Mahabharata — Volume VII (Dutt edition) — Chapter 108

MBh 7 108.1

युधिष्ठिर उवाच महानयं धर्मपथो बहुशाखश्च भारत। किंस्विदेवेह धर्माणामनुष्ठेयतमं मतम्॥

yudhiṣṭhira uvāca mahānayaṃ dharmapatho bahuśākhaśca bhārata| kiṃsvideveha dharmāṇāmanuṣṭheyatamaṃ matam||

Yudhishthira said The path of duty in long. It has also, O Bharata, many branches. What are those duties which you hold to be the best to practise.

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

MBh 7 108.2

किं कार्यं सर्वधर्माणां गरीयो भवतो मतम्। यथाहं परमं धर्ममिह च प्रेत्य चाप्नुयाम्॥

kiṃ kāryaṃ sarvadharmāṇāṃ garīyo bhavato matam| yathāhaṃ paramaṃ dharmamiha ca pretya cāpnuyām||

What are the most important duties in your view by the practice of which I may acquire the highest merit both in this world and in the next.

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

MBh 7 108.3

भीष्म उवाच मातापित्रोर्गुरूणां च पूजा बहुमता मम। इह युक्तो नरो लोकान् यशश्च महदश्नुते॥

bhīṣma uvāca mātāpitrorgurūṇāṃ ca pūjā bahumatā mama| iha yukto naro lokān yaśaśca mahadaśnute||

Bhishma said The adoration of mother, father, and preceptor is, I consider, the most important. The man, who satisfies that duty here, succeeds in winning great fame and many blessed regions.

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

MBh 7 108.4

यच्च तेऽभ्यनुजानीयुः कर्म तात सुपूजिताः। धर्माधर्मविरुद्धं वा तत् कर्तव्यं युधिष्ठिर॥

yacca te'bhyanujānīyuḥ karma tāta supūjitāḥ| dharmādharmaviruddhaṃ vā tat kartavyaṃ yudhiṣṭhira||

Adored by you, whatever they will command you, be it consistent with righteousness, or be it inconsistent with it, you should carry it out unhesitatingly, O Yudhishthira.

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

MBh 7 108.5

न च तैरभ्यनुज्ञातो धर्ममन्यं समाचरेत्। यं च तेऽभ्यनुजानीयुः स धर्म इति निश्चयः॥

na ca tairabhyanujñāto dharmamanyaṃ samācaret| yaṃ ca te'bhyanujānīyuḥ sa dharma iti niścayaḥ||

One should never do what they forbid. Forsooth, there command should always be done.

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

MBh 7 108.6

एत एव त्रयो लोका एत एवाश्रमास्त्रयः। एत एव त्रयो वेदा एत एव त्रयोऽग्नयः॥

eta eva trayo lokā eta evāśramāstrayaḥ| eta eva trayo vedā eta eva trayo'gnayaḥ||

They are the three worlds. They are the three modes of life. They are the three Vedas. They are the three sacred fires.

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

MBh 7 108.7

पिता वै गार्हपत्योऽग्निर्दक्षिणः स्मृतः। गुरुराहवनीयस्तु साग्नित्रेता गरीयसी॥ त्रिष्वप्रमाद्यन्नेतेषु त्रील्लोकांश्च विजेष्यसि।

pitā vai gārhapatyo'gnirdakṣiṇaḥ smṛtaḥ| gururāhavanīyastu sāgnitretā garīyasī|| triṣvapramādyanneteṣu trīllokāṃśca vijeṣyasi|

The father is said to be the Garhapatya fire; the mother, the Dakshina fire; and the preceptor is the fire upon which libations are poured. These three fires are, of course, the greatest. If you adore carefully these three fires, you will conquer the three worlds.

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

MBh 7 108.8

पितृवृत्त्या त्विमं लोकं मातृवृत्त्या तथा परम्॥ ब्रह्मलोकं गुरोर्वृत्त्या नियमेन तरिष्यसि।

pitṛvṛttyā tvimaṃ lokaṃ mātṛvṛttyā tathā param|| brahmalokaṃ gurorvṛttyā niyamena tariṣyasi|

By serving the father regularly one may cross this world. By serving the mother in the same way, one may enjoy blessed regions in the next. By serving the preceptor regularly, one may acquire the region of Brahma.

