12.008
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaiśampāyana said:
athārjuna uvācedam adhikṣipta ivākṣamī। abhinītataraṃ vākyaṃ dṛḍhavādaparākramaḥ ॥12-8-1॥
Then Arjuna, as if reproached and impatient, spoke these words with even greater lack of restraint, being one whose strength lies in resolute speech.
darśayann aindrir ātmānam ugram ugra-parākramaḥ। smayamāno mahā-tejāḥ sṛkkiṇī saṃlihan muhuḥ॥12-8-2॥
Displaying himself, the son of Indra, fierce and of great prowess, smiling with great brilliance, repeatedly licked his lips.
aho duḥkham aho kṛcchram aho vaiklavyam uttamam। yat kṛtvā mānuṣam karma tyajethāḥ śriyam uttamām॥12-8-3॥
How great is the suffering, the difficulty, the utmost despondency, that after performing a human act, you would give up the highest prosperity!
śatrūn hatvā mahīṃ labdhvā svadharmeṇa upapāditām। hatāmitraḥ kathaṃ sarvaṃ tyajethā buddhilāghavāt ॥12-8-4॥
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?
klībasya hi kuto rājyaṃ dīrghasūtrasya vā punaḥ। kimarthaṃ ca mahīpālānavadhīḥ krodhamūrcchitaḥ ॥12-8-5॥
How can an unmanly person or a procrastinator ever rule a kingdom? Why did you, overpowered by anger, kill the kings?
yo hy ājijīviṣed bhaikṣyaṃ karmaṇā naiva kenacit। samārambhān bubhūṣeta hatasvastir akiñcanaḥ ॥ sarvalokeṣu vikhyāto na putrapaśusaṃhitaḥ ॥12-8-6॥
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.
kāpālīṃ nṛpa pāpiṣṭhāṃ vṛttim āsthāya jīvataḥ। santyajya rājyam ṛddhaṃ te loko'yaṃ kiṃ vadiṣyati॥12-8-7॥
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?
sarvārambhān samutsṛjya hatasvastir akiñcanaḥ। kasmād āśaṁsase bhaikṣyaṁ cartuṁ prākṛtavat prabho ॥12-8-8॥
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?
asmin rājakule jāto jitvā kṛtsnāṃ vasundharām। dharmārthāvakhilau hitvā vanaṃ mauḍhyāt pratiṣṭhase ॥12-8-9॥
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.
yadī māni havīṃṣīha vimathiṣyanty asādhavaḥ। bhavatā viprahīṇāni prāptaṃ tvām eva kilbiṣam ॥12-8-10॥
If these oblations here are destroyed by the wicked, and, being deprived of a Brāhmaṇa by you, the sin has indeed come to you.
ākiñcanyamanāśāsyamiti vai nahuṣo'bravīt। kṛtyā nṛśaṃsā hyadhane dhigastvadhanatāmiha ॥12-8-11॥
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.
aśvastanam ṛṣīṇāṃ hi vidyate veda tad bhavān। yaṃ tv imaṃ dharmam ity āhur dhanād eṣa pravartate ॥12-8-12॥
Indeed, the trust of the sages exists, and you know that. They say that this dharma, which you refer to, proceeds from wealth.
dharmaṃ saṃharate tasya dhanaṃ harati yasya yaḥ। hriyamāṇe dhane rājan vayaṃ kasya kṣamemahi॥12-8-13॥
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?
abhiśastavat prapaśyanti daridraṃ pārśvataḥ sthitam। dāridryaṃ pātakaṃ loke kas tac chaṃsitum arhati॥12-8-14॥
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?
patitaḥ śocyate rājan nirdhanaś cāpi śocyate। viśeṣaṃ nādhigacchāmi patitasya adhanasya ca ॥12-8-15॥
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.
arthebhyo hi vivṛddhebhyaḥ sambhṛtebhyas tatastataḥ। kriyāḥ sarvāḥ pravartante parvatebhya ivāpagāḥ ॥12-8-16॥
Indeed, all actions proceed from resources that are increased and accumulated, just as rivers flow from mountains.
ardhāddharmaś ca kāmaś ca svargaś caiva narādhipa। prāṇayātrā hi lokasya vinārthaṃ na prasidhyati ॥12-8-17॥
O king, righteousness, desire, and heaven all arise from wealth; for the maintenance of life in this world is not possible without wealth.
arthena hi vihīnasya puruṣasyālpamedhasaḥ। vyucchidyante kriyāḥ sarvā grīṣme kusarito yathā ॥12-8-18॥
For a man of little intelligence who is deprived of wealth, all his undertakings perish, just as small streams dry up in the summer.
