Mahabharata — Volume III (Dutt edition) — Chapter 99

MBh 3 99.1

संजय उवाच धर्मनित्या पाण्डव ते विचेष्टा लोके श्रुता दृश्यते चापि पार्थ। महाश्रावं जीवितं चाप्यनित्यं सम्पश्यत्वं पाण्डव मा व्यनीनशः॥

saṃjaya uvāca dharmanityā pāṇḍava te viceṣṭā loke śrutā dṛśyate cāpi pārtha| mahāśrāvaṃ jīvitaṃ cāpyanityaṃ sampaśyatvaṃ pāṇḍava mā vyanīnaśaḥ||

Sanjaya said That you are attached to virtue, O Pandava, is known in this word and I see also that it is so, O son of Pritha. The life that is full of great deeds, also is unstable; considering this, you should not destroy (the Kurus).

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

MBh 3 99.2

न चेद् भागं कुरवोऽन्यत्र युद्धात् प्रयच्छेरंस्तुभ्यमजातशत्रो। भैक्षचर्यामन्धकवृष्णिराज्ये श्रेयो मन्ये न तु युद्धेन राज्यम्॥

na ced bhāgaṃ kuravo'nyatra yuddhāt prayaccheraṃstubhyamajātaśatro| bhaikṣacaryāmandhakavṛṣṇirājye śreyo manye na tu yuddhena rājyam||

If the sons of Kuru do not give back to you your share without war, O you who have created no enemies; but I consider that living as a beggar in the kingdoms of Andhaka and Vrishni is better than a kingdom (attained) by means of war.

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

MBh 3 99.3

अल्पकालं जीवितं यन्मनुष्ये महास्रावं नित्यदुःखं चलं च। भूयश्च तद् यशसो नानुरूपं तस्मात् पापं पाण्डव मा कृथास्त्वम्॥

alpakālaṃ jīvitaṃ yanmanuṣye mahāsrāvaṃ nityaduḥkhaṃ calaṃ ca| bhūyaśca tad yaśaso nānurūpaṃ tasmāt pāpaṃ pāṇḍava mā kṛthāstvam||

Şince a man's life lasts but for a short time and is ever subject to sufferings and is unstable and since again it is not comparable to fame, therefore should you not do, O son of Pandu, a sinful art.

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

MBh 3 99.4

कामा मनुष्यं प्रसजन्त एते धर्मस्य ये विघ्नमूलं नरेन्द्र। पूर्वं नरस्तान् मतिमान् प्रणिघल्लोके प्रशंसां लभतेऽनवद्याम्॥

kāmā manuṣyaṃ prasajanta ete dharmasya ye vighnamūlaṃ narendra| pūrvaṃ narastān matimān praṇighalloke praśaṃsāṃ labhate'navadyām||

Desires adhere to a man and they are the source of all impediments to virtue, O king of men. A wise man, having killed them beforehand, gained unspeakable praise in the world.

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

MBh 3 99.5

निबन्धनी ह्यर्थतृष्णेह पार्थ तामिच्छता बाध्यते धर्म एव। धर्मं तु यः प्रवृणीते स बुद्धः कामे गृध्नो हीयतेऽर्थानुरोधात्॥

nibandhanī hyarthatṛṣṇeha pārtha tāmicchatā bādhyate dharma eva| dharmaṃ tu yaḥ pravṛṇīte sa buddhaḥ kāme gṛdhno hīyate'rthānurodhāt||

Thirst for wealth is a bond in this world, O son of Pritha. Those, who desire it, go against virtue as it were. He who chooses virtue is wise. The man, who desires pleasure, becomes degraded for the sake of pleasure.

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

MBh 3 99.6

धर्म कृत्वा कर्मणां तात मुख्यं महाप्रतापः सवितेव भाति। हीनो हि धर्मेण महीमपीमां लब्ध्वा नरः सीदति पापबुद्धिः॥

dharma kṛtvā karmaṇāṃ tāta mukhyaṃ mahāpratāpaḥ saviteva bhāti| hīno hi dharmeṇa mahīmapīmāṃ labdhvā naraḥ sīdati pāpabuddhiḥ||

A man, who makes virtue his prime duty, gains great fame and shines like the sun, and the man, of vicious intellect, devoid of virtue, is ruined even if he obtains the earth.

