03.199
mārkaṇḍeya uvāca॥
Markandeya said.
sa tu vipram atho uvāca dharmavyādho yudhiṣṭhira। yad ahaṃ hy ācare karma ghoram etad asaṃśayam ॥03-199-1॥
But then, Dharmavyādha said to the brāhmaṇa Yudhiṣṭhira: “Without doubt, this terrible act that I indeed perform.” (03-199-1)
vidhis tu balavān brahman dustaraṃ hi purākṛtam। purākṛtasya pāpasya karma-doṣo bhavat-y ayam ॥ doṣasya etasya vai brahman vighāte yatnavān aham ॥03-199-2॥
But destiny is powerful, O Brahman; what has been done in the past is truly hard to overcome. This fault arises from sinful actions previously performed. Indeed, O Brahman, I have exerted myself to counteract this fault. (03-199-2)
vidhinā vihite pūrvaṁ nimittaṁ ghātako bhavet। nimittabhūtā hi vayaṁ karmaṇo'sya dvijottama ॥03-199-3॥
When something has been predetermined by destiny, the apparent cause is regarded as the killer. For we are merely instruments of this act, O best of Brāhmaṇas. (03-199-3)
yeṣāṃ hatānāṃ māṃsāni vikrīṇāmo vayaṃ dvija। teṣām api bhaved dharma upabhogena bhakṣaṇāt ॥ devatātithi-bhṛtyānāṃ pitṝṇāṃ pratipūjanāt ॥03-199-4॥
O twice-born, even the selling and eating of the flesh of those slain may be considered a duty when it is for the propitiation of deities, guests, servants, and ancestors. (03-199-4)
oṣadhyo vīrudhaś cāpi paśavo mṛga-pakṣiṇaḥ। annādyabhūtā lokasya ity api śrūyate śrutiḥ॥03-199-5॥
Medicinal plants, creepers, as well as animals, beasts, and birds are said to have become food for the world; thus it is also stated in the scripture. (03-199-5)
ātmamāṃsapradānena śibirauśīnaro nṛpaḥ। svargaṃ sudurlabhaṃ prāptaḥ kṣamāvāndvijasattama ॥03-199-6॥
O best of Brahmins, by giving his own flesh, King Śibi of the Uśīnara line, who was full of forbearance, attained heaven which is very difficult to obtain. (03-199-6)
rājño mahānase pūrvaṃ rantidevasya vai dvija। dve sahasre tu vadhyete paśūnām anvahaṃ tadā॥03-199-7॥
O brāhmaṇa, in former times, indeed, in the great kitchen of King Rantideva, two thousand animals were slaughtered every day at that time. (03-199-7)
samāṁsaṁ dadato hy annaṁ rantidevasya nityaśaḥ। atulā kīrtir abhavan nṛpasya dvijasattama ॥ cāturmāsyeṣu paśavo vadhyanta iti nityaśaḥ ॥03-199-8॥
Rantideva constantly gave food with meat, and the king's incomparable fame arose, O best of the twice-born. In the Cāturmāsya sacrifices, animals are thus always slaughtered. (03-199-8)
agnayo māṃsakāmāś ca ity api śrūyate śrutiḥ। yajñeṣu paśavo brahman vadhyante satataṃ dvijaiḥ ॥ saṃskṛtāḥ kila mantraiś ca te 'pi svargam avāpnuvan ॥03-199-9॥
It is heard in the scriptures that the sacrificial fires are desirous of flesh. In the sacrifices, O Brahmin, animals are always killed by the twice-born. Indeed, after being purified by mantras, they also attain heaven. (03-199-9)
yadi naivāgnayo brahman māṁsakāmābhavan purā | bhakṣyaṁ naiva bhaven māṁsaṁ kasyacid dvijasattama ॥03-199-10॥
O Brahmin, if the sacrificial fires had not originally desired meat, then truly meat would not be food for anyone, O best of the twice-born. (03-199-10)
atrāpi vidhir uktaś ca munibhir māṃsa-bhakṣaṇe। devatānāṃ pitr̥̄ṇāṃ ca bhuṅkte dattvā tu yaḥ sadā॥ yathā-vidhi yathā-śraddhaṃ na sa duṣyati bhakṣaṇāt॥03-199-11॥
Here too, the rule regarding meat-eating as declared by the sages: One who always offers meat to the gods and ancestors according to rule and faith, and then eats, is not defiled by eating. (03-199-11)
