12.008
वैशम्पायन उवाच॥
Vaiśampāyana said:
अथार्जुन उवाचेदमधिक्षिप्त इवाक्षमी। अभिनीततरं वाक्यं दृढवादपराक्रमः ॥१२-८-१॥
Then Arjuna, as if reproached and impatient, spoke these words with even greater lack of restraint, being one whose strength lies in resolute speech.
दर्शयन्नैन्द्रिरात्मानमुग्रमुग्रपराक्रमः। स्मयमानो महातेजाः सृक्किणी संलिहन्मुहुः ॥१२-८-२॥
Displaying himself, the son of Indra, fierce and of great prowess, smiling with great brilliance, repeatedly licked his lips.
अहो दुःखमहो कृच्छ्रमहो वैक्लव्यमुत्तमम्। यत्कृत्वामानुषं कर्म त्यजेथाः श्रियमुत्तमाम् ॥१२-८-३॥
How great is the suffering, the difficulty, the utmost despondency, that after performing a human act, you would give up the highest prosperity!
शत्रून्हत्वा महीं लब्ध्वा स्वधर्मेणोपपादिताम्। हतामित्रः कथं सर्वं त्यजेथा बुद्धिलाघवात् ॥१२-८-४॥
Having slain your enemies and gained the earth through your own righteous duty, with your foes destroyed, how could you abandon everything out of weakness of intellect?
क्लीबस्य हि कुतो राज्यं दीर्घसूत्रस्य वा पुनः। किमर्थं च महीपालानवधीः क्रोधमूर्छितः ॥१२-८-५॥
How can an unmanly person or a procrastinator ever rule a kingdom? Why did you, overpowered by anger, kill the kings?
यो ह्याजिजीविषेद्भैक्ष्यं कर्मणा नैव केनचित्। समारम्भान्बुभूषेत हतस्वस्तिरकिञ्चनः ॥ सर्वलोकेषु विख्यातो न पुत्रपशुसंहितः ॥१२-८-६॥
He who truly wishes to live by alms, not by any action whatsoever, and who, having lost all well-being and possessions, does not seek new undertakings—such a one is renowned in all worlds, not bound by attachment to sons or cattle.
कापालीं नृप पापिष्ठां वृत्तिमास्थाय जीवतः। सन्त्यज्य राज्यमृद्धं ते लोकोऽयं किं वदिष्यति ॥१२-८-७॥
O king, if you live having adopted the most sinful conduct of a skull-bearer, abandoning your prosperous kingdom, what will people say about you?
सर्वारम्भान्समुत्सृज्य हतस्वस्तिरकिञ्चनः। कस्मादाशंससे भैक्ष्यं चर्तुं प्राकृतवत्प्रभो ॥१२-८-८॥
O Lord, having given up all undertakings, with your well-being destroyed and possessing nothing, why do you wish to wander for alms like an ordinary man?
अस्मिन्राजकुले जातो जित्वा कृत्स्नां वसुन्धराम्। धर्मार्थावखिलौ हित्वा वनं मौढ्यात्प्रतिष्ठसे ॥१२-८-९॥
You, born in this royal family and having conquered the whole earth, have abandoned both righteousness and wealth, and, out of folly, you set out for the forest.
यदीमानि हवींषीह विमथिष्यन्त्यसाधवः। भवता विप्रहीणानि प्राप्तं त्वामेव किल्बिषम् ॥१२-८-१०॥
If these oblations here are destroyed by the wicked, and, being deprived of a Brāhmaṇa by you, the sin has indeed come to you.
आकिञ्चन्यमनाशास्यमिति वै नहुषोऽब्रवीत्। कृत्या नृशंसा ह्यधने धिगस्त्वधनतामिह ॥१२-८-११॥
Nahuṣa said, "The state of having nothing is not to be desired." Evil deeds and cruelty are indeed found among the poor; let poverty be condemned here.
