01.056
Core:Significance of Mahabharata as Artha-shastra, Dharma-shastra, and also Mokhsa-shastra.
जनमेजय उवाच॥
Janamejaya said.
कथितं वै समासेन त्वया सर्वं द्विजोत्तम। महाभारतमाख्यानं कुरूणां चरितं महत् ॥१-०५६-१॥
Indeed, you have concisely narrated everything, O best of the twice-born — the Mahābhārata, the great tale of the Kurus.
कथां त्वनघ चित्रार्थामिमां कथयति त्वयि। विस्तरश्रवणे जातं कौतूहलमतीव मे ॥१-०५६-२॥
O sinless one, as you narrate this wondrous tale, an intense curiosity has arisen in me to hear it in detail.
स भवान्विस्तरेणेमां पुनराख्यातुमर्हति। न हि तृप्यामि पूर्वेषां शृण्वानश्चरितं महत् ॥१-०५६-३॥
You ought to narrate this again in detail, for I am not yet satisfied, hearing the great deeds of the ancients.
न तत्कारणमल्पं हि धर्मज्ञा यत्र पाण्डवाः। अवध्यान्सर्वशो जघ्नुः प्रशस्यन्ते च मानवैः ॥१-०५६-४॥
That reason is surely not trivial, for the Pāṇḍavas, though knowers of dharma, slew those who should not be slain, and are still praised by men.
किमर्थं ते नरव्याघ्राः शक्ताः सन्तो ह्यनागसः। प्रयुज्यमानान्सङ्क्लेशान्क्षान्तवन्तो दुरात्मनाम् ॥१-०५६-५॥
For what reason did those powerful and guiltless tiger-like men, though virtuous, endure the torments inflicted upon them by the wicked?
कथं नागायुतप्राणो बाहुशाली वृकोदरः। परिक्लिश्यन्नपि क्रोधं धृतवान्वै द्विजोत्तम ॥१-०५६-६॥
How did Vṛkodara, mighty-armed and possessing the strength of ten thousand elephants, even while being tormented, restrain his anger, O best of the twice-born?
कथं सा द्रौपदी कृष्णा क्लिश्यमाना दुरात्मभिः। शक्ता सती धार्तराष्ट्रान्नादहद्घोरचक्षुषा ॥१-०५६-७॥
How did Draupadī, the chaste and dark-complexioned one, though afflicted by the wicked, not burn the sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra with her terrible gaze, despite being capable?
कथं व्यतिक्रमन्द्यूते पार्थौ माद्रीसुतौ तथा। अनुव्रजन्नरव्याघ्रं वञ्च्यमानं दुरात्मभिः ॥१-०५६-८॥
How did the sons of Mādrī, Nakula and Sahadeva, also fall into the defeat of the dice game, following Yudhiṣṭhira, the tiger among men, as he was being deceived by the wicked?
कथं धर्मभृतां श्रेष्ठः सुतो धर्मस्य धर्मवित्। अनर्हः परमं क्लेशं सोढवान्स युधिष्ठिरः ॥१-०५६-९॥
How did Yudhiṣṭhira, the son of Dharma, knower of righteousness, greatest among the upholders of dharma, endure such immense suffering though undeserving of it?
कथं च बहुलाः सेनाः पाण्डवः कृष्णसारथिः। अस्यन्नेकोऽनयत्सर्वाः पितृलोकं धनञ्जयः ॥१-०५६-१०॥
And how did Dhanañjaya, the Pāṇḍava with Kṛṣṇa as charioteer, alone shooting, send forth all those vast armies to the realm of the ancestors?
एतदाचक्ष्व मे सर्वं यथावृत्तं तपोधन। यद्यच्च कृतवन्तस्ते तत्र तत्र महारथाः ॥१-०५६-११॥
Tell me all this as it truly happened, O sage rich in austerity — all that those great warriors did in various places.
वैशम्पायन उवाच॥
Vaiśampāyana said.
महर्षेः सर्वलोकेषु पूजितस्य महात्मनः। प्रवक्ष्यामि मतं कृत्स्नं व्यासस्यामिततेजसः ॥१-०५६-१२॥
I shall fully expound the teaching of Vyāsa, the great-souled sage of boundless brilliance, who is revered in all the worlds.
इदं शतसहस्रं हि श्लोकानां पुण्यकर्मणाम्। सत्यवत्यात्मजेनेह व्याख्यातममितौजसा ॥१-०५६-१३॥
This compilation of one hundred thousand verses of meritorious deeds was expounded here by Vyāsa, the son of Satyavatī, of boundless energy.
य इदं श्रावयेद्विद्वान्यश्चेदं शृणुयान्नरः। ते ब्रह्मणः स्थानमेत्य प्राप्नुयुर्देवतुल्यताम् ॥१-०५६-१४॥
He who causes this to be heard, being learned, and he who listens to it — both attain the abode of Brahman and a status equal to the gods.
इदं हि वेदैः समितं पवित्रमपि चोत्तमम्। श्राव्याणामुत्तमं चेदं पुराणमृषिसंस्तुतम् ॥१-०५६-१५॥
This sacred and supreme Purāṇa, praised by sages and regarded by the Vedas as equivalent to themselves, is the best among all that is to be heard.
अस्मिन्नर्थश्च धर्मश्च निखिलेनोपदिश्यते। इतिहासे महापुण्ये बुद्धिश्च परिनैष्ठिकी ॥१-०५६-१६॥
In this epic of great merit, both financial wellbeing and righteousness are fully taught, and it fosters a steadfast intellect inclined toward liberation.
