Mahabharata — Volume IX (Dutt edition) — Chapter 112

MBh 9 112.1

युधिष्ठिर उवाच अर्धमस्य गतिर्ब्रह्मन् कथिता मे त्वयाऽनघ। धर्मस्य तु गतिं श्रोतुमिच्छामि वदतां वर॥

yudhiṣṭhira uvāca ardhamasya gatirbrahman kathitā me tvayā'nagha| dharmasya tu gatiṃ śrotumicchāmi vadatāṃ vara||

Yudhishthira said You have told me, O twiceborn one, what the end is of virtue or sin, I wish now to hear, O foremost of speakers, of what the end is of virtue.

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

MBh 9 112.2

कृत्वा कर्माणि पापानि कथं यान्ति शुभां गतिम्। कर्मणा च कृतेनेह केन यान्ति शुभां गतिम्॥

kṛtvā karmāṇi pāpāni kathaṃ yānti śubhāṃ gatim| karmaṇā ca kṛteneha kena yānti śubhāṃ gatim||

Having committed various sinful deeds, by what acts do people succeed in acquiring an auspicious end in this world? By what acts also, do people acquire auspicious end in the celestial region?

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

MBh 9 112.3

बृहस्पतिरुवाच कृत्वा पापानि कर्माणि अधर्मवशमागतः। मनसा विपरीतेन निरयं प्रतिपद्यते॥

bṛhaspatiruvāca kṛtvā pāpāni karmāṇi adharmavaśamāgataḥ| manasā viparītena nirayaṃ pratipadyate||

Brihaspati said By committing sinful deeds with perverted mind, one gives way to the influence of sin, and accordingly goes to Hell.

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

MBh 9 112.4

मोहादधर्मं यः कृत्वा पुनः समनुतप्यते। मन:समाधिसंयुक्तो न स सेवेते दुष्कृतम्॥ यथा यथा मनस्तस्य दुष्कृतं कर्म गर्हते। तथा तथा शरीर तु तेनाधर्मेण मुच्यते॥

mohādadharmaṃ yaḥ kṛtvā punaḥ samanutapyate| mana:samādhisaṃyukto na sa sevete duṣkṛtam|| yathā yathā manastasya duṣkṛtaṃ karma garhate| tathā tathā śarīra tu tenādharmeṇa mucyate||

That man who having perpetrated sinful deeds through stupefaction of mind, feels the pangs of repentance and sets his heart on meditation (of the deity), has not to suffer the consequences of his sins. One becomes freed from his sins inasmuch as he repents for them.

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

MBh 9 112.5

यदि व्याहरते राजन् विप्राणां धर्मवादिनाम्। ततोऽधर्मकृतात् क्षिप्रमवादात् प्रमुच्यते॥

yadi vyāharate rājan viprāṇāṃ dharmavādinām| tato'dharmakṛtāt kṣipramavādāt pramucyate||

If one having committed a sin, O king, mentions it before Brahmanas conversant with a duties, he speedily becomes freed from the obloquy arising from his sin.

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

MBh 9 112.6

यथा यथा नरः सम्यगधर्ममनुभाषते। समाहितेन मनसा विमुच्येत तथा तथा। भुजङ्ग इव निर्मोकात् पूर्वमुक्ताज्जरान्वितात्॥

yathā yathā naraḥ samyagadharmamanubhāṣate| samāhitena manasā vimucyeta tathā tathā| bhujaṅga iva nirmokāt pūrvamuktājjarānvitāt||

Accordingly as one mentions his sins, fully or otherwise, with concentrated mind, he becomes cleansed there from fully or otherwise, like a snake freed from his diseased slough.

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

MBh 9 112.7

दत्त्वा विप्रस्य दानानि विविधानि समाहितः। मन:समाधिसंयुक्तः सुगति प्रतिपद्यते॥

dattvā viprasya dānāni vividhāni samāhitaḥ| mana:samādhisaṃyuktaḥ sugati pratipadyate||

By making with a concentrated mind, gifts of various kinds to Brahmana, and concentrating the mind (on the deity), one attains to an auspicious end.

