Mahabharata — Volume VII (Dutt edition) — Chapter 123

MBh 7 123.1

युधिष्ठिर उवाच तात धर्मार्थकामानां श्रोतुमिच्छामि निश्चयम्। लोकयात्रा हि कार्येन तिष्ठेत् केषु प्रतिष्ठिता॥

yudhiṣṭhira uvāca tāta dharmārthakāmānāṃ śrotumicchāmi niścayam| lokayātrā hi kāryena tiṣṭhet keṣu pratiṣṭhitā||

Yudhishthira said I wish, O sire, to hear the final conclusions about Virtue, Profit and Pleasure. Depending upon which of these does life proceed?

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

MBh 7 123.2

धर्मार्थकामाः किंमूलास्त्रयाणां प्रभवश्च कः। अन्योन्यं चानुषज्जन्ते वर्तन्ते च पृथक् पृथक्॥

dharmārthakāmāḥ kiṃmūlāstrayāṇāṃ prabhavaśca kaḥ| anyonyaṃ cānuṣajjante vartante ca pṛthak pṛthak||

What are origins of Virtue, Profit, and Pleasure? What is again the out come to those three? They are sometimes seen intermixed with one another, and sometimes to exist separately and independently of one another,

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

MBh 7 123.3

भीष्म उवाच यदा ते स्युः सुमनसो लोके धर्मार्थनिश्चये। कालप्रभवसंस्थासु सज्जन्ते च त्रयस्तदा॥

bhīṣma uvāca yadā te syuḥ sumanaso loke dharmārthaniścaye| kālaprabhavasaṃsthāsu sajjante ca trayastadā||

When men in this world try with pure hearts to gain Profit with the help of Virtue, then those three, viz., Virtue, Profit, and Pleasure, may be seen to exist in a state of union regarding time, cause, and action.

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

MBh 7 123.4

धर्ममूलः सदैवार्थः कामोऽर्थफलमुच्यते। संकल्पमूलास्ते सर्वे संकल्पो विषयात्मकः॥

dharmamūlaḥ sadaivārthaḥ kāmo'rthaphalamucyate| saṃkalpamūlāste sarve saṃkalpo viṣayātmakaḥ||

Profit originates f um virtue, and Pleasure is the fruit of Profit. All the three again originate from Will. Will is connected with the objects.

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

MBh 7 123.5

विषयाचैव कात्स्न्येन सर्व आहारसिद्धये। मूलमेतत् त्रिवर्गस्य निवृत्तिर्मोक्ष उच्यते॥

viṣayācaiva kātsnyena sarva āhārasiddhaye| mūlametat trivargasya nivṛttirmokṣa ucyate||

All objects exist in a body for gratifying the desire of enjoyment. Upon these dependent the threefold objects of life. Renunciation of all objects is liberation.

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

MBh 7 123.6

धर्माच्छरीरसंगुप्तिधर्मार्थं चार्थ उच्यते। कामो रतिफलश्चात्र सर्वे ते च रजस्वला:॥

dharmāccharīrasaṃguptidharmārthaṃ cārtha ucyate| kāmo ratiphalaścātra sarve te ca rajasvalā:||

It is said that Virtue is sought for the protection of the body, and Profit is for the acquisition of Virtue. Pleasure is merely the gratification of the sense. All the three are, therefore, pervaded the quality of Rajas (darkness).

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

MBh 7 123.7

संनिकृष्टांश्चरेदेतान् न चैतान् मनसा त्यजेत्। विमुक्तस्तपसा सर्वान् धर्मादीन् कामनैष्ठिकान्॥

saṃnikṛṣṭāṃścaredetān na caitān manasā tyajet| vimuktastapasā sarvān dharmādīn kāmanaiṣṭhikān||

Virtue, Profit, and Pleasure, when sought for the sake of heaven and such other rewards, are considered remote, because the rewards themselves are remote. They are near when sought, however, for the sake of Knowledge of Self. One should seek them for the purity of soul. One should not renounce them even in mind. If Virtue, Profit, and Pleasure are to be abandoned, one should abandon them when one has liberated one's self by ascetic penances.

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

MBh 7 123.8

श्रेष्ठे बुद्धिस्त्रिवर्गस्य यदयं प्राप्नुयान्नरः। कर्मणा बुद्धिपूर्वेण भवत्यर्थो न वा पुनः॥

śreṣṭhe buddhistrivargasya yadayaṃ prāpnuyānnaraḥ| karmaṇā buddhipūrveṇa bhavatyartho na vā punaḥ||

The aim of the threefold objects is emancipation. I wish men could attain it. One's acts, undertaking and completed with even the " help of intelligence may or may not yield the expected fruits.

