Mahabharata — Volume VII (Dutt edition) — Chapter 10
MBh 7 10.1
भीम उवाच श्रोत्रियस्येव ते राजन् मन्दकस्याविपश्चितः। अनुवाकहता बुद्धि:षा तत्त्वार्थदर्शिनी॥
bhīma uvāca śrotriyasyeva te rājan mandakasyāvipaścitaḥ| anuvākahatā buddhi:ṣā tattvārthadarśinī||
Bhimasena said-Your understanding, O king, cannot perceive the truth, like that of a foolish and unintelligent reciter of the Veda for his recitation of those scriptures.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 10.2
आलस्ये कृतचित्तस्य राजधर्मानसूयतः। विनाशे धार्तराष्ट्राणां किं फलं भरतर्षभ॥
ālasye kṛtacittasya rājadharmānasūyataḥ| vināśe dhārtarāṣṭrāṇāṃ kiṃ phalaṃ bharatarṣabha||
If censuring the duties of kings you would lead an idle life, then, O foremost of Bharata's race, this destruction of the Dhartarashtras was perfectly useless.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 10.3
क्षमानुकम्पा कारुण्यमानृशंस्यं न विद्यते। क्षात्रमाचरतो मार्गमपि बन्धोस्त्वदन्तरे॥
kṣamānukampā kāruṇyamānṛśaṃsyaṃ na vidyate| kṣātramācarato mārgamapi bandhostvadantare||
Does not a Kshatriya possess forgiveness and compassion and pity and abstention from injury?
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 10.4
यदीमां भवतो बुद्धिं विद्याम वयमीदृशीम्। शस्त्रं नैव ग्रहीष्यामो न वधिष्याम कंचन॥
yadīmāṃ bhavato buddhiṃ vidyāma vayamīdṛśīm| śastraṃ naiva grahīṣyāmo na vadhiṣyāma kaṃcana||
If we knew that this was your intention, we would then have never taken up arms and killed a single creature.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 10.5
भैक्ष्यमेवाचरिष्याम शरीरस्याविमोक्षणात्। न चेदं दारुणं युद्धमभविष्यन्महीक्षिताम्॥
bhaikṣyamevācariṣyāma śarīrasyāvimokṣaṇāt| na cedaṃ dāruṇaṃ yuddhamabhaviṣyanmahīkṣitām||
We would then have lived by begging till the destruction of this body! This dreadful battle between the kings would also have never taken place!
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 10.6
प्राणस्यान्नमिदं सर्वमिति वै कवयो विदुः। स्थावरं जङ्गमं चैव सर्वं प्राणस्य भोजनम्॥
prāṇasyānnamidaṃ sarvamiti vai kavayo viduḥ| sthāvaraṃ jaṅgamaṃ caiva sarvaṃ prāṇasya bhojanam||
The learned have declared that what we see is food for the strong. This mobile and immobile world is worthy of being enjoyed by the strong.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 10.7
आददानस्य चेद् राज्यं ये केचित् परिपन्थिनः। हन्तव्यास्त इति प्राज्ञाः क्षत्रधर्मविदो विदुः॥
ādadānasya ced rājyaṃ ye kecit paripanthinaḥ| hantavyāsta iti prājñāḥ kṣatradharmavido viduḥ||
Wise men conversant with Kshatriya duties have said that they who stand in the way of the person taking the sovereignty of the Earth, should be killed.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 10.8
ते सदोषा हतास्माभी राज्यस्य परिपन्थिनः। तान् हत्वा भुड्क्ष्वधर्मेण युधिष्ठिर महीमिमाम्॥
te sadoṣā hatāsmābhī rājyasya paripanthinaḥ| tān hatvā bhuḍkṣvadharmeṇa yudhiṣṭhira mahīmimām||
Committing the same fault, those that stood as enemies of our kingdom have all been killed by us. Having killed then, O Yudhishthira, righteously govern this Earth!
