Mahabharata — Volume VII (Dutt edition) — Chapter 142
MBh 7 142.1
युधिष्ठिर उवाच यदि घोरं समुद्दिष्टमश्रद्धयमिवानृतम्। अस्मि स्विद् दस्युमर्यादा यामहं परिवर्जये॥
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca yadi ghoraṃ samuddiṣṭamaśraddhayamivānṛtam| asmi svid dasyumaryādā yāmahaṃ parivarjaye||
Yudhishthira said If such a terrible act which should always be discarded like falsehood, be pointed (as duty), then what act is there from which I should forbear? Why also should not robbers then be honoured?
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 142.2
सम्मुह्यामि विषीदामि धर्मो मे शिथिलीकृतः। उद्यम नाधिगच्छामि कदाचित् परिसान्त्वयन्॥
sammuhyāmi viṣīdāmi dharmo me śithilīkṛtaḥ| udyama nādhigacchāmi kadācit parisāntvayan||
I am stupefied! My heart is pained. All the bonds that tie me to morality are loosened. I cannot compose my mind and dare act in the way pointed out by you.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 142.3
भीष्म उवाच नैतच्छ्रुत्वाऽऽगमादेव तव धर्मानुशासनम्। प्रजासमवहारोऽयं कविभिः सम्भृतं मधु॥
bhīṣma uvāca naitacchrutvā''gamādeva tava dharmānuśāsanam| prajāsamavahāro'yaṃ kavibhiḥ sambhṛtaṃ madhu||
Bhishma said I do not instruct you regarding duty, taught by what I have heard from the Vedas alone. What I have told you is the result of wisdom and experience. This is the honey that the learned have gleaned.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 142.4
बयः प्रतिविधातव्याः प्रज्ञा राज्ञा ततस्ततः! नैकशाखेन धर्मेण यत्रैषा सम्प्रवर्तते॥
bayaḥ pratividhātavyāḥ prajñā rājñā tatastataḥ! naikaśākhena dharmeṇa yatraiṣā sampravartate||
Kings should collect wisdom from various sources. One cannot go successfully through the worldly course with the help of a one-sided morality.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 142.5
बुद्धिसंजननो धर्म आचारश्च सतां सदा। ज्ञेयो भवति कौरव्य सदा तद् विद्धि मे वचः॥
buddhisaṃjanano dharma ācāraśca satāṃ sadā| jñeyo bhavati kauravya sadā tad viddhi me vacaḥ||
Duty must originate from the understanding and the practices of the good should always be determined, O son of Kuru. Obey these words of mine.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 142.6
वुद्धिश्रेष्ठा हि राजानश्चरन्ति विजयैषिणः। धर्मः प्रतिविधातव्यो बुद्ध्या राज्ञा ततस्ततः॥
vuddhiśreṣṭhā hi rājānaścaranti vijayaiṣiṇaḥ| dharmaḥ pratividhātavyo buddhyā rājñā tatastataḥ||
Only kings of superior intelligence can rule, cxpccting victory. A king by the help of his understanding and guided by knowledge gathered from various sources, should so arrange that inoral laws may be observed.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 142.7
नैकशाखेन धर्मेण राज्ञो धर्मो विधीयते। दुर्बलस्य कुतः प्रज्ञा पुरस्तादनुपाहृता॥
naikaśākhena dharmeṇa rājño dharmo vidhīyate| durbalasya kutaḥ prajñā purastādanupāhṛtā||
The duties of a king can never be satisfied by rules drawn from a one-sided morality. A weak king can never show wisdom for his not having drawn it from the examples before him.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 142.8
अद्वैधज्ञः पथि द्वैधे संशयं प्राप्तुमर्हति। बुद्धिद्वैधं वेदितव्यं पुरस्तादेव भारत॥
advaidhajñaḥ pathi dvaidhe saṃśayaṃ prāptumarhati| buddhidvaidhaṃ veditavyaṃ purastādeva bhārata||
Righteousness sometimes appears like unrighteousness. The latter also some-times appears like the former. He who does not know this, becomes confused when an actual instance presents itself before him. Before the time comes, one should, O Bharata, understand the circumstances, under which righteousness and its opposite become confused.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 142.9
पार्श्वतः करणं प्राज्ञो विम्भित्वा प्रकारयेत्। जनस्तच्चरितं धर्मं विजानात्यन्यथान्यथा॥
pārśvataḥ karaṇaṃ prājño vimbhitvā prakārayet| janastaccaritaṃ dharmaṃ vijānātyanyathānyathā||
Having gained this knowledge, a wise king should, when the time comes, act accordingly, helped by his judgement. His acts at such a time are misunderstood by ordinary people.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 142.10