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

MBh 7 123.9

अर्थार्थमन्यद् भवति विपरीतमथापरम्। अनर्थार्थमवाप्यार्थमन्यत्राद्योपकारकम्। बुद्ध्याबुद्धिरिहार्थे न तदज्ञाननिकृष्टया।॥

arthārthamanyad bhavati viparītamathāparam| anarthārthamavāpyārthamanyatrādyopakārakam| buddhyābuddhirihārthe na tadajñānanikṛṣṭayā|||

Virtue is not always the root of Profit, for other things then Virtue lead to Wealth. There is again the opposite view. In some cases, Wealth acquired has produced evil. Other things again than Wealth have brought on the acquisition of Virtue. Therefore, an ignorant man, whose understanding has been debased by ignorance, never succeeds in acquiring the highest object of Virtue and Profit, viz., Emancipation.

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

MBh 7 123.10

अपध्यानमलो धर्मो मलोऽर्थस्य निगूहनम्। सम्प्रमोदमल: कामो भूयः स्वगुणवर्जितः॥

apadhyānamalo dharmo malo'rthasya nigūhanam| sampramodamala: kāmo bhūyaḥ svaguṇavarjitaḥ||

The defeat of Virtue consists in the desire of reward; that of Profit consists in amassing it; when freed from these impurities, they yield mighty fruits.

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

MBh 7 123.11

अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम्। कामन्दकस्य संवादमाङ्गरिष्ठस्य चोभयोः॥

atrāpyudāharantīmamitihāsaṃ purātanam| kāmandakasya saṃvādamāṅgariṣṭhasya cobhayoḥ||

Regarding it is cited the discourse that took place in days of yore between Kamandaka and Angarishtha.

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

MBh 7 123.12

कामन्दमृषिमासीनमभिवाद्य नराधिपः। आङ्गरिष्ठोऽथ पप्रच्छ कृत्वा समयपर्ययम्॥

kāmandamṛṣimāsīnamabhivādya narādhipaḥ| āṅgariṣṭho'tha papraccha kṛtvā samayaparyayam||

One day having waited for the opportunity, king Angarishtha saluted the Rishi Kamanda as he was seated at his ease, and put to him the

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

MBh 7 123.13

यः पापं कुरुते राजा काममोहबलात्कृतः। प्रत्यासन्नस्य तस्यर्षे किं स्यात् पापप्रणाशनम्॥

yaḥ pāpaṃ kurute rājā kāmamohabalātkṛtaḥ| pratyāsannasya tasyarṣe kiṃ syāt pāpapraṇāśanam||

If a king, under the influence of lust and folly, commits sin for which he afterwards repents, how, O Rishi, can those sins be destroyed.

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

MBh 7 123.14

अधर्मं धर्म इति च योऽज्ञानादाचरेन्नरः। तं चापि प्रथितं लोके कथं राजा निवर्तयेत्॥

adharmaṃ dharma iti ca yo'jñānādācarennaraḥ| taṃ cāpi prathitaṃ loke kathaṃ rājā nivartayet||

If again a man, guided by ignorance, does what is sinful in the belief that he is acting piously, how shall the king suppress that sin prevalent among men?

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

MBh 7 123.15

कामन्दक उवाच यो धर्मार्थी परित्यज्य काममेवानुवर्तते। स धर्मार्थपरित्यागात् प्रज्ञानाशमिहार्छति॥

kāmandaka uvāca yo dharmārthī parityajya kāmamevānuvartate| sa dharmārthaparityāgāt prajñānāśamihārchati||

Kamanda said That man, who renouncing Virtue and Profit, pursues only Pleasure, reaps as the result of such conduct the destruction of his intelligence.

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

MBh 7 123.16

प्रज्ञानाशात्मको मोहस्तथा धर्मार्थनाशकः। तस्मान्नस्तिकता चैव दुराचारश्च जायते॥

prajñānāśātmako mohastathā dharmārthanāśakaḥ| tasmānnastikatā caiva durācāraśca jāyate||

The destruction of intelligence is followed by carelessness which at once destroys both Virtue and Profit. Such carelessness, beget dreadful atheism and systematic wickedness.

