Mahabharata — Volume VIII (Dutt edition) — Chapter 99

MBh 8 99.1

युधिष्ठिर उवाच बहूनां यज्ञतपसामेकार्थानां पितामह। धर्मार्थं न सुखार्थार्थं कथं यज्ञः समाहितः॥

yudhiṣṭhira uvāca bahūnāṃ yajñatapasāmekārthānāṃ pitāmaha| dharmārthaṃ na sukhārthārthaṃ kathaṃ yajñaḥ samāhitaḥ||

Yudhishthira said Of all sorts of sacrifices, all of which, of course, are said to have but one object, tell me, O grandfather, what that sacrifice is which has been ordained for only the sake of virtue and not for the acquisition of either heaven or riches.

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

MBh 8 99.2

भीष्म उवाच अत्र ते वर्तयिष्यामि नारदेनानुकीर्तितम्। उच्छवृत्तेः पुरावृत्तं यज्ञा ब्राह्मणस्य च॥

bhīṣma uvāca atra te vartayiṣyāmi nāradenānukīrtitam| ucchavṛtteḥ purāvṛttaṃ yajñā brāhmaṇasya ca||

Bhishma said Regarding it I shall relate to you the history, formerly recited by Narada, of a Brahmana who for celebrating sacrifices, lived like a beggar.

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

MBh 8 99.3

नारद उवाच राष्ट्रे धर्मोत्तरे श्रेष्ठे विदर्भेष्वभवद् द्विजः। उच्छवृत्तिर्ऋषिः कश्चिद् यज्ञं यष्टुं समादधे॥

nārada uvāca rāṣṭre dharmottare śreṣṭhe vidarbheṣvabhavad dvijaḥ| ucchavṛttirṛṣiḥ kaścid yajñaṃ yaṣṭuṃ samādadhe||

Narada said In one of the foremost of kingdins that was known for virtue, there lived a Brahmana. Devoted to penances and living like a wretched beggar, that Brahmana was earnestly engaged in worshipping Vishnu in sacrifices.

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

MBh 8 99.4

श्यामाकमशनं तत्र सूर्यपर्णी सुवर्चला। तिक्तं च विरसं शाकं तपसा स्वादुतां गतम्॥

śyāmākamaśanaṃ tatra sūryaparṇī suvarcalā| tiktaṃ ca virasaṃ śākaṃ tapasā svādutāṃ gatam||

He had Shyamaka for his food, as also Suryaparni and Suvarchala and other kinds of potherbs that were bitter and distasteful. for his penances, all these tasted sweet.

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

MBh 8 99.5

उपगम्य वने सिद्धिं सर्वभूताविहिंसया। अपि मूलफलैरिष्टो यज्ञः स्वर्यः परंतप॥

upagamya vane siddhiṃ sarvabhūtāvihiṃsayā| api mūlaphalairiṣṭo yajñaḥ svaryaḥ paraṃtapa||

Not injuring any creature, and leading the life of a forest recluse, he acquired ascetic success. With roots and fruits, O scorcher of foes, he used to worship Vishnu in sacrifices that were intended to bestow heaven upon him.

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

MBh 8 99.6

तस्य भार्या व्रतकृशा शुचिः पुष्करधारिणी। यज्ञपत्नी समानीता सत्येनानुविधीयते॥ सा तु शापपरित्रस्ता तत्स्वभावानुवर्तिनी। मायूरजीर्णपर्णानां वस्त्रं तस्याश्च वर्णितम्॥

tasya bhāryā vratakṛśā śuciḥ puṣkaradhāriṇī| yajñapatnī samānītā satyenānuvidhīyate|| sā tu śāpaparitrastā tatsvabhāvānuvartinī| māyūrajīrṇaparṇānāṃ vastraṃ tasyāśca varṇitam||

The Brahmana, whose name was Satya, had a wife namely Pushkaradharini. She was pureminded, and had emaciated herself by practising many austere vows. She did not, however, approve of the conduct of her husband. Summoned, however, to sit by him as his wife (in a sacrifice), she feared to incur his curse and, therefore, comported herself with his conduct. The garments that covered her body consisted of the plumes of peacocks.

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

MBh 8 99.7

अकामया कृतस्तत्र यज्ञो होत्रनुशासनात्। शुक्रस्य पुनराजातिः पर्णादो नाम धर्मवित्॥ तस्मिन् वने समीपस्थो मृगोऽभूत् सहवासिकः। वचोभिरब्रवीत् सत्यं त्वयेदं दुष्कृतं कृतम्॥ यदि मन्त्रागहीनोऽयं यज्ञो भवति वै कृतः। मां भोः प्रक्षिप होत्रे त्वं गच्छ स्वर्गमनिन्दितः॥

akāmayā kṛtastatra yajño hotranuśāsanāt| śukrasya punarājātiḥ parṇādo nāma dharmavit|| tasmin vane samīpastho mṛgo'bhūt sahavāsikaḥ| vacobhirabravīt satyaṃ tvayedaṃ duṣkṛtaṃ kṛtam|| yadi mantrāgahīno'yaṃ yajño bhavati vai kṛtaḥ| māṃ bhoḥ prakṣipa hotre tvaṃ gaccha svargamaninditaḥ||

Although reluctant she still celebrated that sacrifice at the command of her husband who had become its Hotri. In that forest, near to the Brahmana's hermitage, lived a neighbour of his, viz., the virtuous Parnada of Shukra's race, having assumed the form of a deer. He addressed that Brahmana, whose name was Satya. in open words and said to him:-You would be acting very improperly, if this sacrifice of yours were accomplished being defective in Mantras and other particulars of ritual! I, therefore, ask you to kill and cut me into pieces for making libations therewith on your sacrificial fire! Do this and becoming blameless go to heaven!