अमिथ्याज्ञानिनः केचिन्मिथ्याविज्ञानिनः परे। तद्वै यथायथं बुद्ध्वा ज्ञानमाददते सताम्॥
amithyājñāninaḥ kecinmithyāvijñāninaḥ pare| tadvai yathāyathaṃ buddhvā jñānamādadate satām||
Some persons are endued with true knowledge. Some persons have false knowledge. Truly determining the nature of each kind of knowledge, a wise king derives knowledge from the good.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 142.11
परिमुष्णन्ति शास्त्राणि धर्मस्य परिपन्थिनः। वैषम्यमर्थविद्यानां निरर्थाः ख्यापयन्ति ते॥
parimuṣṇanti śāstrāṇi dharmasya paripanthinaḥ| vaiṣamyamarthavidyānāṃ nirarthāḥ khyāpayanti te||
The violators of moral laws find fault with the scriptures. They who have themselves no money, point out the inconsistencies of the works on the laws of wealth.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 142.12
आजिजीविषवो विद्यां यशःकामौ समन्ततः। ते सर्वे नृप पापिष्ठा धर्मस्य परिपन्थिनः॥
ājijīviṣavo vidyāṃ yaśaḥkāmau samantataḥ| te sarve nṛpa pāpiṣṭhā dharmasya paripanthinaḥ||
Those who wish to gain knowledge merely for carrying their sustenance, are, o king, sinful, besides being enemies of morality.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 142.13
अपक्वमतयो मन्दा न जानन्ति यथातथम्। यथा ह्यशास्त्रकुशलाः सर्वत्रायुक्तिनिष्ठिताः॥
apakvamatayo mandā na jānanti yathātatham| yathā hyaśāstrakuśalāḥ sarvatrāyuktiniṣṭhitāḥ||
Wicked men of unripe understandings, can never know things truly, as persons ignorant of scriptures are unable in all their acts to be guided by reason.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 142.14
परिमुष्णन्ति शास्त्राणि शास्त्रदोषानुदर्शिनः। विज्ञानमर्थविद्यानां न सम्यगिति वर्तते।॥
parimuṣṇanti śāstrāṇi śāstradoṣānudarśinaḥ| vijñānamarthavidyānāṃ na samyagiti vartate|||
Always seeing the faults of the scriptures, they decry them. Even if they understand the true import of the scriptures, they are still in the habit of saying that scriptural injunctions are unsound.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 142.15
निन्दया परविद्यानां स्वविद्यां ख्यापयन्ति च। वागस्त्रा वाक्छरीभूता दुग्धविद्याफला इव॥
nindayā paravidyānāṃ svavidyāṃ khyāpayanti ca| vāgastrā vākcharībhūtā dugdhavidyāphalā iva||
By decrying the knowledge of others, such men announce the superiority of their own knowledge. They have words for their weapons and arrows and speak, as if they are well grounded in those sciences.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 142.16
तान् विद्यावणिजो विद्धि राक्षसानिव भारत। व्याजेन सद्भिर्विहितो धर्मस्ते परिहास्यति॥
tān vidyāvaṇijo viddhi rākṣasāniva bhārata| vyājena sadbhirvihito dharmaste parihāsyati||
Consider them, O Bharata, as traders in learning and Rakshasas among men. By the help of mere pretext they renounce that morality, which has been established by good and wise men.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 142.17
न धर्मवचनं वाचा नैव बुद्ध्येति नः श्रुतम्। इति बार्हस्पतं ज्ञानं प्रोवाच मघवा स्वयम्॥
na dharmavacanaṃ vācā naiva buddhyeti naḥ śrutam| iti bārhaspataṃ jñānaṃ provāca maghavā svayam||
We have heard that the texts of morality cannot be understood by either discussion or one's own intelligence. Indra himself has said that such is the opinion of the sage Brihaspati.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 142.18
न त्वेव वचनं किंचिदनिमित्तादिहोच्यते। सुविनीतेन शास्त्रेण न व्यवस्यन्त्यथापरे॥
na tveva vacanaṃ kiṃcidanimittādihocyate| suvinītena śāstreṇa na vyavasyantyathāpare||
Some hold that no scriptural text has been written without a reason, Others again, even if they properly understand the scriptures, never follow them.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 142.19
लोकयात्रामिहैके तु धर्मं प्राहुर्मनीषिणः। समुद्दिष्टं सतां धर्मं स्वयमूहेत पण्डितः॥
lokayātrāmihaike tu dharmaṃ prāhurmanīṣiṇaḥ| samuddiṣṭaṃ satāṃ dharmaṃ svayamūheta paṇḍitaḥ||
