Mahabharata — Volume IX (Dutt edition) — Chapter 120

MBh 9 120.1

युधिष्ठिर उवाच विद्या तपश्च दानं च किमेतेषां विशिष्यते। पृच्छामि त्वां सतां श्रेष्ठ तन्मे ब्रूहि पितामह॥

yudhiṣṭhira uvāca vidyā tapaśca dānaṃ ca kimeteṣāṃ viśiṣyate| pṛcchāmi tvāṃ satāṃ śreṣṭha tanme brūhi pitāmaha||

Yudhishthira said Which amongst these three is superior, viz.,. knowledge, Penances, and Gifts? I ask foremost of pious men. Tell me this, O grandfather.

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

MBh 9 120.2

भीष्म उवाच अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम्। मैत्रेयस्य च संवादं कृष्णद्वैपायनस्य च।॥

bhīṣma uvāca atrāpyudāharantīmamitihāsaṃ purātanam| maitreyasya ca saṃvādaṃ kṛṣṇadvaipāyanasya ca|||

Bhishma said Regarding it is cited the old conversation between Maitreya and Krishna Dvaipayana.

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

MBh 9 120.3

कृष्णद्वैपायनो राजन्नज्ञातचरितं चरन्। वाराणस्यामुपातिष्ठन्मैत्रेयं स्वैरिणीकुले॥

kṛṣṇadvaipāyano rājannajñātacaritaṃ caran| vārāṇasyāmupātiṣṭhanmaitreyaṃ svairiṇīkule||

Once on a time Krishna Dvaipayana, O king, while wandering over the world in disguisc, proceeded to Varanasi and waited tipon Maitreya who belonged by birth to a race of ascetics.

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

MBh 9 120.4

तमुपस्थितमासीनं ज्ञात्वा स मुनिसत्तम। अर्चित्वा भोजयामास मैत्रेयोऽशनमुत्तमम्॥

tamupasthitamāsīnaṃ jñātvā sa munisattama| arcitvā bhojayāmāsa maitreyo'śanamuttamam||

Seeing Vyasa arrive, that foremost of Rishis viz., Maitreya, gave him a seat and after adoring him with due rites, entertained him with excellent food.

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

MBh 9 120.5

तदन्नमुत्तमं भुक्त्वा गुणवत् सार्वकामिकम्। प्रतिष्ठमानोस्मयत प्रीतः कृष्णो महामनाः॥

tadannamuttamaṃ bhuktvā guṇavat sārvakāmikam| pratiṣṭhamānosmayata prītaḥ kṛṣṇo mahāmanāḥ||

Having eaten that good food which was very wholesome and which gave every kind of ratification the great Krishna become highly pleased and as he sat there, he even laughed aloud.

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

MBh 9 120.6

तमुत्स्मयन्तं सम्प्रेक्ष्य मैत्रेयः कृष्णमब्रवीत्। कारणं ब्रूहि धर्मात्मन् व्यस्मयिष्ठाः कुतश्च ते॥

tamutsmayantaṃ samprekṣya maitreyaḥ kṛṣṇamabravīt| kāraṇaṃ brūhi dharmātman vyasmayiṣṭhāḥ kutaśca te||

Seeing Krishna laugh, Maitreya addressed him. saying Tell me, O Righteous souled one, what the reason is of your laughter! You are an ascetic, gifted with power to control your emotions. Great joy, it appears has come over yoll.

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

MBh 9 120.7

तपस्विनो धृतिमतः प्रमोदः समुपागतः। एतत् पृच्छामि ते विद्वन्नभिवाद्य प्रणम्य च॥

tapasvino dhṛtimataḥ pramodaḥ samupāgataḥ| etat pṛcchāmi te vidvannabhivādya praṇamya ca||

Saluting you and adoring you with bent head, I ask you this viz., what the power is of my penances and what the high blessedness is that is yours.

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

MBh 9 120.8

आत्मनश्च तपोभाग्यं महाभाग्यं तवेह च। पृथगाचरतस्तात पृथगात्मसुखात्मनोः। अल्पान्तरमहं मन्ये विशिष्टमपि चान्वयात्॥

ātmanaśca tapobhāgyaṃ mahābhāgyaṃ taveha ca| pṛthagācaratastāta pṛthagātmasukhātmanoḥ| alpāntaramahaṃ manye viśiṣṭamapi cānvayāt||

The acts I do are different from those of yours. You are already emancipated though alive. I however am not yet freed. For all that, I think that there is not much difference between you and me. I am, again distinguished by birth.

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

MBh 9 120.9

व्यास उवाच अतिच्छन्दातिवादाभ्यां स्मयोऽयं समुपागतः। असत्यं वेदवचनं कस्माद् वेदोऽनृतं वेदत्॥

vyāsa uvāca aticchandātivādābhyāṃ smayo'yaṃ samupāgataḥ| asatyaṃ vedavacanaṃ kasmād vedo'nṛtaṃ vedat||

Vyasa said This wonder that has filled me, has originated from an ordinance which appears like a hyperbole for the comprehension of the people. The declaration of the Vedas seems to be untrue. But why should the Vedas say an untruth?

