Mahabharata — Volume VIII (Dutt edition) — Chapter 47

MBh 8 47.1

युधिष्ठिर उवाच किं कुर्वन् सुखमाप्नोति किं कुर्वन् दुःखमाप्नुयात्। किं कुर्वनिर्भयो लोके सिद्धश्चरति भारत॥

yudhiṣṭhira uvāca kiṃ kurvan sukhamāpnoti kiṃ kurvan duḥkhamāpnuyāt| kiṃ kurvanirbhayo loke siddhaścarati bhārata||

By doing what does one gain happiness, and what is that by doing which one meets with misery? What also is that, O Bharata, by doing which one becomes freed from fear and sojourns here successfully,

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

MBh 8 47.2

भीष्म उवाच दममेव प्रशंसन्ति वृद्धाः श्रुतिसमाधयः। सर्वेषामेव वर्णानां ब्राह्मणस्य विशेषतः॥

bhīṣma uvāca damameva praśaṃsanti vṛddhāḥ śrutisamādhayaḥ| sarveṣāmeva varṇānāṃ brāhmaṇasya viśeṣataḥ||

Bhishma said The ancients who had there minds, directed to the Shrutis, spoke highly of the duty of selfcontrol for all the castes in general, but for the Brahmanas in especial.

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

MBh 8 47.3

नादान्तस्य क्रियासिद्धिर्यथावदुपपद्यते। क्रिया तपश्च सत्यं च दमे सर्वं प्रतिष्ठितम्॥

nādāntasya kriyāsiddhiryathāvadupapadyate| kriyā tapaśca satyaṃ ca dame sarvaṃ pratiṣṭhitam||

One who is not self-controlled never enjoys success in religious rites. Religious rites, penances, truth, all these depend upon selfcontrol.

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

MBh 8 47.4

दमस्तेजो वर्धयति पवित्रं दम उच्यते। विपाप्मा निर्भयो दान्तः पुरुषो विन्दन्ते महत्॥

damastejo vardhayati pavitraṃ dama ucyate| vipāpmā nirbhayo dāntaḥ puruṣo vindante mahat||

Self-control increases one's energy. Self-। control is said to be sacred. The man of selfcontrol becomes sinless and fearless and acquires great results.

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

MBh 8 47.5

सुखं दान्तः प्रस्वपिति सुखं च प्रतिबुद्ध्यते। सुखं लोके विपर्येति मनश्चास्य प्रसीदति॥

sukhaṃ dāntaḥ prasvapiti sukhaṃ ca pratibuddhyate| sukhaṃ loke viparyeti manaścāsya prasīdati||

One who is self-controlled sleeps happily and wakes happily. He lives happily in the world and his mind always remains cheerful

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

MBh 8 47.6

तेजो दमेन ध्रियते तन्न तीक्ष्णोऽधिगच्छति। अमित्रांश्च बहून् नित्यं पृथगात्मनि पश्यति॥

tejo damena dhriyate tanna tīkṣṇo'dhigacchati| amitrāṃśca bahūn nityaṃ pṛthagātmani paśyati||

Every sort of excitement is quietly controlled by self-control. One who is not selfcontrolled fails in a similar endeavour. The self-controlled man sees his numberless focs (such as lust, desire, and anger, etc.') as if these dwell in a separate body.

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

MBh 8 47.7

क्रव्याट्य इव भूतानमदान्तेभ्यः सदाभयम्। तेषां विप्रतिषेधार्थं राजा सृष्टः स्वयम्भुवा॥

kravyāṭya iva bhūtānamadāntebhyaḥ sadābhayam| teṣāṃ vipratiṣedhārthaṃ rājā sṛṣṭaḥ svayambhuvā||

Like tigers and other carnivorous animals, persons shorn of self-control always strike all creatures with fear. For controlling these men, the Self-create (Brahma) created kings.

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

MBh 8 47.8

आश्रमेषु च सर्वेषु दम एव विशिष्यते। यच्च तेषु फलं धर्मे भूयो दान्ते तदुच्यते॥

āśrameṣu ca sarveṣu dama eva viśiṣyate| yacca teṣu phalaṃ dharme bhūyo dānte taducyate||

In all the modes of life, the practice of selfcontrol is distinguished above all other virtues. The fruits of self-control are much greater than those obtainable in all the modes of life.

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

MBh 8 47.9

तेषां लिङ्गानि वक्ष्यामि येषां समुदयो दमः। अकार्पण्यमसंरम्भः संतोष: श्रद्दधानता॥ अक्रोध आर्जवं नित्यं नातिवादोऽभिमानिता। गुरुपूजानसूया च दया भूतेष्वपैशुनम्॥ जनवादमृषावादस्तुतिनिन्दाविवर्जनम्। साधुकामश्च स्पृहयेन्नायति प्रत्ययेषु च॥

teṣāṃ liṅgāni vakṣyāmi yeṣāṃ samudayo damaḥ| akārpaṇyamasaṃrambhaḥ saṃtoṣa: śraddadhānatā|| akrodha ārjavaṃ nityaṃ nātivādo'bhimānitā| gurupūjānasūyā ca dayā bhūteṣvapaiśunam|| janavādamṛṣāvādastutinindāvivarjanam| sādhukāmaśca spṛhayennāyati pratyayeṣu ca||

I shall now describe the characteristic marks of those persons who value self-control highly. They are nobility, calmness of nature, contentment, faith, forgiveness, invariable simplicity, the absence of talk-activeness, humility, reverence for elders, benevolence, mercy for all creatures, frankness, abstention from talk upon kings and men in authority, from all false and useless topics, and from applause and censure of others. The selfcontrolled man becomes desirous of liberation and, quietly bearing present joys and griefs, is never overjoyed or depressed by prospective (Ones.