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

MBh 8 99.8

ततस्तु यज्ञे सावित्री साक्षात् तं संन्यमन्त्रयत्। निमन्त्रयन्ती प्रत्युक्ता न हन्यां सहवासिनम्॥

tatastu yajñe sāvitrī sākṣāt taṃ saṃnyamantrayat| nimantrayantī pratyuktā na hanyāṃ sahavāsinam||

Then the presiding goddess of the solar disc, viz., Savitri, came to that sacrifice in her incarnate form and insisted upon that Brahmana in doing what he was desired by that deer to do. The Brahmana said to that goddess, however, who thus insisted,-I shall not kill this deer who lives with me in this same neighbourhood!

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

MBh 8 99.9

एवमुक्ता निवृत्ता सा प्रविष्टा यज्ञपावकम्। किं नु दुश्चरितं यज्ञे दिदृक्षुः सा रसातलम्॥

evamuktā nivṛttā sā praviṣṭā yajñapāvakam| kiṃ nu duścaritaṃ yajñe didṛkṣuḥ sā rasātalam||

Thus addressed by the Brahmana, the goddess Savitri desisted and entered the sacrificial fire from desire of seeing the nether world, and wishing to avoid the sight of other short-comings in that sacrifice.

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

MBh 8 99.10

स तु बद्धाञ्जलिं सत्यमयाचद्धरिणः पुनः। सत्येन स परिष्वज्य संदिष्टो गम्यतामिति॥

sa tu baddhāñjaliṃ satyamayācaddhariṇaḥ punaḥ| satyena sa pariṣvajya saṃdiṣṭo gamyatāmiti||

The deer then, with joined hands, again begged of Satya for that. Satya, however, embraced him in friendship and sent him away,-Go!

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

MBh 8 99.11

ततः स हरिणो गत्वा पदान्यष्टौ न्यवर्तत। साधु हिंसय मां सत्य हतो यास्यामि सद्गतिम्॥

tataḥ sa hariṇo gatvā padānyaṣṭau nyavartata| sādhu hiṃsaya māṃ satya hato yāsyāmi sadgatim||

At this, the deer seemed to leave that place. But after he had gone eight steps he came back and said,-Verily, do you kill me! Truly do I say, killed by you I am sure to attain to a pious end!

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

MBh 8 99.12

पश्य ह्यप्सरसो दिव्या मया दत्तेन चक्षुषा। विमानानि विचित्राणि गन्धर्वाणां महात्मनाम्॥

paśya hyapsaraso divyā mayā dattena cakṣuṣā| vimānāni vicitrāṇi gandharvāṇāṃ mahātmanām||

I give you (spiritual) vision. Behold the celestial Apsaras and the handsome cars of the great Gandharvas!

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

MBh 8 99.13

ततः स सुचिरं दृष्ट्वा स्पृहालग्नेन चक्षुषा। मृगमालोक्य हिंसायां स्वर्गवासं समर्थयत्॥

tataḥ sa suciraṃ dṛṣṭvā spṛhālagnena cakṣuṣā| mṛgamālokya hiṃsāyāṃ svargavāsaṃ samarthayat||

Seeing (that spectacle) for a long time, with longing eyes, and seeing the deer and thinking that living in heaven can be acquired by only slaughter, he approved (of it).

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

MBh 8 99.14

स तु धर्मो मृगो भूत्वा बहुवर्षोषितो वने। तस्य निष्कृतिमाधत्त न त्वसौ यज्ञसंविधिः॥

sa tu dharmo mṛgo bhūtvā bahuvarṣoṣito vane| tasya niṣkṛtimādhatta na tvasau yajñasaṃvidhiḥ||

It was Dharına himself who had become a deer that lived in that forest for many years. Dharma provided for his salvation and advised him, saying,-This (destruction of living creatures) is not according to the ordinances about Sacrifice..

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

MBh 8 99.15

तस्य तेनानुभावेन मृगहिंसात्मनस्तदा। तपो महत्समुच्छिन्नं तसमाद्धिंसा न यज्ञिया।॥

tasya tenānubhāvena mṛgahiṃsātmanastadā| tapo mahatsamucchinnaṃ tasamāddhiṃsā na yajñiyā|||

The penances, which had been of very great measure, of that Brahmana whose mind had cherished the desire of killing the deer, diminished greatly on account of that thought itself. The injuring of living creatures, therefore, is no part of sacrifice.

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

MBh 8 99.16

ततस्तं भगवान् धर्मो यज्ञं याजयत स्वयम्। समाधानं च भार्याया लेभे स तपसा परम्॥

tatastaṃ bhagavān dharmo yajñaṃ yājayata svayam| samādhānaṃ ca bhāryāyā lebhe sa tapasā param||

Then the illustrious Dharma, himself assisted that Brahmana, by acting as the priest, to perforin a sacrifice. The Brahmana, after this, on account of his penances, attained to the same state of mind with his wife.

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

MBh 8 99.17

अहिंसा सकलो धर्मो हिंसाधर्मस्तथाहितः। सत्यं तेऽहं प्रवक्ष्यामि यो धर्मः सत्यवादिनाम्॥

ahiṃsā sakalo dharmo hiṃsādharmastathāhitaḥ| satyaṃ te'haṃ pravakṣyāmi yo dharmaḥ satyavādinām||

Abstention from injury is the religion which is perfect about its rewards. The religion of cruelty is only so far beneficial that it leads to heaven. I have described to you the religion of Truth which, indeed, is the religion of those who utter Brahma.

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