One section of wise men say that morality is nothing else than the approved conduct of the world. The man of true knowledge should find out for himself the moral laws laid down for the good.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 142.20
अमर्षाच्छास्त्रसम्मोहादविज्ञानाच्च भारत। शास्त्रं प्राज्ञस्य वदतः समूहे यात्यदर्शनम्॥
amarṣācchāstrasammohādavijñānācca bhārata| śāstraṃ prājñasya vadataḥ samūhe yātyadarśanam||
If even a wise man speaks of morality when he is angry or bewildered or ignorant, his speech produces no effect.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 142.21
आगतागमया बुद्ध्या वचनेन प्रशस्यते। अज्ञानाज्ज्ञानहेतुत्वाद् वचनं साधु मन्यते॥
āgatāgamayā buddhyā vacanena praśasyate| ajñānājjñānahetutvād vacanaṃ sādhu manyate||
Discourses on morality made with the help of an intelligent understanding of the true letter and spirit of the scriptures, should be lauded and not those which are made with the help of anything else. Sensible words, even if heard from an ignorant person, are regarded as pious and wise.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 142.22
अनया हतमेवेदमिति शास्त्रमपार्थकम्। दैतेयानुशना प्राह संशयच्छेदनं पुरा॥
anayā hatamevedamiti śāstramapārthakam| daiteyānuśanā prāha saṃśayacchedanaṃ purā||
In days of yore, Ushanas said to the Daityas this truth, which dispels all doubts, that scriptures are no scriptures if they cannot stand the crucible test of reason.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 142.23
ज्ञानमप्यपदिश्यं हि यथा नास्ति तथैव तत्। तं तथा छिन्नमूलेन सन्नोदयितुमर्हसि॥
jñānamapyapadiśyaṃ hi yathā nāsti tathaiva tat| taṃ tathā chinnamūlena sannodayitumarhasi||
The possession or absence of doubtful, knowledge is the same thing. You should root out and drive off such knowledge.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 142.24
अनव्यवहितं यो वा नेदं वाक्यमुपाश्नुते। उग्रायैव हि सृष्टोऽसि कर्मणे न त्वमीक्षसे॥
anavyavahitaṃ yo vā nedaṃ vākyamupāśnute| ugrāyaiva hi sṛṣṭo'si karmaṇe na tvamīkṣase||
He who does not listen to these words of minc, is to be known as one who has suffered himself to be misguided. Do you not observe that you were created for the performance of terrific deeds?
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 142.25
अङ्ग मामन्ववेक्षस्व राजन्याय बुभूषते। यथा प्रमुच्यते त्वन्यो यदर्थं न प्रमोदते।॥
aṅga māmanvavekṣasva rājanyāya bubhūṣate| yathā pramucyate tvanyo yadarthaṃ na pramodate|||
See me, O dear child, how, by following the duties of my own order, I have sent innumerable Kshatriyas to heaven! There are some who are not pleased with me for this.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 142.26
अजोऽश्वः क्षत्रमित्येतत् सदृशं ब्रह्मणा कृतम्। तस्मादभीक्ष्णं भूतानां यात्रा काचित् प्रसिद्ध्यति॥
ajo'śvaḥ kṣatramityetat sadṛśaṃ brahmaṇā kṛtam| tasmādabhīkṣṇaṃ bhūtānāṃ yātrā kācit prasiddhyati||
Goat, horse, and Kshatriya, were created by Brahman for the same purpose (of being useful to everybody). A Kshatriya, therefore, should always seek the happiness of all creatures.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 142.27
यस्त्ववध्यवधे दोषः स वध्यस्यावधे स्मृतः। या चैव खलु मर्यादा यामयं परिवर्जयेत्॥
yastvavadhyavadhe doṣaḥ sa vadhyasyāvadhe smṛtaḥ| yā caiva khalu maryādā yāmayaṃ parivarjayet||
The sin of killing a person unworthy of being killed is tantamount to that which is incurred by not killing one who deserves to be killed. Such is the established order of things which a weak-minded king never thinks of attending to.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 142.28
तस्मात् तीक्ष्णः प्रजा राजा स्वधर्मे स्थापयेत् ततः। अन्योन्यं भक्षयन्तो हि प्रचरेयुर्वृका इव॥
tasmāt tīkṣṇaḥ prajā rājā svadharme sthāpayet tataḥ| anyonyaṃ bhakṣayanto hi pracareyurvṛkā iva||
Therefore, a king should force all his subjects to observe their respective duties. If this is not done, they will prowl like wolves, devouring one another,
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 142.29
यस्य दस्युगणा राष्ट्र ध्वांक्षा मत्स्यान् जलादिव। विहरन्ति परस्वानि स वै क्षत्रियपासनः॥
yasya dasyugaṇā rāṣṭra dhvāṃkṣā matsyān jalādiva| viharanti parasvāni sa vai kṣatriyapāsanaḥ||