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

MBh 3 99.7

वेदोऽधीतश्चरितं ब्रह्मचर्य यज्ञैरिष्टं ब्राह्मणेभ्यश्च दत्तम्। परं स्थानं मन्यमानेन भूय आत्मा दत्तो वर्षपूगं सुखेभ्यः॥

vedo'dhītaścaritaṃ brahmacarya yajñairiṣṭaṃ brāhmaṇebhyaśca dattam| paraṃ sthānaṃ manyamānena bhūya ātmā datto varṣapūgaṃ sukhebhyaḥ||

The Vedas have been read by you; the hard austerities of Brahmacharya have been practised by you and in sacrificial ceremonies the desires of Brahmanas have been fulfilled by you and with the other world before your mind, your soul has been devoted to happiness for a series of years.

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

MBh 3 99.8

सुखप्रिये सेवमानोऽतिवेलं योगाभ्यासे यो न करोति कर्म। वित्तक्षये हीनसुखोऽतिवेलं दुःखं शेते कामवेगप्रणुन्नः॥

sukhapriye sevamāno'tivelaṃ yogābhyāse yo na karoti karma| vittakṣaye hīnasukho'tivelaṃ duḥkhaṃ śete kāmavegapraṇunnaḥ||

He, who having having devoted himself excessively to pleasures, does not to any deed leading to religious meditation, becomes extremely devoid of happiness after his wealth is gone and remains liable to be led by the force of his desires.

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

MBh 3 99.9

एवं पुनर्ब्रह्मचर्याप्रसक्तो हित्वा धर्मं यः प्रकरोत्यधर्मम्। अश्रद्दधत् परलोकाय मूढो हित्वा देहं तप्यते प्रेत्य मन्दः॥

evaṃ punarbrahmacaryāprasakto hitvā dharmaṃ yaḥ prakarotyadharmam| aśraddadhat paralokāya mūḍho hitvā dehaṃ tapyate pretya mandaḥ||

In the same way, the fool, who despising virtue and without practicing religious meditation, gives himself up to vice, shows no regard (for the Supreme Being). The soul, after leaving the body and reaching the other world, comes to grief.

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

MBh 3 99.10

न कर्मणा विप्रणाशोऽस्त्यमुत्र पुण्यानां वाप्यथवा पापकानाम्। पूर्वं कर्तुर्गच्छति पुण्यपापं पश्चात् त्वेनमनुयात्येव कर्ता॥

na karmaṇā vipraṇāśo'styamutra puṇyānāṃ vāpyathavā pāpakānām| pūrvaṃ karturgacchati puṇyapāpaṃ paścāt tvenamanuyātyeva kartā||

Here (i.e. in the other world) there is no absolute annihilation for either virtuous or for vicious deeds. The good and evil deeds go before and the agent only follows them.

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

MBh 3 99.11

न्यायोपेतं ब्राह्मणेभ्योऽथ दत्तं श्रद्धापूतं गन्धरसोपपन्नम्। अन्वाहार्येषूत्तमदक्षिणेषु तथारूपं कर्म विख्यायते ते॥

nyāyopetaṃ brāhmaṇebhyo'tha dattaṃ śraddhāpūtaṃ gandharasopapannam| anvāhāryeṣūttamadakṣiṇeṣu tathārūpaṃ karma vikhyāyate te||

Your deeds are famous, as the offerings of savory and delicious victuals, rendered holy with the respect (with which they are offered), made to Brahmanas accompanied by gifts with perfect propriety, on the occasion of religious ceremonies.

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

MBh 3 99.12

इह क्षेत्रे क्रियते पार्थ कार्य न वै किञ्चित् क्रियते प्रेत्य कार्यम्। कृतं त्वया पारलौक्यं च कर्म पुण्यं महत् सद्भिरतिप्रशस्तम्॥

iha kṣetre kriyate pārtha kārya na vai kiñcit kriyate pretya kāryam| kṛtaṃ tvayā pāralaukyaṃ ca karma puṇyaṃ mahat sadbhiratipraśastam||

During this life deeds are done, O son of Pritha and after death, no act whatever is done. And virtuous deeds that are valuable in the next world and so be-lauded by the great and the honest, have been done by you.

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

MBh 3 99.13

जहाति मृत्युं च जरां भयं च न क्षुत्पिपासे मनसोऽप्रियाणि। दन्यत्र वै चेन्द्रियप्रीणनाद्धि॥

jahāti mṛtyuṃ ca jarāṃ bhayaṃ ca na kṣutpipāse manaso'priyāṇi| danyatra vai cendriyaprīṇanāddhi||

Death does away with decrepitude, fear, as also hunger and thirst and all that is disagreeable to the mind. There is no duty there but delighting in one's senses.