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

MBh 9 112.8

प्रदानानि तु वक्ष्यामि यानि दत्त्वा युधिष्ठिर। नरः कृत्वाप्यकार्याणि ततो धर्मेण युज्यते॥

pradānāni tu vakṣyāmi yāni dattvā yudhiṣṭhira| naraḥ kṛtvāpyakāryāṇi tato dharmeṇa yujyate||

I shall now tell you what those gifts are, o Yudhishthira, by making which a person, even if guilty of having committed sinful deeds, may become gifted with merit.

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

MBh 9 112.9

सर्वेषामेव दानानामन्नं श्रेष्ठमुदाहृतम्। पूर्वमन्नं प्रदातव्यमृजुना धर्ममिच्छता॥

sarveṣāmeva dānānāmannaṃ śreṣṭhamudāhṛtam| pūrvamannaṃ pradātavyamṛjunā dharmamicchatā||

Of all kinds of gifts, that of food is considered as the best. One desirous of acquiring merit should, with a sincere heart, make gifts of food.

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

MBh 9 112.10

प्राणा ह्यन्नं मनुष्याणां तस्माज्जन्तुश्च जायते। अन्ने प्रतिष्ठितो लोकस्तस्मादनं प्रशस्यते॥

prāṇā hyannaṃ manuṣyāṇāṃ tasmājjantuśca jāyate| anne pratiṣṭhito lokastasmādanaṃ praśasyate||

Food is the vital air of men. From it all creatures originate. All the worlds of living creatures are established upon food. Hence food is highly spoken of.

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

MBh 9 112.11

अन्नमेव प्रशंसन्ति देवर्षिपितृमानवाः। अन्नस्य हि प्रदानेन रन्तिदेवो दिवं गतः॥

annameva praśaṃsanti devarṣipitṛmānavāḥ| annasya hi pradānena rantidevo divaṃ gataḥ||

The deities Rishis, departed manes, and men, all praise food. Formerly king Rantideva, proceeded to the celestial region by making gifts of food.

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

MBh 9 112.12

न्यायलब्धं प्रदातव्यं द्विजातिभ्योऽन्नमुत्तमम्। स्वाध्यायं समुपेतेभ्यः प्रहृष्टेनान्तरात्मना॥

nyāyalabdhaṃ pradātavyaṃ dvijātibhyo'nnamuttamam| svādhyāyaṃ samupetebhyaḥ prahṛṣṭenāntarātmanā||

Good food that has been acquired by fair means, should be given with a cheerful heart, lo Brahmanas possessed of Vedic learning.

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

MBh 9 112.13

यस्य ह्यन्नमुपाश्नन्ति ब्राह्मणानां शतं दशं। हृष्टेन मनसा दत्तं न स तिर्यग्गतिर्भवेत्॥

yasya hyannamupāśnanti brāhmaṇānāṃ śataṃ daśaṃ| hṛṣṭena manasā dattaṃ na sa tiryaggatirbhavet||

That man, whose food, given with a cheerful heart, is taken by a is taken by a thousand Brahmanas, has never to take birth in an intermediate order.

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

MBh 9 112.14

ब्राह्मणानां सहस्राणि दश भोज्य नरर्षभ। नरोऽधर्मात् प्रमुच्येत योगेष्वभिरतः सदा॥

brāhmaṇānāṃ sahasrāṇi daśa bhojya nararṣabha| naro'dharmāt pramucyeta yogeṣvabhirataḥ sadā||

A person, O king, by feeding ten thousand Brahmanas, becomes cleansed of sin and devoted to Yoga practices.

