṣāṃ sakāśādauṣamahametāṃ tadā gṛhe||

In the days of yore my father housed a learned Brahmana; he said all this to my father, O foremost of Bharatas. My brothers, formerly accept from Brihaspati inoral precepts and then in our house I heard all this from them.

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

MBh 2 32.58

स मां राजन् कर्मवतीमागतामाह सान्त्वयन्। शुश्रूषमाणामासीनां पितुरङ्के युधिष्ठिर॥

sa māṃ rājan karmavatīmāgatāmāha sāntvayan| śuśrūṣamāṇāmāsīnāṃ pituraṅke yudhiṣṭhira||

O king, O Yudhishthira, he said this to me, consoling, who had approached my father for some work and who for serving was seated on my father's lap.

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