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

MBh 7 108.9

सम्यगेतेषु वर्तस्व त्रिषु लोकेषु भारत॥ यशः प्राप्स्यसि भद्रं ते धर्मं च सुमहत्फलम्।

samyageteṣu vartasva triṣu lokeṣu bhārata|| yaśaḥ prāpsyasi bhadraṃ te dharmaṃ ca sumahatphalam|

Properly treat these three, O Bharata, you will then acquire great fame in the three worlds, and be you blessed, great will be your merit and reward.

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

MBh 7 108.10

नैतानतिशयेज्जातु नात्यश्नीयान्न दूषयेत्॥ नित्यं परिचरेच्चैव तद् वै सुकृतमुत्तमम्।

naitānatiśayejjātu nātyaśnīyānna dūṣayet|| nityaṃ paricareccaiva tad vai sukṛtamuttamam|

Never transgress them in your deeds. Never eat before they eat, nor eat any thing that is better than what they eat. Never attribute any fault to them. One should always serve them humbly. That is an act of great merit.

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

MBh 7 108.11

कीर्तिं पुण्यं यशो लोकान् प्राप्स्यसे राजसत्तम॥ सर्वे तस्यादृता लोका यस्यैते त्रय आदृताः।

kīrtiṃ puṇyaṃ yaśo lokān prāpsyase rājasattama|| sarve tasyādṛtā lokā yasyaite traya ādṛtāḥ|

By acting thus, O best of kings, you may acquire fame, merit, honour, and blessed regions hereafter. He, who honours these three is honoured of all the worlds.

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

MBh 7 108.12

अनादृतास्तु यस्यैते सर्वास्तस्याफलाः क्रियाः॥ न चायं न परो लोकस्तस्य चैव परंतप।

anādṛtāstu yasyaite sarvāstasyāphalāḥ kriyāḥ|| na cāyaṃ na paro lokastasya caiva paraṃtapa|

He, however, who disregards these three, cannot acquire any merit from any of his acts. Such a man, O scorcher of foes, neither obtains this would nor the next.

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

MBh 7 108.13

अमानिता नित्यमेव यस्यैते गुरवस्त्रयः॥ न चास्मिन्नपरे लोके यशस्तस्य प्रकाशते। न चान्यदपि कल्याणं परत्र समुदाहृतम्॥

amānitā nityameva yasyaite guravastrayaḥ|| na cāsminnapare loke yaśastasya prakāśate| na cānyadapi kalyāṇaṃ paratra samudāhṛtam||

He, who always disregards these three elders never enjoys fame either in this world or in the next. Such a man never reaps any good in the next world.

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

MBh 7 108.14

तेभ्य एव हि यत् सर्वं कृत्वा च विसृजाम्यहम्। तदासीन्मे शतगुणं सहस्रगुणमेव च॥ तस्मान्मे सम्प्रकाशन्ते त्रयो लोका युधिष्ठिर।

tebhya eva hi yat sarvaṃ kṛtvā ca visṛjāmyaham| tadāsīnme śataguṇaṃ sahasraguṇameva ca|| tasmānme samprakāśante trayo lokā yudhiṣṭhira|

All that I have dedicated to the honour of those three has multiplied a hundred-fold or a thousand-fold. On account of that merit that even now, Yudhishthira, the three worlds are clearly visible to me.

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

MBh 7 108.15

दशैव तु सदाऽऽचार्यः श्रोत्रियानतिरिच्यते॥ दशाचार्यानुपाध्याय उपाध्यायान् पिता दश।

daśaiva tu sadā''cāryaḥ śrotriyānatiricyate|| daśācāryānupādhyāya upādhyāyān pitā daśa|

One Acharya is superior to ten Brahmanas learned in the Vedas. One Upadhyaya is again superior to ten Acharyas. The father, again, is superior to ten Upadhyayas.

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

MBh 7 108.16

पितॄन् दश तु मातैका सर्वा वा पृथिवीमपि॥ गुरुत्वेनाभिभवति नास्ति मातृसमो गुरुः।

pitṝn daśa tu mātaikā sarvā vā pṛthivīmapi|| gurutvenābhibhavati nāsti mātṛsamo guruḥ|

The mother, again, is superior to ten fathers, or, perhaps, the whole world, there is no one so much worthy of reverence as the mother.