He is a wretch among Kshatriyas in whose kingdom robbers go about pillaging the property of other people like crows taking little fishes from water.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 142.30
कुलीनान् सचिवान् कृत्वा वेदविद्यासमन्वितान्। प्रशाधि पृथिवीं राजन् प्रजा धर्मेण पालयन्॥
kulīnān sacivān kṛtvā vedavidyāsamanvitān| praśādhi pṛthivīṃ rājan prajā dharmeṇa pālayan||
Appointing high-born men with Vedic knowledge as your ministers, do you govern the Earth, protecting your subjects piously.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 142.31
विहीनं कर्मणान्यायं यः प्रगृह्णाति भूमिपः। उपायस्याविशेषज्ञं तद् वै क्षत्रं नपुंसकम्॥
vihīnaṃ karmaṇānyāyaṃ yaḥ pragṛhṇāti bhūmipaḥ| upāyasyāviśeṣajñaṃ tad vai kṣatraṃ napuṃsakam||
That Kshatriya who, innocent of the established customs and contrivances, improperly taxes his people, is considered as a eunuch of his order.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 142.32
नैवोग्रं नैव चानुग्रं धर्मेणेह प्रशस्यते। उभयं न व्यतिक्रामेदुग्रो भूत्वा मृदुर्भव॥
naivograṃ naiva cānugraṃ dharmeṇeha praśasyate| ubhayaṃ na vyatikrāmedugro bhūtvā mṛdurbhava||
A king should neither be severe nor mild. If he rules fairly he deserves praise. A king should not renounce both that qualities; on the other hand, becoming severe when (it is necessary), he should be mild when it is necessary to be so.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 142.33
कष्टः क्षत्रियधर्मोऽयं सौहृदं त्वयि मे स्थितम्। उग्रकर्मणि सृष्टोऽसि तस्माद् राज्यं प्रशाधि वै॥
kaṣṭaḥ kṣatriyadharmo'yaṃ sauhṛdaṃ tvayi me sthitam| ugrakarmaṇi sṛṣṭo'si tasmād rājyaṃ praśādhi vai||
The observance of Kshatriya duties is highly difficult. I love you greatly. You are created for the performance of severe acts. Therefore, do you rule kingdom.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 142.34
अशिष्टनिग्रहो नित्यं शिष्टस्य परिपालनम्। एवं शुक्रोऽब्रवीद् धीमानापत्सु भरतर्षभ।॥
aśiṣṭanigraho nityaṃ śiṣṭasya paripālanam| evaṃ śukro'bravīd dhīmānāpatsu bharatarṣabha|||
The highly intelligent Shakra has said that in times of distress the great duty of a king is to punish the wicked and protect the good.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 142.35
युधिष्ठिर उवाच अस्ति चेदिह मर्यादा यामन्यो नाभिलवयेत्। पृच्छामि त्वां सतां श्रेष्ठ तन्मे ब्रूहि पितामह॥
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca asti cediha maryādā yāmanyo nābhilavayet| pṛcchāmi tvāṃ satāṃ śreṣṭha tanme brūhi pitāmaha||
Yudhishthira said Is there any such rule (regarding royal duties) which should, under no circumstances) be violated? I ask you this, O foremost of virtuous persons! Tell me, O grandfather.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 142.36
भीष्म उवाच ब्राह्मणानेव सेवेत विद्यावृद्धास्तपस्विनः। श्रुतचारित्रवृत्ताढ्यान् पवित्रं ह्येतदुत्तमम्॥
bhīṣma uvāca brāhmaṇāneva seveta vidyāvṛddhāstapasvinaḥ| śrutacāritravṛttāḍhyān pavitraṃ hyetaduttamam||
Bhishma said One should always adore Brahmanas respected for learning, devoted to penances, and observant of Vedic injunctions. This, indeed, is a high and sacred duty.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 142.37
या देवतासु वृत्तिस्ते सास्तु विप्रेषु नित्यदा। क्रुद्धैर्हि विप्रैः कर्माणि कृतानि बहुधा नृप॥
yā devatāsu vṛttiste sāstu vipreṣu nityadā| kruddhairhi vipraiḥ karmāṇi kṛtāni bahudhā nṛpa||
You should always treat the Brahmanas like the gods. The Brahmanas, if enraged, can inflict pains in a variety of ways, O King.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 142.38
प्रीत्या यशो भवेन्मुख्यमप्रीत्या परमं भयम्। प्रीत्या ह्यमृतवद् विप्राः क्रुद्धाश्चैव विषं यथा।॥
prītyā yaśo bhavenmukhyamaprītyā paramaṃ bhayam| prītyā hyamṛtavad viprāḥ kruddhāścaiva viṣaṃ yathā|||
If they be pleased, you will win high fame. If otherwise, great will be your fear. If pleased, the Brahmanas become like ambrosia. If enraged, they become like poison.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)