12.008
Vaiśampāyana said:
Then Arjuna, as if reproached and impatient, spoke these words with even greater lack of restraint, being one whose strength lies in resolute speech.
Displaying himself, the son of Indra, fierce and of great prowess, smiling with great brilliance, repeatedly licked his lips.
How great is the suffering, the difficulty, the utmost despondency, that after performing a human act, you would give up the highest prosperity!
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?
How can an unmanly person or a procrastinator ever rule a kingdom? Why did you, overpowered by anger, kill the kings?
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.
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?
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?
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.
If these oblations here are destroyed by the wicked, and, being deprived of a Brāhmaṇa by you, the sin has indeed come to you.
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.
Indeed, the trust of the sages exists, and you know that. They say that this dharma, which you refer to, proceeds from wealth.
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?
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?
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.
Indeed, all actions proceed from resources that are increased and accumulated, just as rivers flow from mountains.
O king, righteousness, desire, and heaven all arise from wealth; for the maintenance of life in this world is not possible without wealth.
For a man of little intelligence who is deprived of wealth, all his undertakings perish, just as small streams dry up in the summer.
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".
A person without wealth who desires wealth cannot obtain it; wealth is secured by wealth, just as great elephants are bound by elephants.
O king, righteousness, desire, heaven, joy, anger, learning, and self-restraint—all these arise from wealth.
O best among men, from wealth comes family, from wealth comes righteousness. For the poor, there is neither this world nor the next.
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.
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.
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?
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.
The wise should study the threefold Vedic knowledge, perform their duties, acquire wealth in every way, and also offer sacrifices with effort.
Because of hostility, the gods obtained all their positions in heaven; thus the gods have resolved, and the followers of the Veda are eternal.
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.
We do not see any wealth anywhere that has not been seized; thus, indeed, kings conquer this earth.
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.
Just as waters flow in all ten directions from the full ocean, so too does wealth from the royal family spread throughout the earth.
This earth, which once belonged to Dilīpa, Nṛga, Nahuṣa, Ambarīṣa, and Māndhātu, now abides in you.
He, the material sacrifice with all gifts, has come to you. If you do not perform that, O king, you will incur divine sin.
All those for whom the king performs the horse-sacrifice with gifts, having attended his concluding bath, become purified.
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.
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.