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 10.9
यथा हि पुरुषः खात्वा कूपमप्राप्य चोदकम्। पङ्कदिग्धो निवर्तेत कर्मेदं नस्तथोपमम्॥
yathā hi puruṣaḥ khātvā kūpamaprāpya codakam| paṅkadigdho nivarteta karmedaṃ nastathopamam||
This act of our refusing the kingdom is like that of a person who having dug a well stops in his work before obtaining water and comes up covered with mire.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 10.10
यथाऽऽरुह्य महावृक्षमपहृत्य ततो मधु। अप्राश्य निधनं गच्छेत् कर्मेदं नस्तथोपमम्॥
yathā''ruhya mahāvṛkṣamapahṛtya tato madhu| aprāśya nidhanaṃ gacchet karmedaṃ nastathopamam||
Or, this our act is like that of a person who having climbed up a tall tree and collected honey therefrom dies before tasting it.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 10.11
यथा महान्तमध्वानमाशया पुरुषः पतन्। स निराशो निवर्तेत कर्मतन्नस्तथोपमम्॥
yathā mahāntamadhvānamāśayā puruṣaḥ patan| sa nirāśo nivarteta karmatannastathopamam||
Or, it is like that of a person who having set out on a long journey comes back in despair without having reached his goal.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 10.12
यथा शत्रून् घातयित्वा पुरुषः कुरुनन्दन। आत्मानं घातयेत् पश्चात् कर्मेदं नस्तथोपमम्॥
yathā śatrūn ghātayitvā puruṣaḥ kurunandana| ātmānaṃ ghātayet paścāt karmedaṃ nastathopamam||
Or, it is like that of a person who having killed all his enemies, O you of Kuru's race, at last dies at his own hand.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 10.13
यथान्नं क्षुधितो लब्ध्वा न भुञ्जीयाद् यदृच्छया। कामीव कामिनी लब्ध्वा कर्मेदं नस्तथोपमम्॥
yathānnaṃ kṣudhito labdhvā na bhuñjīyād yadṛcchayā| kāmīva kāminī labdhvā karmedaṃ nastathopamam||
Or, it is like that of a person with hunger, who having obtained food, refuses to take it, or of a person under the influence of passion, who having obtained a woman reciprocating his desire refuses to know her.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 10.14
वयमेवात्र गर्वा हि यद् वयं मन्दचेतसम्। त्वां राजन्ननुगच्छामो ज्येष्ठोऽयमिति भारत॥
vayamevātra garvā hi yad vayaṃ mandacetasam| tvāṃ rājannanugacchāmo jyeṣṭho'yamiti bhārata||
We have become butts of censure, O Bharata, because, O king, we follow you who are of weak understanding, in consequence of yourself being our eldest brother!
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 10.15
वयं हि बाहुबलिनः कृतविद्या मनस्विनः। क्लीबस्य वाक्ये तिष्ठामो यथैवाशक्तयस्तथा॥
vayaṃ hi bāhubalinaḥ kṛtavidyā manasvinaḥ| klībasya vākye tiṣṭhāmo yathaivāśaktayastathā||
We are endued with the might of arms; we are accomplished in knowledge and gifted with great energy. Yet we follow the words of a eunuch as if we were entirely helpless!
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 10.16
अगतीकगतीनस्मान् नष्टार्थानर्थसिद्धये। कथं वै नानुपश्येयुर्जना: पश्यत यादृशम्॥
agatīkagatīnasmān naṣṭārthānarthasiddhaye| kathaṃ vai nānupaśyeyurjanā: paśyata yādṛśam||
We are the refuge of all helpless persons. Yet, when people see us so, why would they not say that we are entirely powerless to acquire our objects? Think of what I say!
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 10.17
आपत्काले हि संन्यासः कर्तव्य इति शिष्यते। जरयाभिपरीतेन शत्रुभियंसितेन वा॥
āpatkāle hi saṃnyāsaḥ kartavya iti śiṣyate| jarayābhiparītena śatrubhiyaṃsitena vā||
It has been laid down that (a life of) Renunciation should be adopted, only in times of difficulty, by kings attacked with decrepitude or defeated by, enemies!
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 10.18
तस्मादिह कृतप्रज्ञास्त्यागं न परिचक्षते। धर्मव्यतिक्रमं चैव मन्यन्ते सूक्ष्मदर्शिनः॥
tasmādiha kṛtaprajñāstyāgaṃ na paricakṣate| dharmavyatikramaṃ caiva manyante sūkṣmadarśinaḥ||
Wise men, therefore, do not praise Renunciation as the duty of a Kshatriya. On the other hand, the clear-sighted think that the adoption of such a life (by a Kshatriya) involves even the loss of virtue.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 10.19
कथं तस्मात् समुत्पन्नास्तनिष्ठास्तदुपाश्रयाः। तदेव निन्दा भाषेयुर्धाता तत्र न गर्यते॥
kathaṃ tasmāt samutpannāstaniṣṭhāstadupāśrayāḥ| tadeva nindā bhāṣeyurdhātā tatra na garyate||
How can those who are born in that order, who follow the practices of that order, and that have their refuse in them, censure those duties? If indeed those duties be censurable, then why should not the Supreme Ordainer be blamed?