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

MBh 7 123.17

दुराचारान् यदा राजा प्रदुष्टान् न नियच्छति। तस्मादुद्विजते लोकः सर्पाद् वेश्मगतादिव॥

durācārān yadā rājā praduṣṭān na niyacchati| tasmādudvijate lokaḥ sarpād veśmagatādiva||

If the king does not subdue those wicked men of sinful conduct, all good subjects then live in dread of him like a person living in a room within which a snake has concealed itself.

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

MBh 7 123.18

तं प्रजा नानुवर्तन्ते ब्राह्मणा न च साधवः। ततः संशयमाप्नोति तथा वध्यत्वमेति च॥

taṃ prajā nānuvartante brāhmaṇā na ca sādhavaḥ| tataḥ saṃśayamāpnoti tathā vadhyatvameti ca||

The subjects do not follow such a king. Brahmanas and all pious persons also do the same. As a consequence the king incurs grave danger, and ultimately the risk of his life.

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

MBh 7 123.19

अपध्वस्तस्त्ववमतो दुःखं जीवितमृच्छति। जीवेच्च यदपध्वस्तस्तच्छुद्धं मरणं भवेत्॥

apadhvastastvavamato duḥkhaṃ jīvitamṛcchati| jīvecca yadapadhvastastacchuddhaṃ maraṇaṃ bhavet||

Laden with infamy and insult, he has to carry on a miserable existence. A life of infamy, however, is tantamount to death.

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

MBh 7 123.20

अत्रैतदाहुराचार्याः पापस्य परिगहणम्। सेवितव्या त्रयी विद्या सत्कारो ब्राह्मणेषु च॥

atraitadāhurācāryāḥ pāpasya parigahaṇam| sevitavyā trayī vidyā satkāro brāhmaṇeṣu ca||

Men well read in the scriptures have laid down the following expedients for suppressing sin. The king should always study the three Vedas. He should respect the Brahmanas and do them good.

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

MBh 7 123.21

महामना भवेद् धर्मे विवहेच्च महाकुले। ब्राह्मणांश्चापि सेवेत क्षमायुक्तान् मनस्विनः॥

mahāmanā bhaved dharme vivahecca mahākule| brāhmaṇāṃścāpi seveta kṣamāyuktān manasvinaḥ||

He should be given to righteousness. He should make alliance with high families. He should serve the great Brahmanas endued with the virtue of forgiveness.

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

MBh 7 123.22

जपेदुदकशीलः स्यात् सततं सुखमास्थितः। धर्मान्वितान् सम्प्रविशेद् बहिः कृत्वेह दुष्कृती॥

japedudakaśīlaḥ syāt satataṃ sukhamāsthitaḥ| dharmānvitān sampraviśed bahiḥ kṛtveha duṣkṛtī||

He should perform ablutions and recite sacred Mantras and thus spend his days happily. Banishing all wicked subjects from himself and his kingdom, he should live with virtuous men.

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

MBh 7 123.23

प्रसादयेन्मधुरया वाचा वाप्यथ कर्मणा। तवास्मीति वदेन्नित्यं परेषां कीर्तयन् गुणान्॥

prasādayenmadhurayā vācā vāpyatha karmaṇā| tavāsmīti vadennityaṃ pareṣāṃ kīrtayan guṇān||

He should please all persons by. sweet words or good acts. He should say to all,-I am yours,-and declare the virtues of even his enemies.

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

MBh 7 123.24

अपापो ह्येवमाचारः क्षिप्रं बहुमतो भवेत्। पापान्यपि हि कृच्छ्राणि शमयेन्नात्र संशयः॥

apāpo hyevamācāraḥ kṣipraṃ bahumato bhavet| pāpānyapi hi kṛcchrāṇi śamayennātra saṃśayaḥ||

By behaving thus he may soon cleanse himself of his sins, and gain the high esteem of all. Forsooth, by such a conduct all his sins will be destroyed.

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

MBh 7 123.25

गुरवो हि परं धर्मं यं ब्रूयुस्तं तथा कुरु। गुरूणां हि प्रसादाद् वै श्रेयः परमवाप्स्यसि॥

guravo hi paraṃ dharmaṃ yaṃ brūyustaṃ tathā kuru| gurūṇāṃ hi prasādād vai śreyaḥ paramavāpsyasi||

You should satisfy all those great duties which your seniors and preceptors would indicate. You are sure to acquire, great blessings through the grace of your seniors and preceptors.'

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