amāṁśāśī bhavatyevamiṭyapi śrūyate śrutiḥ। bhāryāṁ gacchan brahmacārī ṛtau bhavati brāhmaṇaḥ॥03-199-12॥
It is said in the Veda that even one who does not eat flesh becomes thus. A celibate student, approaching his wife in her season, becomes a Brahmin. (03-199-12)
satyānṛte viniścitya atrāpi vidhirucyate। saudāsena purā rājñā mānuṣā bhakṣitā dvija ॥ śāpābhibhūtena bhṛśamatra kiṃ pratibhāti te ॥03-199-13॥
Having determined what is true and untrue, the rule is stated here as well. Formerly, King Saudāsa ate human beings, O twice-born. He was greatly overwhelmed by a curse; so, what do you think about this? (03-199-13)
svadharma iti kṛtvā tu na tyajāmi dvijottama. purākṛtam iti jñātvā jīvāmy etena karmaṇā ॥03-199-14॥
O best of twice-born, considering it as my own duty, I do not abandon it. Knowing this action as having been done previously, I live by it. (03-199-14)
svakarma tyajato brahman adharma iha dṛśyate। svakarmanirato yas tu sa dharma iti niścayaḥ॥03-199-15॥
O Brahman, when a person abandons their own duty, unrighteousness is seen here. But the one who is engaged in their own duty—that is righteousness; this is certain. (03-199-15)
pūrvaṃ hi vihitaṃ karma dehinaṃ na vimuñcati. dhātrā vidhirayaṃ dṛṣṭo bahudhā karmanirṇaye ॥03-199-16॥
Indeed, the actions previously ordained do not release the embodied being. This ordinance by the Creator has been observed in many ways concerning the decision of actions. (03-199-16)
draṣṭavyaṁ tu bhavet prājña krūre karmaṇi vartatā। kathaṁ karma śubhaṁ kuryāṁ kathaṁ mucye parābhavāt॥ karmaṇas tasya ghorasya bahudhā nirṇayo bhavet॥03-199-17॥
But a wise person, when engaged in a cruel action, should consider: "How should I perform an auspicious act? How can I be freed from defeat?" In the case of that terrible action, decisions should be made in many ways. (03-199-17)
dāne ca satyavākye ca guruśuśrūṣaṇe tathā। dvijātipūjane cāhaṃ dharme ca nirataḥ sadā ॥ ativādātimānābhyāṃ nivṛtto'smi dvijottama ॥03-199-18॥
O best of the twice-born, I am always engaged in giving, truthful speech, service to my teacher, honoring the twice-born, and in dharma; I have refrained from excessive speech and excessive pride. (03-199-18)
kṛṣiṃ sādhviti manyante tatra hiṃsā parā smṛtā। karṣanto lāṅgalaiḥ puṃso ghnanti bhūmiśayān bahūn॥ jīvān anyāṃś ca bahuśas tatra kiṃ pratibhāti te॥03-199-19॥
They consider agriculture to be good, but there, supreme violence is seen. As men plough with ploughs, they kill many beings lying on the ground. And many other living beings too—what do you think of this? (03-199-19)
dhānyabījāni yāny āhur vrīhyādīni dvijottama. sarvāṇy etāni jīvāni tatra kiṃ pratibhāti te ॥03-199-20॥
O best of twice-born, the grain-seeds, which they call rice and others—all these are living beings; what do you think of this? (03-199-20)
adhyākramya paśūṁś cāpi ghnanti vai bhakṣayanti ca. vṛkṣān athauṣadhīś caiva chindanti puruṣā dvija ॥03-199-21॥
Twice-born, people overcome animals as well—they kill and eat them, and also cut down trees and herbs. (03-199-21)
jīvā hi bahavo brahman vṛkṣeṣu ca phaleṣu ca. udake bahavaś cāpi tatra kiṃ pratibhāti te ॥03-199-22॥
O Brahman, there are indeed many living beings in trees and in fruits, and also many in water. What, then, appears to you there? (03-199-22)
