01.159
Library:Agaraparna advises Arjuna to take a Brahamna as priest.
arjuna uvāca॥
Arjuna said.
kāraṇaṃ brūhi gandharva kiṃ tadyena sma dharṣitāḥ। yānto brahmavidaḥ santaḥ sarve rātrāvariṃdama ॥1-159-1॥
O Gandharva, tell me the reason—what is it by which they were truly affronted? All the virtuous Brahman-knowers, O subduer of enemies, were leaving at night.
gandharva uvāca॥
The Gandharva said.
anagnayo'nāhutayo na ca viprapuraskṛtāḥ। yūyaṃ tato dharṣitāḥ stha mayā pāṇḍavanandana॥1-159-2॥
O joy of the Pāṇḍavas, since you were without fire, without oblations, and not led by Brāhmaṇas, therefore you were overpowered by me.
yakṣa-rākṣasa-gandharvāḥ piśāca-uraga-mānavāḥ। vistaraṃ kuru-vaṃśasya śrīmataḥ kathayanti te ॥1-159-3॥
Yakṣas, rākṣasas, gandharvas, piśācas, uragas, and humans all narrate in detail the story of the illustrious Kuru dynasty.
nārada-prabhṛtīnāṃ ca devarṣīṇāṃ mayā śrutam। guṇān kathayatāṃ vīra pūrveṣāṃ tava dhīmatām ॥1-159-4॥
O hero, I have heard from Narada and other divine sages about the qualities of your wise predecessors.
svayaṃ cāpi mayā dṛṣṭaś caratā sāgarāmbarām। imāṃ vasumatīṃ kṛtsnāṃ prabhāvaḥ svakulasya te ॥1-159-5॥
I myself have also seen, while traveling, this entire earth, clothed by the ocean; this is the power of your own lineage.
vede dhanuṣi ca ācāryam abhijānāmi te'rjuna। viśrutaṃ triṣu lokeṣu bhāradvājaṃ yaśasvinam ॥1-159-6॥
O Arjuna, I recognize your teacher Bharadvāja as renowned and illustrious in the three worlds, both in the Veda and in archery.
dharmaṃ vāyuṃ ca śakraṃ ca vijānāmyaśvinau tathā। pāṇḍuṃ ca kuruśārdūla ṣaḍetānkulavardhanān॥ pitṛnetānahaṃ pārtha devamānuṣasattamān॥1-159-7॥
O Pārtha, I know Dharma, Vāyu, Indra, the Aśvins, and Pāṇḍu—these six increasers of the family, led by their fathers, O tiger among Kurus, the best among gods and men.
divyātmāno mahātmānaḥ sarvaśastrabhṛtāṃ varāḥ। bhavanto bhrātaraḥ śūrāḥ sarve sucaritavratāḥ ॥1-159-8॥
You are all divine and great-souled, the best among all weapon-bearers, heroic brothers, all steadfast in good conduct and vows.
uttamāṃ tu manobuddhiṃ bhavatāṃ bhāvitātmanām। jānannapi ca vaḥ pārtha kṛtavāniha dharṣaṇām ॥1-159-9॥
But even knowing your excellent mind and intellect, O Partha, and that your souls are cultivated, he has still committed this insult here.
strīsakāśe ca kauravya na pumānkṣantumarhati। dharṣaṇāmātmanaḥ paśyanbāhudraviṇamāśritaḥ ॥1-159-10॥
O Kauravya, in the presence of a woman, a man who relies on the strength of his arms should not tolerate an insult to himself.
naktaṃ ca balamasmākaṃ bhūya evābhivardhate। yatastato māṃ kaunteya sadāraṃ manyurāviśat ॥1-159-11॥
At night, our strength increases even more; therefore, O son of Kunti, anger always enters me along with my wife.
so'ham tvayeha vijitaḥ saṅkhye tāpatyavardhana. yena teneha vidhinā kīrtyamānaṃ nibodha me ॥1-159-12॥
O increaser of the Tapati lineage, here in battle I have been conquered by you. Understand from me by which method this is being praised here.
brahmacaryaṃ paro dharmaḥ sa cāpi niyatastvayi। yasmāttasmādahaṃ pārtha raṇe'sminvijitastvayā ॥1-159-13॥
Brahmacarya is the highest duty, and you have perfectly observed it. Therefore, O Pārtha, in this battle, I have been conquered by you.
yastu syāt kṣatriyaḥ kaścit kāmavṛttaḥ parantapa। naktaṃ ca yudhi yudhyeta na sa jīvet kathaṃcana॥1-159-14॥
But, O scorcher of foes, any kṣatriya who acts according to his desires and fights at night in battle will not survive in any way.
yastu syāt kāmavṛtto'pi rājā tāpatya saṅgare। jayen naktamcarān sarvān sa purohitadhūr gataḥ ॥1-159-15॥
But if a king, even though given to desires, fights in battle and conquers all the night-roamers, having received the blessings of the priest, he is victorious.
tasmāttāpatya yatkiñcin nṛṇāṃ śreya ihepsitam। tasmin karmaṇi yoktavyā dāntātmānaḥ purohitāḥ ॥1-159-16॥
Therefore, in whatever action relating to offspring that is desired here for the welfare of men, self-controlled priests should be engaged in that.
vede ṣaḍaṅge niratāḥ śucayaḥ satyavādinaḥ। dharmātmānaḥ kṛtātmānaḥ syurnṛpāṇāṃ purohitāḥ॥1-159-17॥
The priests of kings should be engaged in the Veda and its six limbs, pure, speakers of truth, righteous in soul, and self-controlled.
jayaś ca niyato rājñaḥ svargaś ca syād anantaram। yasya syād dharmavid vāgmī purodhāḥ śīlavāñ śuciḥ ॥1-159-18॥
Victory and heaven are assured for the king, and heaven follows immediately, whose priest is a knower of dharma, eloquent, virtuous, and pure.
lābhaṃ labdhum alabdhaṃ hi labdhaṃ ca parirakṣitum. purohitaṃ prakurvīta rājā guṇasamanvitam ॥1-159-19॥
A king should appoint as priest a person endowed with virtues, in order to obtain gain not yet obtained, and to protect gain already obtained.
purohitamate tiṣṭhed ya icchet pṛthivīṃ nṛpaḥ। prāptuṃ meruvarottaṃsāṃ sarvaśaḥ sāgarāmbarām ॥1-159-20॥
A king wishing to gain the whole earth, adorned with the best of Meru and encircled by oceans, should always act according to the counsel of his priest.
na hi kevalaśauryeṇa tāpatyābhijanena ca। jayedabrāhmaṇaḥ kaścidbhūmiṃ bhūmipatiḥ kvacit ॥1-159-21॥
A non-Brahmin king cannot conquer the earth at any time merely by valor or by descent from the Tapati lineage.
tasmādevaṃ vijānīhi kurūṇāṃ vaṃśavardhana। brāhmaṇapramukhaṃ rājyaṃ śakyaṃ pālayituṃ ciram ॥1-159-22॥
Therefore, O increaser of the Kurus' lineage, understand that a kingdom led by Brāhmaṇas can indeed be sustained for a long time.