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

MBh 9 112.15

भैक्ष्येणान्नं समाहृत्य विप्रो वेदपुरस्कृतः। स्वाध्यायनिरते विप्रे दत्त्वेह सुखमेधते॥

bhaikṣyeṇānnaṃ samāhṛtya vipro vedapuraskṛtaḥ| svādhyāyanirate vipre dattveha sukhamedhate||

A Brahmana knowing the Vedas, by giving away food acquired by him as alms, to a Brahmana devoted to the study of the Vedas, succeeds in acquiring happiness here.

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

MBh 9 112.16

अहिंसन् ब्राह्मणस्वानि न्यायेन परिपाल्य च। क्षत्रियस्तरसा प्राप्तमन्नं यो वै प्रयच्छति॥ द्विजेभ्यो वेदवृद्धेभ्यः प्रयत: सुसमाहितः। तेनोपोहति धर्मात्मन् दुष्कृतं कर्म पाण्डव॥

ahiṃsan brāhmaṇasvāni nyāyena paripālya ca| kṣatriyastarasā prāptamannaṃ yo vai prayacchati|| dvijebhyo vedavṛddhebhyaḥ prayata: susamāhitaḥ| tenopohati dharmātman duṣkṛtaṃ karma pāṇḍava||

That Kshatriya who, without taking anything belonging to a Brahmana, protects his subjects lawfully, and makes gifts of food, obtained by his strength. to Brahmanas foremost in Vedic knowledge, with concentrated heart, succeeds by such conduci, O you of righteous soul in cleansing himself, O son of Pandu, of all his sinful deeds.

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

MBh 9 112.17

षड्भागपरिशुद्धं च कृपेर्भागमुपार्जितम्। वैश्यो ददद् द्विजातिभ्यः पापेभ्यः परिमुच्यते॥

ṣaḍbhāgapariśuddhaṃ ca kṛperbhāgamupārjitam| vaiśyo dadad dvijātibhyaḥ pāpebhyaḥ parimucyate||

Thai Vaishya who divides the produce of his fields into six equal parts and makes of gift a one of those shares to Brahmanas, succeeds by such conduct in cleansing himself from every sin.

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

MBh 9 112.18

अवाप्य प्राणसंदेहं कार्कश्येन समार्जितम्। अन्नं दत्त्वा द्विजातिभ्यः शूद्रः पापात्प्रमुच्यते॥

avāpya prāṇasaṃdehaṃ kārkaśyena samārjitam| annaṃ dattvā dvijātibhyaḥ śūdraḥ pāpātpramucyate||

That Shudra who acquiring food by hard labour and at the risk of life itself, makes a gift of it to Brahmanas, becomes purged off of every sin.

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

MBh 9 112.19

औरसेन बलेनान्नमर्जयित्वाविहिंसकः। यः प्रयच्छति विप्रेभ्यो न स दुर्गाणि पश्यति॥

aurasena balenānnamarjayitvāvihiṃsakaḥ| yaḥ prayacchati viprebhyo na sa durgāṇi paśyati||

That man who, by dint of his physical strength acquires food without doing any act of injury to any creature, and makes gift of it to Brahmanas, succeeds in avoiding all calamities.

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

MBh 9 112.20

न्यायेनैवाप्तमन्नं तु नरो हर्षसमन्वितः। द्विजेभ्यो वेदवृद्धेभ्यो दत्त्वा पापात् प्रमुच्यते॥

nyāyenaivāptamannaṃ tu naro harṣasamanvitaḥ| dvijebhyo vedavṛddhebhyo dattvā pāpāt pramucyate||

A person by cheerfully making gifts of food acquired by fair means to Brahmans pereminent for Vedic learning, becomes purged off of all his sins.

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

MBh 9 112.21

अन्नपूर्जस्करं लोके दत्त्वोर्जस्वी भवेन्नरः। सतां पन्थानमावृत्य सर्वपापैः प्रमुच्यते॥

annapūrjaskaraṃ loke dattvorjasvī bhavennaraḥ| satāṃ panthānamāvṛtya sarvapāpaiḥ pramucyate||

By treading in the path of the pious, one becomes freed from all sins, A person by making gifts of such food as creates great energy becomes himself endued with great energy.