sarvaṃ vyāptam idaṃ brahman prāṇibhiḥ prāṇajīvanaiḥ। matsyā grasante matsyāṃś ca tatra kiṃ pratibhāti te ॥03-199-23॥
This entire world, O Brahman, is pervaded by living beings sustained by other lives. Fishes devour other fishes—what, then, appears to you there? (03-199-23)
sattvaiḥ sattvāni jīvanti bahudhā dvijasattama। prāṇino'nyonyabhakṣāś ca tatra kiṃ pratibhāti te॥03-199-24॥
O best of twice-born, beings live in many ways by means of other beings. There, living creatures are mutual eaters. What appears to you in this? (03-199-24)
caṅkramyamāṇā jīvāṁś ca dharaṇīsaṁśritān bahūn। padbhyāṁ ghnanti narā vipra tatra kiṁ pratibhāti te ॥03-199-25॥
O brāhmaṇa, as men walking strike many living beings residing upon the earth with their feet, what does that suggest to you there? (03-199-25)
upaviṣṭāḥ śayānāś ca ghnanti jīvān anekaśaḥ। jñānavijñānavantaś ca tatra kiṃ pratibhāti te ॥03-199-26॥
Seated ones, those lying down, and others kill living beings in many ways. Even those possessing knowledge and wisdom—what, then, appears to you there? (03-199-26)
jīvair grastam idaṁ sarvam ākāśaṁ pṛthivī tathā। avijñānāc ca hiṁsanti tatra kiṁ pratibhāti te ॥03-199-27॥
All this, space and earth alike, is consumed by living beings; and from ignorance they harm. So, what appears right to you in this matter? (03-199-27)
ahiṁseti yad-uktaṁ hi puruṣair-vismitaiḥ purā। ke na hiṁsanti jīvan vai loke'smin dvijasattama ॥ bahu sañcintya iha vai nāsti kaścid-ahiṁsakaḥ ॥03-199-28॥
The principle of non-injury, as spoken in the past by astonished men—who, living in this world, does not commit harm, O best of twice-born? Having considered deeply here, indeed, there is truly no one who is non-injurious. (03-199-28)
ahiṁsāyāṁ tu niratā yatayo dvijasattama। kurvantyeva hi hiṁsāṁ te yatnādalpatarā bhavet ॥03-199-29॥
O best of the twice-born, ascetics engaged in non-violence, though they may indeed perform acts of violence, it happens only to a very small extent through great effort. (03-199-29)
ālākṣyāś caiva puruṣāḥ kule jātā mahāguṇāḥ. mahāghorāṇi karmāṇi kṛtvā lajjanti vai na ca ॥03-199-30॥
Even men born in noble families, endowed with great qualities, if shameless, do not feel any shame at all after committing very terrible deeds. (03-199-30)
suhṛdaḥ suhṛdo'nyaāṃś ca durhṛdaś cāpi durhṛdaḥ। samyakpravṛttān puruṣān na samyag anupaśyataḥ॥03-199-31॥
You do not truly recognize well-behaved men, whether they are friends, others related to friends, or even those who are evil-hearted. (3-199-31)
samṛddhaiś ca na nandanti bāndhavā bāndhavair api. gurūṁś caiva vinindanti mūḍhāḥ paṇḍitamāninaḥ ॥03-199-32॥
Relatives do not share in the joy of the prosperous, and even among relatives and teachers, fools who think themselves wise find fault. (03-199-32)
bahu loke viparyastaṃ dṛśyate dvijasattama. dharmayuktamadharmaṃ ca tatra kiṃ pratibhāti te ॥03-199-33॥
Much that is perverted is seen in the world, O best of the twice-born. What do you think of unrighteousness that is joined with righteousness there? (03-199-33)
vaktuṃ bahuvidhaṃ śakyaṃ dharmādharmeṣu karmasu। svakarmanirato yo hi sa yaśaḥ prāpnuyān mahat ॥03-199-34॥
It is possible to describe actions involving righteousness and unrighteousness in many ways, but the one who is devoted to his own duty truly attains great fame. (03-199-34)
