Mahabharata — Volume VII (Dutt edition) — Chapter 19
MBh 7 19.1
युधिष्ठिर उवाच वेदाहं तात शास्त्राणि अपराणि पराणि च। उभयं वेदवचनं कुरु कर्म त्यजेति च॥
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca vedāhaṃ tāta śāstrāṇi aparāṇi parāṇi ca| ubhayaṃ vedavacanaṃ kuru karma tyajeti ca||
Yudhishthira said I know both the Vedas and the scriptures that lead to the attainment of Brahma. In the Vedas there are both kinds of precepts, viz., those that preach action and those that preach the renouncement of action,
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 19.2
आकुलानि च शास्त्राणि हेतुभिश्चिन्तितानि च। निश्चयश्चैव यो मन्त्रे वेदाहं तं यथाविधि॥
ākulāni ca śāstrāṇi hetubhiścintitāni ca| niścayaścaiva yo mantre vedāhaṃ taṃ yathāvidhi||
The scriptures are conflicting and their conclusions are based upon reasons. The truth of the mantras is duly known to me.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 19.3
त्वं तु केवलमस्त्रज्ञो वीरव्रतसमन्वितः। शास्त्रार्थं तत्त्वतो गन्तुं न समर्थः कथंचन॥
tvaṃ tu kevalamastrajño vīravratasamanvitaḥ| śāstrārthaṃ tattvato gantuṃ na samarthaḥ kathaṃcana||
You are conversant only with weapons and the practices of heroes. You are unable to understand correctly the meaning of the scriptures.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 19.4
शास्त्रार्थसूक्ष्मदर्शी यो धर्मनिश्चयकोविदः। तेनाप्येवं न वाच्योऽहं यदि धर्मं प्रपश्यसि॥
śāstrārthasūkṣmadarśī yo dharmaniścayakovidaḥ| tenāpyevaṃ na vācyo'haṃ yadi dharmaṃ prapaśyasi||
If you were really acquainted with duty, then you could have understood that words like these ought not to have been addressed to me by one possessing the true knowledge of the scriptures and acquainted with the truths of religion.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 19.5
भ्रातृसौहृदमास्थाय यदुक्तं वचनं त्वया। न्याय्यं युक्तं च कौन्तेय प्रीतोऽहं तेन तेऽर्जुन॥
bhrātṛsauhṛdamāsthāya yaduktaṃ vacanaṃ tvayā| nyāyyaṃ yuktaṃ ca kaunteya prīto'haṃ tena te'rjuna||
What, however, you have said to me out of fraternal affection, has been fit and proper, O son of Kunti. I am, therefore, gratified with thee, O Arjuna.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 19.6
युद्धधर्मेषु सर्वेषु क्रियाणां नैपुणेषु च। न त्वया सदृशः कश्चित् त्रिषु लोकेषु विद्यते॥
yuddhadharmeṣu sarveṣu kriyāṇāṃ naipuṇeṣu ca| na tvayā sadṛśaḥ kaścit triṣu lokeṣu vidyate||
There is no one equal to you in the three worlds in all duties connected with battle and in skill in various kinds of acts,
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 19.7
धर्मं सूक्ष्मतरं वाच्यं तत्र दुष्प्रतरं त्वया। धनंजय न मे बुद्धिमभिशङ्कितुमर्हसि।॥
dharmaṃ sūkṣmataraṃ vācyaṃ tatra duṣprataraṃ tvayā| dhanaṃjaya na me buddhimabhiśaṅkitumarhasi|||
You are, therefore, competent to speak of the niceties of those subjects, that are not understood by others. You should not, however, O Dhananjaya, doubt my intelligence.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 19.8
युद्धशास्त्रविदेव त्वं न वृद्धाः सेवितास्त्वया। संक्षिप्तविस्तरविदां न तेषां वेत्सि निश्चयम्॥ तपस्त्यागोऽविधिरिति निश्चयस्त्वेष धीमताम्। परं परं ज्याय एषां येषां नैश्रेयसी मतिः॥
yuddhaśāstravideva tvaṃ na vṛddhāḥ sevitāstvayā| saṃkṣiptavistaravidāṃ na teṣāṃ vetsi niścayam|| tapastyāgo'vidhiriti niścayastveṣa dhīmatām| paraṃ paraṃ jyāya eṣāṃ yeṣāṃ naiśreyasī matiḥ||
You are, a master of the science of battle, but you have never waited upon the aged. You know not the conclusions arrived at by those that have studied the subject briefly and fully. The conclusion of intelligent men who want salvation, is that of ascetic penances, renunciation, and knowledge of Brahma, the second is superior to the first, and the third is superior to the second.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 19.9