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 10.20
श्रिया विहीनैरधनैर्नास्तिकैः सम्प्रवर्तितम्। वेदवादस्य विज्ञानं सत्याभासमिवानृतम्॥
śriyā vihīnairadhanairnāstikaiḥ sampravartitam| vedavādasya vijñānaṃ satyābhāsamivānṛtam||
The persons who are shorn of prosperity and wealth and who are unbelievers, have laid down this precept of the Vedas as the truth. In reality, however, it is never, proper for a Kshatriya to do so.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 10.21
शक्यं तु मौनमास्थाय बिभ्रताऽऽत्मानमात्मना। धर्मच्छद्म समास्थाय च्यवितुं न तु जीवितुम्॥
śakyaṃ tu maunamāsthāya bibhratā''tmānamātmanā| dharmacchadma samāsthāya cyavituṃ na tu jīvitum||
He who can support life by prowess, he who can support himself by his own exertions, does note live, but really deviates from his duty, by following the life of Renunciation.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 10.22
शक्यं पुनररण्येषु सुखमेकेन जीवितुम्। अबिभ्रता पुत्रपौत्रान् देवर्षीनतिथीन् पितॄन्।॥
śakyaṃ punararaṇyeṣu sukhamekena jīvitum| abibhratā putrapautrān devarṣīnatithīn pitṝn|||
That man only is capable of leading a solitary life of happiness in the forest who cannot support sons and grandsons and the deities and Rishis and guests and Pitris.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 10.23
नेमे मृगाः स्वर्गजितो न वराहा न पक्षिणः। अथान्येन प्रकारेण पुण्यमाहुर्न तं जनाः॥
neme mṛgāḥ svargajito na varāhā na pakṣiṇaḥ| athānyena prakāreṇa puṇyamāhurna taṃ janāḥ||
As the deer and boars and birds cannot attain to heaven, even so those Kshatriyas who are not shorn of prowess cannot attain to heaven by leading only a forest life. They should acquire religious merit by other means.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 10.24
यदि संन्यासत: सिद्धिं राजा कश्चिदवाप्नुयात्। पर्वताश्च दुमाश्चैव क्षिप्रं सिद्धिमवाप्नुयुः॥
yadi saṃnyāsata: siddhiṃ rājā kaścidavāpnuyāt| parvatāśca dumāścaiva kṣipraṃ siddhimavāpnuyuḥ||
If, O king, anybody could secure success from Renunciation, then mountains and trees would surely obtain it.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 10.25
एते हि नित्यसंन्यासा दृश्यन्ते निरुपद्रवाः। अपरिग्रहवन्तश्च सततं ब्रह्मचारिणः॥
ete hi nityasaṃnyāsā dṛśyante nirupadravāḥ| aparigrahavantaśca satataṃ brahmacāriṇaḥ||
These latter always lead lives of Renunciation. They do not harın any one. They do not lead a life of worldliness and are all Brahmacharins.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 10.26
अथ चेदात्मभाग्येषु नान्येषां सिद्धिमश्नुते। तस्मात् कर्मैव कर्तव्यं नास्ति सिद्धिरकर्मणः॥
atha cedātmabhāgyeṣu nānyeṣāṃ siddhimaśnute| tasmāt karmaiva kartavyaṃ nāsti siddhirakarmaṇaḥ||
If it be the truth that a person's success depends upon his own torture in life and not upon that of others, then you should take to action. He that is shorn of action can never attain success.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 10.27
औदकाः सृष्टयश्चैव जन्तवः सिद्धिमाप्नुयुः। तेषामात्मैव भर्तव्यो नान्यः कश्चन विद्यते॥
audakāḥ sṛṣṭayaścaiva jantavaḥ siddhimāpnuyuḥ| teṣāmātmaiva bhartavyo nānyaḥ kaścana vidyate||
If they who fill only their own stomachs could achieve success, then all aquatic creatures would get it, for these have none else to support save their own selves.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 10.28
अवेक्षस्व यथा स्वैः स्वैः कर्मभिर्व्यापृतं जगत्। तस्मात् कर्मव कर्तव्यं नास्ति सिद्धिरकर्मणः॥
avekṣasva yathā svaiḥ svaiḥ karmabhirvyāpṛtaṃ jagat| tasmāt karmava kartavyaṃ nāsti siddhirakarmaṇaḥ||
Behold, the world moves on, with every creature on it acting according to its nature, therefore, one should act. The man shorn of action can never attain success.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 10.29
औदकाः सृष्टयश्चैव जन्तवः सिद्धिमाप्नुयुः। तेषामात्मैव भर्तव्यो नान्यः कश्चन विद्यते॥
audakāḥ sṛṣṭayaścaiva jantavaḥ siddhimāpnuyuḥ| teṣāmātmaiva bhartavyo nānyaḥ kaścana vidyate||
If they who fill only their own stomachs could achieve success, then all aquatic creatures would get it, for these have none else to support save their own selves.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 10.30
अवेक्षस्व यथा स्वैः स्वैः कर्मभिर्व्यापृतं जगत्। तस्मात् कर्मव कर्तव्यं नास्ति सिद्धिरकर्मणः॥
avekṣasva yathā svaiḥ svaiḥ karmabhirvyāpṛtaṃ jagat| tasmāt karmava kartavyaṃ nāsti siddhirakarmaṇaḥ||
Behold, the world moves on, with every creature on it acting according to its nature, therefore, one should act. The man shorn of action can never attain success.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)