अश्वस्तनमृषीणां हि विद्यते वेद तद्भवान्। यं त्विमं धर्ममित्याहुर्धनादेष प्रवर्तते ॥१२-८-१२॥
Indeed, the trust of the sages exists, and you know that. They say that this dharma, which you refer to, proceeds from wealth.
धर्मं संहरते तस्य धनं हरति यस्य यः। ह्रियमाणे धने राजन्वयं कस्य क्षमेमहि ॥१२-८-१३॥
O king, the one who removes his duty, his wealth is taken away. When wealth is being taken away, O king, whom should we forgive?
अभिशस्तवत्प्रपश्यन्ति दरिद्रं पार्श्वतः स्थितम्। दारिद्र्यं पातकं लोके कस्तच्छंसितुमर्हति ॥१२-८-१४॥
People look at the poor man standing nearby as if he is cursed; in this world, who would ever praise poverty, which is considered a sin?
पतितः शोच्यते राजन्निर्धनश्चापि शोच्यते। विशेषं नाधिगच्छामि पतितस्याधनस्य च ॥१२-८-१५॥
O king, both the fallen and the poor are lamented; I see no real difference between one who has fallen and one who is destitute.
अर्थेभ्यो हि विवृद्धेभ्यः सम्भृतेभ्यस्ततस्ततः। क्रियाः सर्वाः प्रवर्तन्ते पर्वतेभ्य इवापगाः ॥१२-८-१६॥
Indeed, all actions proceed from resources that are increased and accumulated, just as rivers flow from mountains.
अर्धाद्धर्मश्च कामश्च स्वर्गश्चैव नराधिप। प्राणयात्रा हि लोकस्य विनार्थं न प्रसिध्यति ॥१२-८-१७॥
O king, righteousness, desire, and heaven all arise from wealth; for the maintenance of life in this world is not possible without wealth.
अर्थेन हि विहीनस्य पुरुषस्याल्पमेधसः। व्युच्छिद्यन्ते क्रियाः सर्वा ग्रीष्मे कुसरितो यथा ॥१२-८-१८॥
For a man of little intelligence who is deprived of wealth, all his undertakings perish, just as small streams dry up in the summer.
यस्यार्थास्तस्य मित्राणि यस्यार्थास्तस्य बान्धवाः। यस्यार्थाः स पुमाँल्लोके यस्यार्थाः स च पण्डितः ॥१२-८-१९॥
Those for whose sake one acts are his friends; those for whose sake one acts are his relatives; those for whose sake one acts are considered men in the world; those for whose sake one acts are also considered wise. "12-8-19".
अधनेनार्थकामेन नार्थः शक्यो विवित्सता। अर्थैरर्था निबध्यन्ते गजैरिव महागजाः ॥१२-८-२०॥
A person without wealth who desires wealth cannot obtain it; wealth is secured by wealth, just as great elephants are bound by elephants.
धर्मः कामश्च स्वर्गश्च हर्षः क्रोधः श्रुतं दमः। अर्थादेतानि सर्वाणि प्रवर्तन्ते नराधिप ॥१२-८-२१॥
O king, righteousness, desire, heaven, joy, anger, learning, and self-restraint—all these arise from wealth.
धनात्कुलं प्रभवति धनाद्धर्मः प्रवर्तते। नाधनस्यास्त्ययं लोको न परः पुरुषोत्तम ॥१२-८-२२॥
O best among men, from wealth comes family, from wealth comes righteousness. For the poor, there is neither this world nor the next.
नाधनो धर्मकृत्यानि यथावदनुतिष्ठति। धनाद्धि धर्मः स्रवति शैलाद्गिरिनदी यथा ॥१२-८-२३॥
A poor person cannot properly perform acts of dharma; for, just as a river flows from a mountain, so too does dharma arise from wealth.
यः कृशाश्वः कृशगवः कृशभृत्यः कृशातिथिः। स वै राजन्कृशो नाम न शरीरकृशः कृशः ॥१२-८-२४॥
O king, he who has thin horses, cows, servants, and guests is called 'Kṛśa'—not because his body is thin, but that is his name.