यस्त्वेतन्मन्यसे पार्थन ज्यायोऽस्ति धनादिति। तत्र ते वर्तयिष्यामि यथा नैतत् प्रधानतः॥
yastvetanmanyase pārthana jyāyo'sti dhanāditi| tatra te vartayiṣyāmi yathā naitat pradhānataḥ||
Your conclusion, that there is nothing superior to wealth, is a mistake. I will convince you of it, so that you may not again regard wealth in that light.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 19.10
तप:स्वाध्यायशीला हि दृश्यन्ते धार्मिका जनाः। ऋषयस्तपसा युक्ता येषां लोकाः सनातनाः॥
tapa:svādhyāyaśīlā hi dṛśyante dhārmikā janāḥ| ṛṣayastapasā yuktā yeṣāṃ lokāḥ sanātanāḥ||
All righteous men are seen to be devoted to ascetic penances and the study of the Vedas, The Rishis also, that have many eternal regions for them, enjoy the merit of penances.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 19.11
अजातशत्रवो धीरास्तथान्ये वनवासिनः। अरण्ये बहवश्चैव स्वाध्यायेन दिवं गताः॥
ajātaśatravo dhīrāstathānye vanavāsinaḥ| araṇye bahavaścaiva svādhyāyena divaṃ gatāḥ||
Others possessed equanimity of soul, having no enemies, and dwelling in the forest have, through penances and study of the Vedas, proceeded to heaven.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 19.12
उत्तरेण तु पन्थानमार्या विषयनिग्रहात्। अबुद्धिजं तमस्त्यक्त्वा लोकांस्त्यागवतां गताः॥
uttareṇa tu panthānamāryā viṣayanigrahāt| abuddhijaṃ tamastyaktvā lokāṃstyāgavatāṃ gatāḥ||
By controlling desire for worldly objects and casting off the darkness of sin, pious men proceed northward to the regions reserved for those who practise Renunciation.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 19.13
दक्षिणेन तु पन्थानं यं भास्वन्तं प्रचक्षते। एते क्रियावतां लोका ये श्मशानानि जिरे॥
dakṣiṇena tu panthānaṃ yaṃ bhāsvantaṃ pracakṣate| ete kriyāvatāṃ lokā ye śmaśānāni jire||
The path that lies to the south and leads to regions of light is reserved for men devoted to action. These are acquired by persons subject to birth and death.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 19.14
अनिर्देश्चा गतिः सा तु यां प्रपश्यन्ति मोक्षिणः। तस्माद् योगः प्रधानेष्टः स तु दुःखं प्रवेदितुम्॥
anirdeścā gatiḥ sā tu yāṃ prapaśyanti mokṣiṇaḥ| tasmād yogaḥ pradhāneṣṭaḥ sa tu duḥkhaṃ praveditum||
That end, however, which persons who wishing to have salvation cannot be described. Yoga is the best means for attaining to it. It is not easy to explain it.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 19.15
अनुस्मृत्य तु शास्त्राणि कवयः समवस्थिताः। अपीह स्यादपीह स्यात् सारासारदिदृक्षया॥
anusmṛtya tu śāstrāṇi kavayaḥ samavasthitāḥ| apīha syādapīha syāt sārāsāradidṛkṣayā||
Those that are learned live, meditating on the scriptures for finding out what is unreal. They, however, jump at this and that in the belief that the object of their search exists in this and that.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 19.16
वेदवादानतिक्रम्य शास्त्राण्यारण्यकानि च। विपाट्य कदलीस्तम्भं सारं ददृशिरे न ते॥
vedavādānatikramya śāstrāṇyāraṇyakāni ca| vipāṭya kadalīstambhaṃ sāraṃ dadṛśire na te||
Having studied, however, the Vedas the Aranyakas, and the other scriptures, they miss the real like men failing to find solid timber in an uprooted Banana plant.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 19.17
अथैकान्तव्युदासेन शरीरे पाञ्चभौतिके। इच्छाद्वेषसमासक्तमात्मानं प्राहुरिङ्गित्तैः॥
athaikāntavyudāsena śarīre pāñcabhautike| icchādveṣasamāsaktamātmānaṃ prāhuriṅgittaiḥ||