yasyārthāstasya mitrāṇi yasyārthāstasya bāndhavāḥ। yasyārthāḥ sa pumāṃlloke yasyārthāḥ sa ca paṇḍitaḥ ॥12-8-19॥
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".
adhanenārthakāmena nārthaḥ śakyo vivitsatā। arthairarthā nibadhyante gajairiva mahāgajāḥ ॥12-8-20॥
A person without wealth who desires wealth cannot obtain it; wealth is secured by wealth, just as great elephants are bound by elephants.
dharmaḥ kāmaś ca svargaś ca harṣaḥ krodhaḥ śrutaṃ damaḥ। arthād etāni sarvāṇi pravartante narādhipa ॥12-8-21॥
O king, righteousness, desire, heaven, joy, anger, learning, and self-restraint—all these arise from wealth.
dhanātkulaṃ prabhavati dhanāddharmaḥ pravartate। nādhanasyāstyayaṃ loko na paraḥ puruṣottama ॥12-8-22॥
O best among men, from wealth comes family, from wealth comes righteousness. For the poor, there is neither this world nor the next.
nādhano dharmakṛtyāni yathāvad anutiṣṭhati। dhanāddhi dharmaḥ sravati śailād girinadī yathā ॥12-8-23॥
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.
yaḥ kṛśāśvaḥ kṛśagavaḥ kṛśabhṛtyaḥ kṛśātithiḥ। sa vai rājan kṛśo nāma na śarīrakṛśaḥ kṛśaḥ ॥12-8-24॥
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.
avekṣasva yathā-nyāyaṃ paśya deva-asuraṃ yathā। rājan kim anyat jñātīnām vadhāt ṛdhyanti devatāḥ ॥12-8-25॥
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?
na ced dhartavyam anyasya kathaṃ tad dharma-mārabhet। etāvān eva vedeṣu niścayaḥ kavibhiḥ kṛtaḥ ॥12-8-26॥
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.
adhyetavyā trayī vidyā bhavitavyaṃ vipaścitā। sarvathā dhanam āhāryaṃ yaṣṭavyaṃ ca api yatnataḥ ॥12-8-27॥
The wise should study the threefold Vedic knowledge, perform their duties, acquire wealth in every way, and also offer sacrifices with effort.
drohād devair avāptāni divi sthānāni sarvaśaḥ। iti devā vyavasitā vedavādāś ca śāśvatāḥ ॥12-8-28॥
Because of hostility, the gods obtained all their positions in heaven; thus the gods have resolved, and the followers of the Veda are eternal.
adhīyante tapasyanti yajante yājayanti ca। kṛtsnaṃ tadeva ca śreyo yadapyādadate'nyataḥ ॥12-8-29॥
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.
na paśyāmo'napahṛtaṃ dhanaṃ kiñcit kvacid vayam। evam eva hi rājānaḥ jayanti pṛthivīm imām ॥12-8-30॥
We do not see any wealth anywhere that has not been seized; thus, indeed, kings conquer this earth.
jitvā mamatvaṃ bruvate putrā iva piturdhane। rājarṣayo jitasvargā dharmo hyeṣāṃ nigadyate ॥12-8-31॥
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.
yathaiva pūrṇādudadheḥ syandantyāpo diśo daśa। evaṃ rājakulādvittaṃ pṛthivīṃ pratitiṣṭhati ॥12-8-32॥
Just as waters flow in all ten directions from the full ocean, so too does wealth from the royal family spread throughout the earth.
āsīd iyaṃ dilīpasya nṛgasya nahuṣasya ca। ambarīṣasya māndhātuḥ pṛthivī sā tvayi sthitā ॥12-8-33॥
This earth, which once belonged to Dilīpa, Nṛga, Nahuṣa, Ambarīṣa, and Māndhātu, now abides in you.
sa tvāṃ dravyamayo yajñaḥ samprāptaḥ sarvadakṣiṇaḥ। taṃ cenn yajase rājanprāptastvaṃ devakilbiṣam ॥12-8-34॥
He, the material sacrifice with all gifts, has come to you. If you do not perform that, O king, you will incur divine sin.
yeṣāṃ rājaśvamedhena yajate dakṣiṇāvatā। upetya tasyāvabhṛthaṃ pūtāḥ sarve bhavanti te ॥12-8-35॥
All those for whom the king performs the horse-sacrifice with gifts, having attended his concluding bath, become purified.
viśvarūpo mahādevaḥ sarvamedhe mahāmakhe। juhāva sarvabhūtāni tathaivātmānamātmanā ॥12-8-36॥
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.
śāśvato'yaṃ bhūtipatho nāsyāntamanuśuśruma। mahāndāśarathaḥ panthā mā rājan kāpathaṃ gamaḥ ॥12-8-37॥
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.