अक्षुद्रान्दानशीलांश्च सत्यशीलाननास्तिकान्। कार्ष्णं वेदमिमं विद्वाञ्श्रावयित्वार्थमश्नुते ॥१-०५६-१७॥
The learned one who causes this Veda of Kṛṣṇa (Vyāsa) to be heard by noble, charitable, truthful, and theistic people, attains its reward.
भ्रूणहत्याकृतं चापि पापं जह्यादसंशयम्। इतिहासमिमं श्रुत्वा पुरुषोऽपि सुदारुणः ॥१-०५६-१८॥
Even a very wicked man can undoubtedly rid himself of the sin of foeticide by listening to this epic.
जयो नामेतिहासोऽयं श्रोतव्यो विजिगीषुणा। महीं विजयते सर्वां शत्रूंश्चापि पराजयेत् ॥१-०५६-१९॥
This epic called "Jaya" should be heard by one desiring conquest — he conquers all the earth and vanquishes all enemies.
इदं पुंसवनं श्रेष्ठमिदं स्वस्त्ययनं महत्। महिषीयुवराजाभ्यां श्रोतव्यं बहुशस्तथा ॥१-०५६-२०॥
This is the most excellent text for begetting male offspring and for great auspiciousness; it should be heard repeatedly by the queen and the crown prince.
अर्थशास्त्रमिदं पुण्यं धर्मशास्त्रमिदं परम्। मोक्षशास्त्रमिदं प्रोक्तं व्यासेनामितबुद्धिना ॥१-०५६-२१॥
This is a sacred treatise on wealth, a supreme treatise on righteousness, and a declared scripture on liberation — spoken by Vyāsa of infinite intellect.
सम्प्रत्याचक्षते चैव आख्यास्यन्ति तथापरे। पुत्राः शुश्रूषवः सन्ति प्रेष्याश्च प्रियकारिणः ॥१-०५६-२२॥
Even now, some recite it and others will continue to tell it; there are sons who are obedient and servants who act with affection.
शरीरेण कृतं पापं वाचा च मनसैव च। सर्वं तत्त्यजति क्षिप्रमिदं शृण्वन्नरः सदा ॥१-०५६-२३॥
A man who always listens to this quickly casts off all sins committed by body, speech, and even by the mind.
भारतानां महज्जन्म शृण्वतामनसूयताम्। नास्ति व्याधिभयं तेषां परलोकभयं कुतः ॥१-०५६-२४॥
For those who hear of the great lineage of the Bhāratas without envy, there is no fear of disease — what fear then can there be of the afterlife?
धन्यं यशस्यमायुष्यं स्वर्ग्यं पुण्यं तथैव च। कृष्णद्वैपायनेनेदं कृतं पुण्यचिकीर्षुणा ॥१-०५६-२५॥
This sacred, glorious, life-extending, and heaven-leading work was composed by Kṛṣṇa Dvaipāyana with the intent of doing merit.
कीर्तिं प्रथयता लोके पाण्डवानां महात्मनाम्। अन्येषां क्षत्रियाणां च भूरिद्रविणतेजसाम् ॥१-०५६-२६॥
By spreading the fame of the great-souled Pāṇḍavas and of other Kṣatriyas endowed with abundant wealth and valor in the world.
यथा समुद्रो भगवान्यथा च हिमवान्गिरिः। ख्यातावुभौ रत्ननिधी तथा भारतमुच्यते ॥१-०५६-२७॥
Just as the glorious ocean and Mount Himavat are both famed as treasure-houses of gems, so too is the Mahābhārata declared.
य इदं श्रावयेद्विद्वान्ब्राह्मणानिह पर्वसु। धूतपाप्मा जितस्वर्गो ब्रह्मभूयं स गच्छति ॥१-०५६-२८॥
He who recites this to Brāhmaṇas on sacred occasions, being learned, is cleansed of sin, conquers heaven, and attains Brahmanhood.
यश्चेदं श्रावयेच्छ्राद्धे ब्राह्मणान्पादमन्ततः। अक्षय्यं तस्य तच्छ्राद्धमुपतिष्ठेत्पितृनपि ॥१-०५६-२९॥
And he who causes even a portion of this to be heard by Brāhmaṇas at a śrāddha ceremony — his śrāddha becomes inexhaustible and benefits even his ancestors.
अह्ना यदेनश्चाज्ञानात्प्रकरोति नरश्चरन्। तन्महाभारताख्यानं श्रुत्वैव प्रविलीयते ॥१-०५६-३०॥
Whatever sin a man commits unknowingly during the day — that is dissolved simply by hearing the narration of the Mahābhārata.
भारतानां महज्जन्म महाभारतमुच्यते। निरुक्तमस्य यो वेद सर्वपापैः प्रमुच्यते ॥१-०५६-३१॥
The Mahābhārata is called the great birth of the Bhāratas; whoever understands its interpretation is freed from all sins.
त्रिभिर्वर्षैः सदोत्थायी कृष्णद्वैपायनो मुनिः। महाभारतमाख्यानं कृतवानिदमुत्तमम् ॥१-०५६-३२॥
The ever-vigilant sage Kṛṣṇa Dvaipāyana composed this excellent narrative, the Mahābhārata, within three years.
धर्मे चार्थे च कामे च मोक्षे च भरतर्षभ। यदिहास्ति तदन्यत्र यन्नेहास्ति न तत्क्वचित् ॥१-०५६-३३॥
O best of the Bhāratas, in righteousness, wealth, desire, and liberation — whatever is found here is found elsewhere; what is not here is found nowhere else.