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

MBh 7 108.17

गुरुर्गरीयान् पितृतो मातृतश्चेति मे मतिः॥ उभौ हि मातापितरौ जन्मन्येवोपयुज्यतः।

gururgarīyān pitṛto mātṛtaśceti me matiḥ|| ubhau hi mātāpitarau janmanyevopayujyataḥ|

In my view, however, the preceptor deserves greater respect then the father or even the mother. The father and the mother are the creators of one's being.

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

MBh 7 108.18

शरीरमेव सृजतः पिता माता च भारत॥ आचार्यशिष्टा या जातिः सा दिव्या साजरामरा।

śarīrameva sṛjataḥ pitā mātā ca bhārata|| ācāryaśiṣṭā yā jātiḥ sā divyā sājarāmarā|

The father and the mother, O Bharata, only create the body. The life, on the other hand, which one acquires from his preceptor, is divine. That life suffers no decays and is imimortal.

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

MBh 7 108.19

अवध्या हि सदा माता पिता चाप्यपकारिणौ॥ न संदुष्यति तत् कृत्वा न च ते दूषयन्ति तम्। धर्माय यतमानानां विदुर्देवा महर्षिभिः॥

avadhyā hi sadā mātā pitā cāpyapakāriṇau|| na saṃduṣyati tat kṛtvā na ca te dūṣayanti tam| dharmāya yatamānānāṃ vidurdevā maharṣibhiḥ||

The father and the inother, even if they offend you, should never be killed. By not punishing a father and a mother one does not commit sin. Indeed, such reverend persons, by escaping punishment do not stain the king. The gods and the Rishis do not withhold their favours from such persons who try to maintain even their sinful fathers reverently.

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

MBh 7 108.20

यश्चावृणोत्यवितथेन कर्मणा ऋतं ब्रुवन्ननृतं सम्प्रयच्छन्। तं वै मन्येत पितरं मातरं च तस्मै न दुह्येत् कृतमस्य जानन्।॥

yaścāvṛṇotyavitathena karmaṇā ṛtaṃ bruvannanṛtaṃ samprayacchan| taṃ vai manyeta pitaraṃ mātaraṃ ca tasmai na duhyet kṛtamasya jānan|||

He, who favours a person by giving him true instruction, by communicating the Vedas, and by giving immortal knowledge, should be honoured as parents. The disciple, out of gratitude for what the instructor has done, should never do what would injure the latter.

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

MBh 7 108.21

विद्यां श्रुत्वा ये गुरुं नाद्रियन्ते प्रत्यासन्ना मनसा कर्मणा वा। तेषां पापं भ्रूणहत्याविशिष्टं नान्यस्तेभ्यः पापकृदस्ति लोके। यथैव ते गुरुभिर्भावनीर्या स्तथा तेषां गुरवोऽभ्यर्चनीयाः॥

vidyāṃ śrutvā ye guruṃ nādriyante pratyāsannā manasā karmaṇā vā| teṣāṃ pāpaṃ bhrūṇahatyāviśiṣṭaṃ nānyastebhyaḥ pāpakṛdasti loke| yathaiva te gurubhirbhāvanīryā stathā teṣāṃ guravo'bhyarcanīyāḥ||

They, who do not honour their preceptors after receiving instruction from them by obeying them dutifully in thought and deed commit the sin of killing a foetus. There is no greater sinner in this world than this. Preceptors always treat their disciples with great affection. The latter should, therefore, reverse their preceptors duly.

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

MBh 7 108.22

तस्मात् पूजयतिव्याश्च संविभज्याश्च यत्नतः। गुरवोऽर्चयितव्याश्च पुराणं धर्मभिच्छता॥

tasmāt pūjayativyāśca saṃvibhajyāśca yatnataḥ| guravo'rcayitavyāśca purāṇaṃ dharmabhicchatā||

He, therefore, who wishes to acquire that high merit which has existed from days of yore, should adore his preceptors and carefully share with them every object of enjoyment.

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

MBh 7 108.23

येन प्रीणाति पितरं तेन प्रीतः प्रजापतिः। प्रीणाति मातरं येन पृथिवी तेन पूजिता॥

yena prīṇāti pitaraṃ tena prītaḥ prajāpatiḥ| prīṇāti mātaraṃ yena pṛthivī tena pūjitā||

Prajapati himself is pleased with him who pleases his father, He, who pleases his mother, pleases the Earth herself.