अवेक्षस्व यथान्यायं पश्य देवासुरं यथा। राजन्किमन्यज्ज्ञातीनां वधादृध्यन्ति देवताः ॥१२-८-२५॥
Observe properly and see how the gods and asuras act; O king, what else do the gods gain from the killing of their own kinsmen?
न चेद्धर्तव्यमन्यस्य कथं तद्धर्ममारभेत्। एतावानेव वेदेषु निश्चयः कविभिः कृतः ॥१२-८-२६॥
If one should not bear the duty of another, how could one undertake that duty? This is the conclusion established by the wise in the Vedas.
अध्येतव्या त्रयी विद्या भवितव्यं विपश्चिता। सर्वथा धनमाहार्यं यष्टव्यं चापि यत्नतः ॥१२-८-२७॥
The wise should study the threefold Vedic knowledge, perform their duties, acquire wealth in every way, and also offer sacrifices with effort.
द्रोहाद्देवैरवाप्तानि दिवि स्थानानि सर्वशः। इति देवा व्यवसिता वेदवादाश्च शाश्वताः ॥१२-८-२८॥
Because of hostility, the gods obtained all their positions in heaven; thus the gods have resolved, and the followers of the Veda are eternal.
अधीयन्ते तपस्यन्ति यजन्ते याजयन्ति च। कृत्स्नं तदेव च श्रेयो यदप्याददतेऽन्यतः ॥१२-८-२९॥
They study, perform austerities, offer sacrifices, cause others to offer sacrifices, and whatever else they may accept from elsewhere—all this is indeed the best.
न पश्यामोऽनपहृतं धनं किञ्चित्क्वचिद्वयम्। एवमेव हि राजानो जयन्ति पृथिवीमिमाम् ॥१२-८-३०॥
We do not see any wealth anywhere that has not been seized; thus, indeed, kings conquer this earth.
जित्वा ममत्वं ब्रुवते पुत्रा इव पितुर्धने। राजर्षयो जितस्वर्गा धर्मो ह्येषां निगद्यते ॥१२-८-३१॥
Having overcome possessiveness, the royal sages speak of wealth as sons would of their father's property. For these, who have conquered heaven, righteousness is indeed proclaimed.
यथैव पूर्णादुदधेः स्यन्दन्त्यापो दिशो दश। एवं राजकुलाद्वित्तं पृथिवीं प्रतितिष्ठति ॥१२-८-३२॥
Just as waters flow in all ten directions from the full ocean, so too does wealth from the royal family spread throughout the earth.
आसीदियं दिलीपस्य नृगस्य नहुषस्य च। अम्बरीषस्य मान्धातुः पृथिवी सा त्वयि स्थिता ॥१२-८-३३॥
This earth, which once belonged to Dilīpa, Nṛga, Nahuṣa, Ambarīṣa, and Māndhātu, now abides in you.
स त्वां द्रव्यमयो यज्ञः सम्प्राप्तः सर्वदक्षिणः। तं चेन्न यजसे राजन्प्राप्तस्त्वं देवकिल्बिषम् ॥१२-८-३४॥
He, the material sacrifice with all gifts, has come to you. If you do not perform that, O king, you will incur divine sin.
येषां राजाश्वमेधेन यजते दक्षिणावता। उपेत्य तस्यावभृथं पूताः सर्वे भवन्ति ते ॥१२-८-३५॥
All those for whom the king performs the horse-sacrifice with gifts, having attended his concluding bath, become purified.
विश्वरूपो महादेवः सर्वमेधे महामखे। जुहाव सर्वभूतानि तथैवात्मानमात्मना ॥१२-८-३६॥
The great god Mahadeva, who embodies the universe, in the all-sacrifice and the great sacrifice, offered all beings and, in the same way, offered himself by his own self.
शाश्वतोऽयं भूतिपथो नास्यान्तमनुशुश्रुम। महान्दाशरथः पन्था मा राजन्कापथं गमः ॥१२-८-३७॥
This path of prosperity is eternal; its end has never been heard of. The path of Daśaratha is great; O king, do not tread the wrong path.