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

MBh 9 120.10

त्रीण्येव तु पदान्याहुः पुरुषस्योत्तमं व्रतम्। न दुह्येच्चैव दद्याच्च सत्यं चैव परं वदेत्॥

trīṇyeva tu padānyāhuḥ puruṣasyottamaṃ vratam| na duhyeccaiva dadyācca satyaṃ caiva paraṃ vadet||

It has been said that there are three roads which form the best vows of a man. One should never injure; one should always tell the truth; and one should make gift.

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

MBh 9 120.11

इति वेदोक्तमृषिभिः पुरस्तात् परिकल्पितम्। इदानीं चैव नः कृत्यं पुरस्ताच्च परिश्रुतम्॥

iti vedoktamṛṣibhiḥ purastāt parikalpitam| idānīṃ caiva naḥ kṛtyaṃ purastācca pariśrutam||

The Rishis of old said this, following the ordinances laid down in the Vedas. These injunctions of yore, should certainly be followed by us even in our times.

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

MBh 9 120.12

अल्पोऽपि तादृशो दायो भवत्युत महाफलः। तृषिताय च ते दत्तं हृदयेनानसूयता॥

alpo'pi tādṛśo dāyo bhavatyuta mahāphalaḥ| tṛṣitāya ca te dattaṃ hṛdayenānasūyatā||

Even a small gift, made under the circumstances laid down, yields great fruits. You have given a little water with a sincere heart to a thirsty man.

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

MBh 9 120.13

तृषितस्तृषिताय त्वं दत्त्वैतद् दर्शनं मम। अजैषीमहतो लोकान् महायज्ञैरिव प्रभो॥

tṛṣitastṛṣitāya tvaṃ dattvaitad darśanaṃ mama| ajaiṣīmahato lokān mahāyajñairiva prabho||

Yourself thirsty and hungry, you have by giving me such food, conquered many high regions of happiness, O powerful one, as one does by many sacrifices.

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

MBh 9 120.14

ततो दानपवित्रेण प्रीतोऽस्मि तपसैव च। पुण्यस्यैव हि ते सत्त्वं पुण्यस्यैव च दर्शनम्॥

tato dānapavitreṇa prīto'smi tapasaiva ca| puṇyasyaiva hi te sattvaṃ puṇyasyaiva ca darśanam||

I am greatly delighted with your very sacred gift as also with your penances. Your power is that of virtue. Your appearance is that of virtue.

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

MBh 9 120.15

पुण्यस्यैवाभिगन्धस्ते मन्ये कर्मविधानजम्। अधिकं मार्जनात् तात तथा चैवानुलेपनात्॥ शुभं सर्वपवित्रेभ्यो दानमेव परं द्विजा नो चेत् सर्वपवित्रेभ्यो दानमेव परं भवेत्॥

puṇyasyaivābhigandhaste manye karmavidhānajam| adhikaṃ mārjanāt tāta tathā caivānulepanāt|| śubhaṃ sarvapavitrebhyo dānameva paraṃ dvijā no cet sarvapavitrebhyo dānameva paraṃ bhavet||

The fragrance of virtue, is about you. I think that all your acts are performed according to the ordinance. O son, gift is superior to ablutions in sacred waters and to the accomplishment of all Vedic vows. Indeed, O Brahmana, gift is inore auspicious than all religious rites. If it be not more meritorious than all religious rites, there can be no question about its superiority.

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

MBh 9 120.16

यानीमान्युत्तमानीह वेदोक्तानि प्रशंससि। तेषां श्रेष्ठतरं दानमिति मे नात्र संशयः॥

yānīmānyuttamānīha vedoktāni praśaṃsasi| teṣāṃ śreṣṭhataraṃ dānamiti me nātra saṃśayaḥ||

All those rites laid down in the Vedas which you highly speak of, do not equal a gift for, gift is undoubtedly fraught with very superior merit.

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

MBh 9 120.17

दानकृद्भिः कृतः पन्था येन यान्ति मनीषिणः। ते हि प्राणस्य दातारस्तेषु धर्मः प्रतिष्ठितः॥

dānakṛdbhiḥ kṛtaḥ panthā yena yānti manīṣiṇaḥ| te hi prāṇasya dātārasteṣu dharmaḥ pratiṣṭhitaḥ||

The road that has been made by those men, who make gifts is the road that is trodden by the wise. They who make gifts are considered as givers of even the life-breaths. The duties that forin virtue are established in them.