There are some who, disbelieving in its oneness, consider the Soul, dwelling in the physical body consisting of the five elements, possessing the attributes of desire and hatred.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 19.18
अग्राह्यं चक्षुषा सूक्ष्ममनिर्देश्यं च तद्गिरा। कर्महेतुपुरस्कारं भूतेषु परिवर्तते।१९।।
agrāhyaṃ cakṣuṣā sūkṣmamanirdeśyaṃ ca tadgirā| karmahetupuraskāraṃ bhūteṣu parivartate|19||
Unseen by the eye, highly subtile, and indescribable by words, it goes on in a round (of rebirths) among the creatures of the Earth, keeping before it that which is the root of action.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 19.19
कल्याणगोचरं कृत्वा मनस्तृष्णां निगृह्य च। कर्मसंततिमुत्सृज्य स्थानिरालम्बनः सुखी।॥
kalyāṇagocaraṃ kṛtvā manastṛṣṇāṃ nigṛhya ca| karmasaṃtatimutsṛjya sthānirālambanaḥ sukhī|||
Having made the Soul gradually come towards itself which is the root of all bliss, having controlled all mental desires, and having cast off all kinds of action, one may become perfectly independent and happy.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 19.20
अस्मिन्नेवं सूक्ष्मगम्ये मार्गे सद्भिर्निषेविते। कथमर्थमनाढ्यमर्जुन त्वं प्रशंससि॥
asminnevaṃ sūkṣmagamye mārge sadbhirniṣevite| kathamarthamanāḍhyamarjuna tvaṃ praśaṃsasi||
When there is such a path that is followed by the righteous and that is attainable by Knowledge, why, O Arjuna, do you speak highly of wealth which is full of all sorts of dangers?
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 19.21
पूर्वशास्त्रविदोऽप्येवं जनाः पश्यन्ति भारत। क्रियासु निरता नित्यं दाने यज्ञे च कर्मणि॥
pūrvaśāstravido'pyevaṃ janāḥ paśyanti bhārata| kriyāsu niratā nityaṃ dāne yajñe ca karmaṇi||
Men of olden times who were conversant with the scriptures, O Bharata,-men who were always engaged in gifts and sacrifices and action, held this view, O Bharata.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 19.22
भवन्ति सुदुरावर्ता हेतुमन्तोऽपि पण्डिताः। दृढपूर्वे स्मृता मूढा नैतदस्तीतिवादिनः॥
bhavanti sudurāvartā hetumanto'pi paṇḍitāḥ| dṛḍhapūrve smṛtā mūḍhā naitadastītivādinaḥ||
There are some fools who, accomplished in the science of logic, deny the existence of the Soul, for the strength of their convictions of a pristine life. It is very difficult to make them accept this truth about final liberation.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 19.23
अनृतस्यावमन्तारो वक्तारो जनसंसदि। चरन्ति वसुधां कृत्स्नां वावदूका बहुश्रुताः॥
anṛtasyāvamantāro vaktāro janasaṃsadi| caranti vasudhāṃ kṛtsnāṃ vāvadūkā bahuśrutāḥ||
Those wicked men, though highly learned, travel all over the Earth, delivering lectures in assemblies, and deprecating the true doctrine about liberation.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 19.24
पार्थ यान्न विजानीमः कस्ताज्ञातुमिहार्हति। एवं प्राज्ञाः श्रुताश्चापि महान्तः शास्त्रवित्तमाः॥
pārtha yānna vijānīmaḥ kastājñātumihārhati| evaṃ prājñāḥ śrutāścāpi mahāntaḥ śāstravittamāḥ||
O Partha, who else can understand what we do not understand? Similarly they do not succeed in knowing those wise and pious persons who are truly great and who are wellread in the scriptures.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)
MBh 7 19.25
तपसा महदाप्नोति बुद्ध्या वै विन्दते महत्। त्यागेन सुखम् प्राप्नोति सदा कौन्तेय तत्त्ववित्॥
tapasā mahadāpnoti buddhyā vai vindate mahat| tyāgena sukham prāpnoti sadā kaunteya tattvavit||
O son of Kunti, men acquainted with truth attain to Brahma by asceticism and intelligence, and great happiness by Renunciation.
— tr. M.N. Dutt (1891–96) (public domain)