Mahabharata — Volume IX (Dutt edition) — Chapter 199

MBh 9 199.1

ब्राह्मण उवाच त्रयो वै रिपवो लोके नवधा गुणतः स्मृताः। प्रहर्षः प्रीतिरानन्दस्त्रयस्ते सात्त्विका गुणाः॥

brāhmaṇa uvāca trayo vai ripavo loke navadhā guṇataḥ smṛtāḥ| praharṣaḥ prītirānandastrayaste sāttvikā guṇāḥ||

The Brahmana said There are three enemies in the world. They are said to be minefield, according to their qualities. Exultation, satisfaction, and joy, these three qualities belong to Goodness.

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

MBh 9 199.2

तृष्णा क्रोधोऽभिसंरम्भो राजसास्ते गुणाः स्मृताः। श्रमस्तन्द्रा च मोहश्च त्रयस्ते तामसा गुणाः॥

tṛṣṇā krodho'bhisaṃrambho rājasāste guṇāḥ smṛtāḥ| śramastandrā ca mohaśca trayaste tāmasā guṇāḥ||

Cupidity, anger and hatred, these three qualitics said to belong Darkness. Lassitude, procrastination and delusion, these three qualities belong to Ignorance.

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

MBh 9 199.3

एतान् निकृत्य धृतिमान् बाणसंधैरतन्द्रितः। जेतुं परानुत्सहते प्रशान्तात्मा जितेन्द्रियः॥

etān nikṛtya dhṛtimān bāṇasaṃdhairatandritaḥ| jetuṃ parānutsahate praśāntātmā jitendriyaḥ||

Cutting these with showers of arrows, the intelligent man, free from idleness possessed of a tranquil soul, and with his senses under control, ventures to defeat others.

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

MBh 9 199.4

अत्र गाथा: कीर्तयन्ति पुराकल्पविदो जनाः। अम्बरीषेण या गीता राज्ञा पूर्वं प्रशाम्यता॥

atra gāthā: kīrtayanti purākalpavido janāḥ| ambarīṣeṇa yā gītā rājñā pūrvaṃ praśāmyatā||

About it, persons conversant with ancient cycles recite some verses which were sung formerly by king Ambarisha who had acquired a tranquil soul.

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

MBh 9 199.5

समुदीर्णेषु दोषेषु बाध्यमानेषु साधुषु। जग्राह तरसा राज्यमम्बरीषो महायशाः॥

samudīrṇeṣu doṣeṣu bādhyamāneṣu sādhuṣu| jagrāha tarasā rājyamambarīṣo mahāyaśāḥ||

When various kinds of faults were reigning supreme and when the righteous were afflicted, the illustrious Ambarisha put forth his strength for assuming sovereignty.

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

MBh 9 199.6

स निगृह्यात्मनो दोषान् साधून् समभिपूज्य च। जगाम महतीं सिद्धिं गाथाश्चेमा जगाद ह॥

sa nigṛhyātmano doṣān sādhūn samabhipūjya ca| jagāma mahatīṃ siddhiṃ gāthāścemā jagāda ha||

Subduing his own faults and adoring the righteous, he acquired great success and sang these verses.

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

MBh 9 199.7

भूयिष्ठं विजिता दोषा निहताः सर्वशत्रवः। एको दोषो वरिष्ठश्च वध्यः स न हतो मया॥

bhūyiṣṭhaṃ vijitā doṣā nihatāḥ sarvaśatravaḥ| eko doṣo variṣṭhaśca vadhyaḥ sa na hato mayā||

I have controlled many faults. I have slain all enemies. But there is one, the greatest, vice which deserves to be destroyed but which has not been destroyed be me.

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

MBh 9 199.8

यत्प्रयुक्तो जन्तुरयं वैतृष्ण्यं नाधिगच्छति। तृष्णात इह निम्नानि धावमानो न बुध्यते॥

yatprayukto janturayaṃ vaitṛṣṇyaṃ nādhigacchati| tṛṣṇāta iha nimnāni dhāvamāno na budhyate||

Urged by that fault, this individual soul fails to attain to freedom from desire. Possessed by desire, one runs into ditches without knowing it.

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

MBh 9 199.9

अकार्यमपि येनेह प्रयुक्तः सेवते नरः। तं लोभमसिभिस्तीक्ष्णैनिकृत्य सुखमेधते॥

akāryamapi yeneha prayuktaḥ sevate naraḥ| taṃ lobhamasibhistīkṣṇainikṛtya sukhamedhate||

Urged by that fault, one induigcs in forbidden deeds. Do you cut off, cut off, that cupidity with sharp-edged swords.

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

MBh 9 199.10

लोभाद्धि जायते तृष्णा ततश्चिन्ता प्रवर्तते। स लिप्यमानो लभते भूयिष्ठं राजसान् गुणान्। तदवाप्तौ तु लभते भूयिष्ठं तामसान् गुणान्॥

lobhāddhi jāyate tṛṣṇā tataścintā pravartate| sa lipyamāno labhate bhūyiṣṭhaṃ rājasān guṇān| tadavāptau tu labhate bhūyiṣṭhaṃ tāmasān guṇān||

From cupidity originates desire. From desire originates anxiety. The man who yields to desire acquires many qualities which bclong 10 Darkness,

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

MBh 9 199.11

स तैर्गुणैः संहतदेहबन्धनः पुनः पुनजार्यति कर्म चेहते। जन्मक्षये भिन्नविकीर्णदेहो मृत्युं पुनर्गच्छति जन्मनैव॥

sa tairguṇaiḥ saṃhatadehabandhanaḥ punaḥ punajāryati karma cehate| janmakṣaye bhinnavikīrṇadeho mṛtyuṃ punargacchati janmanaiva||

When these have been acquired, he gets many qualities which belong to ignorance. On account of the qualities, he repeatedly takes birth, with the fetters of body united, and is moved to action. Upon the expiration of life, with body becoming separated and scattered, he once mects with death which is due to birth itself.

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

MBh 9 199.12

तस्मादेतं सम्यगवेक्ष्य लोभं निगृह्य धृत्याऽऽत्मनि राज्यमिच्छेत्। मात्मैव राजा विदितो यथावत्॥

tasmādetaṃ samyagavekṣya lobhaṃ nigṛhya dhṛtyā''tmani rājyamicchet| mātmaiva rājā vidito yathāvat||

Hence, duly understanding this, and governing cupidity by intelligence, one should desire for sovereignty in his soul. This is (true) sovereignty. There is no other sovereignty here. The soul properly understood, is the king.

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

MBh 9 199.13

इति राज्ञाम्बरीषेण गाथा गीता यशस्विना। अधिराज्यं पुरस्कृत्य लोभमेकं निकृन्तता॥

iti rājñāmbarīṣeṇa gāthā gītā yaśasvinā| adhirājyaṃ puraskṛtya lobhamekaṃ nikṛntatā||

Even these were thc verses sung by the illustrious king Ambarisha, on the subject of sovereignty which he kept before him, that king who had severed the one foremost fault, viz.. cupidity.

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