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

MBh 9 112.22

दानवद्भिः कृतः पन्था येन यान्ति मनीषिणः। ते हि प्राणस्य दातारस्तेभ्यो धर्मः सनातनः॥

dānavadbhiḥ kṛtaḥ panthā yena yānti manīṣiṇaḥ| te hi prāṇasya dātārastebhyo dharmaḥ sanātanaḥ||

The path made by charitable persons, is always trod by the wise. They who make gifts of food, are considered as givers of life. The merit they acquire by such gifts, is eternal.

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

MBh 9 112.23

सर्वावस्थं मनुष्येण न्यायेनान्नमुपार्जितम्। कार्यं पात्रागतं नित्यमन्नं हि परमा गतिः॥

sarvāvasthaṃ manuṣyeṇa nyāyenānnamupārjitam| kāryaṃ pātrāgataṃ nityamannaṃ hi paramā gatiḥ||

Hence, person should, under all circumstances, seek to acquire food by fair means, and having got it to make always gifts of it to worthy men. Food is the great support of living creatures.

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

MBh 9 112.24

अन्नस्य हि प्रदानेन नरो रौद्रं न सेवते। तस्मादन्नं प्रदातव्यमन्यायपरिवर्जितम्॥

annasya hi pradānena naro raudraṃ na sevate| tasmādannaṃ pradātavyamanyāyaparivarjitam||

By making gifts of food, one has never to go to hell. Hence one should always make gifts of food, having got it by fair means. a

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

MBh 9 112.25

यतेद् ब्राह्मणपूर्वं हि भोक्तुमन्नं गृही सदा। अवन्ध्यं दिवसं कुर्यादन्नदानेन मानवः॥

yated brāhmaṇapūrvaṃ hi bhoktumannaṃ gṛhī sadā| avandhyaṃ divasaṃ kuryādannadānena mānavaḥ||

The householder should always try to eat after having made a gift of food to a Brahmana. Every man should make the day fruitful by making gifts of food.

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

MBh 9 112.26

भोजयित्वा दशशतं नरो वेदविदां नृप। न्यायविद्धर्मविदुषामितिहासविदां तथा॥ न याति नरकं घोरं संसारांश्च न सेवते। सर्वकामसमायुक्तः प्रेत्य चाप्यश्नुते सुखम्॥

bhojayitvā daśaśataṃ naro vedavidāṃ nṛpa| nyāyaviddharmaviduṣāmitihāsavidāṃ tathā|| na yāti narakaṃ ghoraṃ saṃsārāṃśca na sevate| sarvakāmasamāyuktaḥ pretya cāpyaśnute sukham||

A person by feeding, O king a thousand Brahmanas who are all conversant with duties and the scriptures and the sacred histories, has not to go to Hell and to return to this world for going through rebirths. Gifted with the fruition of every desire he enjoys great happiness in the next world.

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

MBh 9 112.27

एवं खलु समायुक्तो रमते विगतज्वरः। रूपवान् कीर्तिमांश्चैव धनवांश्चोपपद्यते॥

evaṃ khalu samāyukto ramate vigatajvaraḥ| rūpavān kīrtimāṃścaiva dhanavāṃścopapadyate||

Gifted with such merit, he sports in happiness, freed from every anxiety, possessed of personal beauty and great fame and endued with wealth.

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

MBh 9 112.28

एतत् ते सर्वमाख्यातमन्नदानफलं महत्। मूलमेतत् तु धर्माणां प्रदानानां च भारता॥

etat te sarvamākhyātamannadānaphalaṃ mahat| mūlametat tu dharmāṇāṃ pradānānāṃ ca bhāratā||

I have thus told you all about the great merit of gifts of food. This is the root of all virtue and merit, as also of all gifts, O Bharata.

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