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

MBh 3 99.14

एवंरूपं कर्मफलं नरेन्द्र मात्रावहं हृदयस्य प्रियेण। स क्रोधज पाण्डव हर्षजं च लोकावुभौ मा प्रहासीश्चिराय॥

evaṃrūpaṃ karmaphalaṃ narendra mātrāvahaṃ hṛdayasya priyeṇa| sa krodhaja pāṇḍava harṣajaṃ ca lokāvubhau mā prahāsīścirāya||

Such is the fruit of our deeds, O king of men; therefore do not, in this world, carry the load of doing what is pleasing to the heart, O son of Pandu, do not (by your action) go forever either to the region that is full of causes begetting wrath (hell) or to the one that abounds with causes begetting delight.

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

MBh 3 99.15

अन्तं गत्वा कर्मणां मा प्रजह्याः सत्यं दमं चार्जवमानृशंस्यम्। अश्वमेधं राजसूयं तथज्याः पापस्यान्तं कर्मणो मा पुनर्गाः॥

antaṃ gatvā karmaṇāṃ mā prajahyāḥ satyaṃ damaṃ cārjavamānṛśaṃsyam| aśvamedhaṃ rājasūyaṃ tathajyāḥ pāpasyāntaṃ karmaṇo mā punargāḥ||

Having got to the end of your deeds, do not however, put truth, self-conduct, candour and humility. You may perform the Ashvamedha and Rajasuya sacrifices, but do not come again near the limits of sinful acts.

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

MBh 3 99.16

तच्चेदेवं द्वेषरूपेण पार्थाः करिष्यध्वं कर्म पापं चिराय। निवसध्वं वर्षपूगान् वनेषु दुःखं वासं पाण्डवा धर्म एव॥

taccedevaṃ dveṣarūpeṇa pārthāḥ kariṣyadhvaṃ karma pāpaṃ cirāya| nivasadhvaṃ varṣapūgān vaneṣu duḥkhaṃ vāsaṃ pāṇḍavā dharma eva||

If now, actuated by malice, you sons of Pritha, do vicious deeds, you have, in vain, for a series of years, resided in forests undergoing all sorts of troubles like virtue itself.

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

MBh 3 99.17

दात्माधीनं यद् बलं ह्येतदासीत्। नित्यं च वश्याः सचिवास्तवेमे जनार्दनो युयुधानश्च वीरः॥

dātmādhīnaṃ yad balaṃ hyetadāsīt| nityaṃ ca vaśyāḥ sacivāstaveme janārdano yuyudhānaśca vīraḥ||

In vain did you also roam about in the forests, parting with this army, which was formerly subject to your control and also (parting with) these followers of yours, namely Janardana and the hero Yuyudhana.

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

MBh 3 99.18

मत्स्यो राजा रुक्मरथः सपुत्रः प्रहारिभिः सह पुत्रैविराटः। राजानश्च ये विजिताः पुरस्तात् त्वामेव ते संश्रयेयुः समस्ताः॥

matsyo rājā rukmarathaḥ saputraḥ prahāribhiḥ saha putraivirāṭaḥ| rājānaśca ye vijitāḥ purastāt tvāmeva te saṃśrayeyuḥ samastāḥ||

And also (your followers) the king of the Matsya, Virata of the golden car with his son at the head of his shoulders. And the kings who were formerly vanquished by you, all have come over to your side.

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

MBh 3 99.19

महासहायः प्रतपन् बलस्थः पुरस्कृतो वासुदेवार्जुनाभ्याम्। वरान् हनिष्यन् द्विपतो रङ्गमध्ये व्यनेष्यथा धार्तराष्ट्रस्य दर्पम्॥

mahāsahāyaḥ pratapan balasthaḥ puraskṛto vāsudevārjunābhyām| varān haniṣyan dvipato raṅgamadhye vyaneṣyathā dhārtarāṣṭrasya darpam||

With all these great resources, with great fame (which then attached to your name) and possessing an army at the head of which were the son of Vasudeva and Arjuna, you might after having slain the most valorous among your despisers in the field of battle, have destroyed the pride of the sons of Dhritarashtra.

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

MBh 3 99.20

बलं कस्माद् वर्धयित्वा परस्य निजान् कस्मात् कर्शयित्वा सहायान्। निरुष्य कस्माद् वर्षपूगान् वनेषु युयुत्ससे पाण्डव हीनकालम्॥

balaṃ kasmād vardhayitvā parasya nijān kasmāt karśayitvā sahāyān| niruṣya kasmād varṣapūgān vaneṣu yuyutsase pāṇḍava hīnakālam||

Why after having increased the strength of your enemy and after weakening your own friends and after having lived in exile in the forest for a series of years, are you now desirous of fighting, O son of Pandu, after the proper time.

