12.010
bhīma uvāca॥
Bhīma said:
śrotriyasyeva te rājanmandakasyāvipaścitaḥ। anuvākahatābuddhirnaiṣā tattvārthadarśinī ॥12-10-1॥
O king, just as a Vedic scholar, for your dull-witted and unwise person whose intellect is dulled by repetition, this does not perceive the true meaning.
ālasye kṛtacittasya rājadharmānasūyataḥ। vināśe dhārtarāṣṭrāṇāṃ kiṃ phalaṃ bharatarṣabha ॥12-10-2॥
O best of the Bharatas, what benefit is there in the destruction of the sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra, for one whose mind is fixed in laziness and who does not envy the kingly duties?
kṣamānukampā kāruṇyam ānṛśaṁsyaṁ na vidyate। kṣātram ācarato mārgam api bandhos tvad-antare ॥12-10-3॥
Qualities like forbearance, compassion, mercy, and kindness are absent; even the path of a warrior is not followed in the absence of a relative like you.
yadīmāṃ bhavato buddhiṃ vidyāma vayam īdṛśīm। śastraṃ naiva grahīṣyāmo na vadhiṣyāma kañcana॥12-10-4॥
If we truly understood your intention in this way, we would not take up arms, nor would we kill anyone.
bhaikṣyamevā cariṣyāma śarīrasya vimokṣaṇāt। na cedaṃ dāruṇaṃ yuddham abhaviṣyan mahīkṣitām॥12-10-5॥
If this dreadful battle among the kings had not occurred, I would have lived by alms alone before giving up my body.
prāṇasyānnam idaṃ sarvam iti vai kavayo viduḥ। sthāvaraṃ jaṅgamaṃ caiva sarvaṃ prāṇasya bhojanam ॥12-10-6॥
The wise know that everything here is food for prāṇa (the life-force). Both immobile and mobile beings, all are nourishment for prāṇa.
ādadānasya ced rājyaṃ ye kecit paripanthinaḥ। hantavyāsta iti prājñāḥ kṣatradharmavido viduḥ॥12-10-7॥
The wise who know the kṣatriya duty declare that if anyone opposes the one seizing the kingdom, such opponents are to be slain.
te sadoṣā hatāsmābhī rājyasya paripanthinaḥ। tānhatvā bhuṅkṣva dharmeṇa yudhiṣṭhira mahīmimām ॥12-10-8॥
Those enemies of the kingdom, being at fault, have been slain by us. Having killed them, Yudhishthira, enjoy this earth righteously.
yathā hi puruṣaḥ khātvā kūpam aprāpya ca udakam। paṅka-digdhaḥ nivarteta karma idam naḥ tathā upamam॥12-10-9॥
Just as a man, after digging a well and not finding water, returns covered in mud, so too is this our action—such is the comparison.
yathāruhya mahāvṛkṣam apahṛtya tato madhu। aprāśya nidhanaṃ gacchet karmedaṃ nas tathopamam ॥12-10-10॥
Just as one climbs a great tree, takes honey from it, and departs without tasting it, so is this action of ours—such is the comparison.
yathā mahāntam adhvānam āśayā puruṣaḥ patan। sa nirāśo nivarteta karma idaṃ naḥ tathā upamam ॥12-10-11॥
Just as a man, having set out hopefully on a long road but falling, turns back in despair, so too is this our action—such is the comparison.
yathā śatrūn-ghātayitvā puruṣaḥ kurusattama। ātmānaṃ ghātayet paścāt karma idaṃ naḥ tathāvidham ॥12-10-12॥
O best of the Kurus, just as a man, after killing his enemies, would then kill himself, so is this act of ours of such a nature.
yathānnaṃ kṣudhito labdhvā na bhuñjīta yadṛcchayā। kāmī ca kāminīṃ labdhvā karmedaṃ nastathāvidham ॥12-10-13॥
Just as a hungry person, even after obtaining food by chance, should not eat, and a desirous man, even after obtaining a desirable woman, (so) this action of ours is of such a kind.
vayamevātra garhyā hi ye vayaṃ mandacētasaḥ। tvāṃ rājannanugacchāmo jyeṣṭho'ayamiti bhārata ॥12-10-14॥
O Bhārata, we are truly to be blamed here, for we, being dull-minded, follow you, O king, simply because 'he is the elder.'