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

MBh 8 47.10

अवैरकृत् सूपचारः समो निन्दाप्रशंसयोः। सुवृत्तः शीलसम्पन्नः प्रसन्नात्मऽऽत्मवान् प्रभुः॥

avairakṛt sūpacāraḥ samo nindāpraśaṃsayoḥ| suvṛttaḥ śīlasampannaḥ prasannātma''tmavān prabhuḥ||

Shom of vindictiveness and all sorts of guile, and unaffected by praise and censure, such a man is well-behaved, has good manners is pure of soul, had fortitude, and is a complete master of his passions.

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

MBh 8 47.11

प्राप्य लोके च सत्कारं स्वर्ग वै प्रेत्य गच्छति। दुर्गमं सर्वभूतानां प्रापयन् मोदते सुखी॥

prāpya loke ca satkāraṃ svarga vai pretya gacchati| durgamaṃ sarvabhūtānāṃ prāpayan modate sukhī||

Gaining honours in this world, such a man in after life goes to heaven. Making all creatures gain what they cannot acquire without his help, such a man rejoices and becomes happy.

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

MBh 8 47.12

सर्वभूतहिते युक्तो न स्म यो द्विषते जनम्। महाह्रद इवाक्षोभ्यः प्रज्ञातृप्तः प्रसीदति॥

sarvabhūtahite yukto na sma yo dviṣate janam| mahāhrada ivākṣobhyaḥ prajñātṛptaḥ prasīdati||

Devoted to universal benevolence, such a man never feels animosity for any one. Tranquil like a calm ocean, wisdom feels his soul and he is ever cheerful.

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

MBh 8 47.13

अभयं यस्य भूतेभ्यः सर्वेषामभयं यतः। नमस्यः सर्वभूतानां दान्तो भवति बुद्धिमान्॥

abhayaṃ yasya bhūtebhyaḥ sarveṣāmabhayaṃ yataḥ| namasyaḥ sarvabhūtānāṃ dānto bhavati buddhimān||

Endued with intelligence, and deserving of universal reverence, the self-controlled man never fears any creature and is feared by no creature in return.

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

MBh 8 47.14

न हृष्यति महत्यर्थे व्यसने च न शोचति। स वै परिमितप्रज्ञः स दान्तो द्विज उच्यते॥

na hṛṣyati mahatyarthe vyasane ca na śocati| sa vai parimitaprajñaḥ sa dānto dvija ucyate||

That man who never rejoices even at large accessions and never feels sorrow when overtaken by misfortune, is said to be endued with contented wisdom. Such a man is said to he self-controlled. Indeed, such a man is said to be a twice-born man.

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

MBh 8 47.15

कर्मभिः श्रुतिसम्पन्नः सद्भिराचरितैः शुचिः। सदैव दमसंयुक्तस्तस्य भुङ्क्ते महाफलम्।।१७

karmabhiḥ śrutisampannaḥ sadbhirācaritaiḥ śuciḥ| sadaiva damasaṃyuktastasya bhuṅkte mahāphalam||17

Well-read in the scriptures and gifted with a pure soul, the man of self-controi, performing all those acts that are done by the good, enjoys their high fruits.

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

MBh 8 47.16

अनसूया क्षमा शान्तिः संतोषः प्रियवादिता। सत्यं दानमनायासो नैष मार्गो दुरात्मनाम्॥

anasūyā kṣamā śāntiḥ saṃtoṣaḥ priyavāditā| satyaṃ dānamanāyāso naiṣa mārgo durātmanām||

The wicked men, however, never follow the path of benevolence, forgiveness, tranquillity, contentment, sweetness of speech, trutli, liberality, and comfort.

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

MBh 8 47.17

कामक्रोधौ च लोभश्च परस्येाविकत्थना। कामक्रोधौ वशे कृत्वा ब्रह्मचारी जितेन्द्रियः ॥ विक्रम्य घोरे तपसि ब्राह्मणः संशितव्रतः। कालाकाङ्क्षी चरेल्लोकान् निरपाय इवात्मवान्॥

kāmakrodhau ca lobhaśca parasyeāvikatthanā| kāmakrodhau vaśe kṛtvā brahmacārī jitendriyaḥ || vikramya ghore tapasi brāhmaṇaḥ saṃśitavrataḥ| kālākāṅkṣī carellokān nirapāya ivātmavān||

They follow the path of lust, anger, cupidity, envy of others, and boastfulness. Overcoming lust and anger, practising the vow of Brahmacharya and becoming a complete master of his senses, the Brahman practising patiently the austerest penances, and observing the most rigid restraints, should live in this world, calmly waiting for his time like one seeming to have a body through fully knowing that he is not subject to destruction.

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