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

MBh 3 99.21

ऽधर्मज्ञो वा भूतिमथोऽभ्युपैति। प्रज्ञावान् वा बुध्यमानोऽपि धर्म संस्तम्भाद् वा सोऽपि भूतेरपैति॥

'dharmajño vā bhūtimatho'bhyupaiti| prajñāvān vā budhyamāno'pi dharma saṃstambhād vā so'pi bhūterapaiti||

An unwise man, O son of Pandu or one that does not know virtue, may obtain prosperity by fighting or a wise man and virtuous, may lose his prosperity by not fighting.

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

MBh 3 99.22

न संरम्भात् कर्म चकर्थ पापम्। आत्थ किं तत् कारणं यस्य हेतोः प्रज्ञाविरुद्ध कर्म चिकीर्षसीदम्॥

na saṃrambhāt karma cakartha pāpam| āttha kiṃ tat kāraṇaṃ yasya hetoḥ prajñāviruddha karma cikīrṣasīdam||

Your instinct does not urge you to an unrighteous act, O son of Pritha and never did you, out of wrath, do a sinful act. Tell me, therefore, what the reason is which makes you desirous of doing this sinful act, which is against the dictates wisdom.

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

MBh 3 99.23

अव्याधिजं कटुकं शीर्षरोगि यशोमुषं पापफलोदयं वा। सतां पेयं यनन पिबन्त्यसन्तो मन्युं महाराज पिब प्रशाम्य॥

avyādhijaṃ kaṭukaṃ śīrṣarogi yaśomuṣaṃ pāpaphalodayaṃ vā| satāṃ peyaṃ yanana pibantyasanto manyuṃ mahārāja piba praśāmya||

Wrath is a bitter remedy for evils, it causes malady in the head, destroys fame and is a source of sinful acts. It ought to be controlled by a good man and those that do not control it are bad men. O great king, control your wrath. Incline to peace.

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

MBh 3 99.24

पापानुबन्धं को नु तं कामयेत क्षमैव ते ज्यासी नोत भोगाः। यत्र भीष्मः शान्तनवो हतः स्याद् यत्र द्रोणः सहपुत्रो हतः स्यात्॥

pāpānubandhaṃ ko nu taṃ kāmayeta kṣamaiva te jyāsī nota bhogāḥ| yatra bhīṣmaḥ śāntanavo hataḥ syād yatra droṇaḥ sahaputro hataḥ syāt||

Who would desire wrath which leads to sin. Forbearance is good for you, not enjoyments where Bhishma and the son of Shantanu will be killed and Drona with his son slain.

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

MBh 3 99.25

कृपः शल्यः सौमदत्तिर्विको विविंशतिः कर्णदुर्योधनौ च। एतान् हत्वा कीदृशं तत् सुखं स्याद् यद् विन्देथास्तदनु ब्रूहि पार्थ॥

kṛpaḥ śalyaḥ saumadattirviko viviṃśatiḥ karṇaduryodhanau ca| etān hatvā kīdṛśaṃ tat sukhaṃ syād yad vindethāstadanu brūhi pārtha||

Kripa, Shalya, the son of Somadatta, Vikarana, Vivingshati, Karna and Duryodhana-having killed all these, what sort of happiness is it that you will get after that, tell me, O son of Pritha.

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

MBh 3 99.26

लब्ध्वापीमां पृथिवीं सागरान्तां जरामृत्यू नैव हि त्वं प्रजह्याः। नेवं विद्वान् नैव युद्धं कुरु त्वम्॥

labdhvāpīmāṃ pṛthivīṃ sāgarāntāṃ jarāmṛtyū naiva hi tvaṃ prajahyāḥ| nevaṃ vidvān naiva yuddhaṃ kuru tvam||

Having gained even this earth bounded by the sea, you will not get rid of descripitude or death, desirable results or undesirable, happiness or misery. O king knowing this, do not wage war.

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

MBh 3 99.27

रेवं युक्तं कर्म चिकीर्षसि त्वम्। अपक्रामे: स्वं प्रदायैव तेषां मा गास्त्वं वै देवयानात् पथोऽद्य॥

revaṃ yuktaṃ karma cikīrṣasi tvam| apakrāme: svaṃ pradāyaiva teṣāṃ mā gāstvaṃ vai devayānāt patho'dya||

If you are desirous of doing this deed, attended with such results, simply because your advisers wish it, then abdicate everything to them and go away. You should not now forsake the path leading to the region of the gods.

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