vayaṃ hi bāhubalinaḥ kṛtavidyā manasvinaḥ। klībasya vākye tiṣṭhāmo yathaivāśaktayastathā ॥12-10-15॥
We, who are strong, learned, and high-minded, are standing by the words of a weakling just as powerless people would.
agatīn kāgatīn asmān naṣṭārthān artha-siddhaye। kathaṃ vai na anupaśyeyuḥ janāḥ paśyanti yādṛśam ॥12-10-16॥
How could people not perceive and see such as this: those without movement, those with movement like a crow, us, and those who have lost purpose, for the attainment of purpose?
āpatkāle hi saṃnyāsaḥ kartavya iti śiṣyate. jarayābhiparītena śatrubhir vyaṃsitena ca ॥12-10-17॥
It is taught that in times of calamity, one should indeed undertake renunciation. When overpowered by old age and destroyed by enemies.
tasmād iha kṛtaprajñās tyāgaṃ na paricakṣate। dharmavyatikramaṃ cedaṃ manyante sūkṣmadarśinaḥ ॥12-10-18॥
Therefore, here, the wise do not declare renunciation; and those who are subtle-minded consider this as a transgression of dharma.
kathaṃ tasmātsamutpannastanniṣṭhastadupāśrayaḥ। tadeva nindannāsīta śraddhā vānyatra gṛhyate ॥12-10-19॥
How does one who has arisen from that, is established in that, and depends on that, yet criticize that alone? Faith is taken elsewhere.
śriyā vihīnair adhanair nāstikaiḥ sampravartitam। vedavādasya vijñānaṃ satyābhāsam ivānṛtam ॥12-10-20॥
The knowledge of the doctrine of the Veda, propagated by those deprived of prosperity, the poor, and atheists, is a semblance of truth, like falsehood.
śakyaṃ tu mauṇḍyam āsthāya bibhrat-ātmānam ātmanā | dharma-cchadma samāsthāya āsituṃ na tu jīvitum ॥12-10-21॥
But one may, by adopting the appearance of a shaven head and the guise of dharma, sustain oneself for a while, but not truly live.
śakyaṃ punar araṇyeṣu sukhām ekena jīvitum। abibhratā putrapautrān devarṣīn atithīn pitṝn ॥12-10-22॥
It is indeed possible to live happily alone in the forests, without the burden of caring for sons, grandsons, divine sages, guests, and ancestors.
neme mṛgāḥ svargajito na varāhā na pakṣiṇaḥ। athaitena prakāreṇa puṇyam āhur na tāñ janāḥ ॥12-10-23॥
It is not these deer, nor the heaven-conquering ones, nor boars, nor birds; but it is by this method that merit is said to be attained, not by those people.
yadi saṃnyāsataḥ siddhiṃ rājan kaścid avāpnuyāt। parvatāś ca drumāś caiva kṣipraṃ siddhim avāpnuyuḥ ॥12-10-24॥
O king, if anyone could attain perfection merely by renunciation, then even mountains and trees would quickly attain perfection.
ete hi nityasaṃnyāsā dṛśyante nirupadravāḥ। aparigrahavantaś ca satataṃ cātmācāriṇaḥ ॥12-10-25॥
These, indeed, are perpetual renouncers, seen as free from disturbance, possessing non-acceptance, and always self-governed.
atha ced ātmabhāgyeṣu nānyeṣāṃ siddhim aśnute। tasmāt karmaiva kartavyaṃ nāsti siddhir akarmaṇaḥ ॥12-10-26॥
Now, if one does not attain success in the fortunes of others, therefore only action should be performed; there is no success for the inactive.
audakāḥ sṛṣṭayaścaiva jantavaḥ siddhimāpnuyuḥ। yeṣāmātmaiva bhartavyo nānyaḥ kaścana vidyate ॥12-10-27॥
Aquatic beings and other creatures may attain perfection if for them only the self is to be maintained, and no other exists.
avekṣasva yathā svaiḥ svaiḥ karmabhir vyāpṛtaṃ jagat। tasmāt karmaiva kartavyaṃ nāsti siddhir akarmaṇaḥ ॥12-10-28॥
Observe how the world is engaged in its own actions; therefore, one should act, for there is no success in inaction.