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

MBh 9 120.18

यथा वेदाः स्वधीताश्च यथा चेन्द्रियसंयमः। सर्वत्यागो यथा चेह तथा दानमनुत्तमम्॥

yathā vedāḥ svadhītāśca yathā cendriyasaṃyamaḥ| sarvatyāgo yathā ceha tathā dānamanuttamam||

As the Vedas when well-studied, as the controlling of the senses, as a life of universal Renunciation, so is gift which is fraught with very superior merit.

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

MBh 9 120.19

त्वं हि तात महाबुद्धे सुखमेष्यसि शोभनम्। सुखात् सुखतरप्राप्तिमाप्नुते मतिमान्नरः॥

tvaṃ hi tāta mahābuddhe sukhameṣyasi śobhanam| sukhāt sukhataraprāptimāpnute matimānnaraḥ||

You, O son will rise from joy to greater joy (for performing the duty of making gifts.). The intelligent man certainly rises from joy to greater joy.

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

MBh 9 120.20

तन्नः प्रत्यक्षमेवेदमुपलभ्यमसंशयम्। श्रीमन्तः प्राप्नुवन्त्यर्थान् दानं यज्ञं तथा सुखम्॥

tannaḥ pratyakṣamevedamupalabhyamasaṃśayam| śrīmantaḥ prāpnuvantyarthān dānaṃ yajñaṃ tathā sukham||

We have undoubtedly seen many instances of this men gifted with prosperity succeed in acquiring riches, making gifts celebrating sacrifices, and acquiring happiness as the result thereof.

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

MBh 9 120.21

सुखादेव परं दुःखं दुःखादप्यपरं सुखम्। दृश्यते हि महाप्राज्ञ नियतं वै स्वभावतः॥

sukhādeva paraṃ duḥkhaṃ duḥkhādapyaparaṃ sukham| dṛśyate hi mahāprājña niyataṃ vai svabhāvataḥ||

It is always observed, O you of great wisdom to happen naturally that happiness is followed by misery, and misery is followed by happiness.

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

MBh 9 120.22

त्रिविधानीह वृत्तानि नरस्याहुर्मनीषिणः। पुण्यमन्यत् पापमन्यन्न पुण्यं न च पापकम्॥

trividhānīha vṛttāni narasyāhurmanīṣiṇaḥ| puṇyamanyat pāpamanyanna puṇyaṃ na ca pāpakam||

Wise men have said that human beings in this world have three kinds of conduct. Some are righteous; some are sinful; and some are neither righteous nor sinful.

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

MBh 9 120.23

न वृत्तं मन्यते तस्य मन्यते न च पातकम्। तथा स्वकर्मनिर्वृत्तं न पुण्यं न च पापकम्॥

na vṛttaṃ manyate tasya manyate na ca pātakam| tathā svakarmanirvṛttaṃ na puṇyaṃ na ca pāpakam||

The conduct of the person who is devoted to Brahman is not considered either way. His sins are never considered as sins. So also the man who is devoted to the duties laid down for him, is considered as neither pious nor sinful.

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

MBh 9 120.24

यज्ञदानतपःशीला नरा वै पुण्यकर्मिणः। येऽभिद्रुह्यन्ति भूतानि ते वै पापकृतो जनाः॥

yajñadānatapaḥśīlā narā vai puṇyakarmiṇaḥ| ye'bhidruhyanti bhūtāni te vai pāpakṛto janāḥ||

Those men who are devoted to sacrifices, gifts, and penances, are considered as pious. These, however who injure other creatures and are unfriendly to them are considered sinful.

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

MBh 9 120.25

द्रव्याण्याददते चैव दुःखं यान्ति पतन्ति च। ततोऽन्यत् कर्म यत्किचिन्न पुण्यं न च पातकम्॥२६

dravyāṇyādadate caiva duḥkhaṃ yānti patanti ca| tato'nyat karma yatkicinna puṇyaṃ na ca pātakam||26

There are some men who appropriate others properties. These certainly fall into Hell and meet with misery. All other acts that men do are indifferent, being considered as neither righteous nor sinful.

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

MBh 9 120.26

रमस्वैधस्व मोदस्व देहि चैव यजस्व च। न त्वामभिभविष्यन्ति वैद्या न च तपस्विनः॥

ramasvaidhasva modasva dehi caiva yajasva ca| na tvāmabhibhaviṣyanti vaidyā na ca tapasvinaḥ||

Do you sport and grow and rejoice and make gifts and celebrated sacrifices. Neither men of knowledge nor those gifted with penances will then be able to get the better of you.

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

MBh 9 120.27

रमस्वैधस्व मोदस्व देहि चैव यजस्व च। न त्वामभिभविष्यन्ति वैद्या न च तपस्विनः॥

ramasvaidhasva modasva dehi caiva yajasva ca| na tvāmabhibhaviṣyanti vaidyā na ca tapasvinaḥ||

Do you sport and grow and rejoice and make gifts and celebrated sacrifices. Neither men of knowledge nor those gifted with penances will then be able to get the better of you.

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