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

MBh 7 108.24

येन प्रीणात्युपाध्यायं तेन स्याद् ब्रह्म पूजितम्॥ मातृतः पितृतश्चैव तस्मात् पूज्यतमो गुरुः॥

yena prīṇātyupādhyāyaṃ tena syād brahma pūjitam|| mātṛtaḥ pitṛtaścaiva tasmāt pūjyatamo guruḥ||

He, who pleases his preceptor pleases Brahma. Therefore the preceptor deserves greater respect then enter the father or the mother.

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

MBh 7 108.25

ऋषयश्च हि देवाश्च प्रीयन्ते पितृभिः सह। पूज्यमानेषु गुरुषु तस्मात् पूज्यतमो गुरुः॥

ṛṣayaśca hi devāśca prīyante pitṛbhiḥ saha| pūjyamāneṣu guruṣu tasmāt pūjyatamo guruḥ||

If preceptors are adored the very Rishis, and the gods, together the Pitris, are all pleased. Therefore, the preceptor deserves the highest respect.

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

MBh 7 108.26

केनचिन्न च वृत्तेन ह्यववज्ञेयो गुरुर्भवेत्। न च माता न च पिता मन्यते यादृशो गुरुः॥

kenacinna ca vṛttena hyavavajñeyo gururbhavet| na ca mātā na ca pitā manyate yādṛśo guruḥ||

The preceptor should never in any way be dishonoured by the disciple. Neither the mother nor the father deserves the honour which the preceptor does.

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

MBh 7 108.27

न तेऽवमानमर्हन्ति न तेषां दूषयेत् कृतम्। गुरूणामेव सत्कारं विदुर्देवा महर्षिभिः॥

na te'vamānamarhanti na teṣāṃ dūṣayet kṛtam| gurūṇāmeva satkāraṃ vidurdevā maharṣibhiḥ||

No insult should be offered to the father, the mother, and the preceptor. No act of theirs should be censured. The good and the great Rishis are pleased with him who treats his preceptors reverentially.

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

MBh 7 108.28

उपाध्यायं पितरं मातरं च येऽभिद्रुह्यन्ते मनसा कर्मणा वा। तेषां पापं भ्रूणहत्याविशिष्टं तस्मान्नान्यः पापकृदस्ति लोके॥

upādhyāyaṃ pitaraṃ mātaraṃ ca ye'bhidruhyante manasā karmaṇā vā| teṣāṃ pāpaṃ bhrūṇahatyāviśiṣṭaṃ tasmānnānyaḥ pāpakṛdasti loke||

They, who injure in thought and deed their preceptors, or fathers, or mothers, commit the sin of killing a foetus. There is no sinner in the world equal to them.

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

MBh 7 108.29

भृतो वृद्धो यो न बिभर्ति पुत्रः स्वयोनिजः पितरं मातरं च। तद् वै पापं भ्रूणहत्याविशिष्टं तस्मान्नान्य पापकृदस्ति लोके।॥

bhṛto vṛddho yo na bibharti putraḥ svayonijaḥ pitaraṃ mātaraṃ ca| tad vai pāpaṃ bhrūṇahatyāviśiṣṭaṃ tasmānnānya pāpakṛdasti loke|||

That son, who, being born of parents and brought up by them and when he comes to age, does not maintain them on his turn, commits the sin of killing a foetus. There is no sinner like him in the world.

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

MBh 7 108.30

मित्रद्रुहः कृतघ्नस्य स्त्रीघ्नस्य गुरुघातिनः। चतुर्णां वयमेतेषां निष्कृतिं नानुशुश्रुम॥

mitradruhaḥ kṛtaghnasya strīghnasya gurughātinaḥ| caturṇāṃ vayameteṣāṃ niṣkṛtiṃ nānuśuśruma||

We have never heard that these four, viz., he, who injures a friend, he, who is ungrateful, he, who kills a woman, and he, who kills preceptor, succeed in purifying themselves.

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

MBh 7 108.31

एतत्सर्वमनिर्देशेनैवमुक्तं यत्कर्तव्यं पुरुषेणेह लोके। एतच्छ्रेयो नान्यदस्माद्विशिष्टं सर्वान् धर्माननुसृत्यैतदुक्तम्॥

etatsarvamanirdeśenaivamuktaṃ yatkartavyaṃ puruṣeṇeha loke| etacchreyo nānyadasmādviśiṣṭaṃ sarvān dharmānanusṛtyaitaduktam||

I have described to you in general all that a person should do in this world. Besides those duties that I have described, there is nothing which yields greater happiness. Thinking of all duties, I have described to you their essence. ever

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