12.011
arjuna uvāca॥
Arjuna said:
atraivodāharantīmam itihāsaṃ purātanam। tāpasaiḥ saha saṃvādaṃ śakrasya bharatarṣabha ॥12-11-1॥
O best of the Bharatas, right here they recount this ancient story: the conversation between Śakra and the ascetics.
kecid-gṛhān parityajya vanam abhyagaman dvijāḥ। ajātaśmaśravo mandāḥ kule jātāḥ pravavrajuḥ ॥12-11-2॥
Some young twice-born, dull and born in good families, abandoned their homes and went to the forest for renunciation, even though their beards and moustaches had not yet grown.
dharmo'ayamiti manvānā brahmacarye vyavasthitāḥ। tyaktvā gṛhānpitṝṃścaiva tānindro'nvakṛpāyata ॥12-11-3॥
Thinking "this is righteousness," they remained steadfast in celibacy, having left their homes and ancestors; Indra felt compassion for them.
tānābabāṣe bhagavān pakṣī bhūtvā hiraṇmayaḥ। suduṣkaraṃ manuṣyaiś ca yat kṛtaṃ vighasāśibhiḥ ॥12-11-4॥
The Lord, taking the form of a golden bird, addressed them: "What is accomplished by those who subsist on remnants is extremely difficult even for men."
puṇyaṃ ca bata karmaiṣāṃ praśastaṃ caiva jīvitam। saṃsiddhās te gatiṃ mukhyāṃ prāptā dharmaparāyaṇāḥ ॥12-11-5॥
Indeed, the actions of these are meritorious and praiseworthy, and their lives are certainly noble; being perfected, those devoted to dharma have attained the highest state.
ṛṣaya ūcuḥ॥
The sages said:
aho batāyaṃ śakunir vighasāśān praśaṃsati। asmān nūnam ayaṃ śāsti vayaṃ ca vighasāśinaḥ ॥12-11-6॥
Ah, indeed, this bird praises those who eat remnants. Surely, he rebukes us, and we are the ones who eat remnants.
śakunir uvāca॥
Shakuni said:
nāhaṃ yuṣmān praśaṃsāmi paṅka-digdhān rajasvalān। ucchiṣṭa-bhojino mandān anye vai vighasāśinaḥ॥12-11-7॥
I do not praise you who are smeared with mud and dust, who eat leftovers, who are dull, and others who indeed eat scraps.
ṛṣaya ūcuḥ॥
The sages said:
idaṃ śreyaḥ paramiti vayamevābhyupāsmahe। śakune brūhi yacchreyo bhṛśaṃ vai śraddadhāma te ॥12-11-8॥
We consider this as the highest good and approach it with devotion. O bird, tell us what is truly best; we have great faith in you.
śakuniruvāca॥
Shakuni said:
yadi māṃ nābhiśaṅkadhvaṃ vibhajyātmānam ātmanā। tato'haṃ vaḥ pravakṣyāmi yāthātathyaṃ hitaṃ vacaḥ ॥12-11-9॥
If you do not doubt me and discern the self by the self, then I will tell you what is truly beneficial.
ṛṣaya ūcuḥ॥
The sages said:
śṛṇu maḥ te vacas tāta panthānaḥ viditāḥ tava। niyoge ca eva dharmātman sthātum icchāma śādhi naḥ॥12-11-10॥
O father, please listen to our words; you know the paths. In your command, O righteous one, we wish to abide; please instruct us.
śakuniruvāca॥
Shakuni said:
catuṣpadāṃ gauḥ pravarā lohānāṃ kāñcanaṃ varam। śabdānāṃ pravaro mantro brāhmaṇo dvipadāṃ varaḥ ॥12-11-11॥
Among quadrupeds, the cow is supreme; among metals, gold is the best; among all sounds, the mantra is the highest; among bipeds, the brāhmaṇa is the best.
mantro'yaṃ jātakarmādi brāhmaṇasya vidhīyate। jīvato yo yathākālaṃ śmaśānanidhanāditi ॥12-11-12॥
This mantra is prescribed for a Brāhmaṇa for rites such as the birth ceremony; it applies to one who, while alive, at the proper time, until death at the cremation ground—thus.
karmāṇi vaidikānyasya svargyaḥ panthāstvanuttamaḥ। atha sarvāṇi karmāṇi mantrasiddhāni cakṣate ॥12-11-13॥
The Vedic actions are, for him, the unsurpassed path to heaven. Now, all actions accomplished by mantras are declared as such. "12-11-13".
āmnāyadṛḍhavādīni tathā siddhiriheṣyate। māsārdhamāsā ṛtava ādityaśaśitārakam ॥12-11-14॥
Here, attainment is sought through tradition and firm assertions. Months, half-months, seasons, the sun, the moon, and the stars are considered.
īhante sarvabhūtāni tadṛtaṃ karmasaṅginām। siddhikṣetramidaṃ puṇyamayamevāśramo mahān ॥12-11-15॥
All beings strive for that truth, for those attached to action. This hermitage is truly a great and meritorious field of accomplishment.
atha ye karma nindanto manuṣyāḥ kāpathaṃ gatāḥ। mūḍhānām arthahīnānāṃ teṣām enas tu vidyate ॥12-11-16॥
Now, those men who criticize action and have gone on the wrong path—among the deluded and those devoid of meaning—for them, indeed, sin exists.
devavaṃśān pitṛvaṃśān brahmavaṃśāṃś ca śāśvatān। santyajya mūḍhā vartante tato yānty aśrutīpatham ॥12-11-17॥
Having abandoned the divine, ancestral, and eternal lineages of Brahma, the deluded conduct themselves otherwise; as a result, they go to a path that is unheard of.
etad vo 'stu tapo yuktaṃ dadānīti ṛṣi-coditam। tasmāt tad adhyavasataḥ tapasvi tapa ucyate ॥12-11-18॥
"Let this be your austerity, joined with resolve, as I give it, prompted by the sage. Therefore, that which the ascetic resolves is called austerity."
devavaṃśānpitṛvaṃśānbrahmavaṃśāṃśca śāśvatān। saṃvibhajya guroścaryāṃ tadvai duṣkaramucyate ॥12-11-19॥
It is said that dividing the eternal lineages of the gods, ancestors, and Brahma, and performing the teacher's conduct, is indeed a difficult task.
devā vai duṣkaraṃ kṛtvā vibhūtiṃ paramāṃ gatāḥ। tasmādgārhasthyamudvoḍhuṃ duṣkaraṃ prabravīmi vaḥ ॥12-11-20॥
The gods, by performing difficult deeds, attained the highest powers. Therefore, I declare to you that undertaking household life is difficult.
tapaḥ śreṣṭhaṃ prajānāṃ hi mūlam etan na saṃśayaḥ। kuṭumba-vidhinā anena yasmin sarvaṃ pratiṣṭhitam ॥12-11-21॥
Austerity is certainly the supreme root of all beings; there is no doubt about this. By this rule of family, everything is established.
etad vidus tapo viprā dvandvātītā vimatsarāḥ। tasmād vanaṃ madhyamaṃ ca lokeṣu tapa ucyate ॥12-11-22॥
The wise, who have transcended dualities and are free from envy, know this as austerity; therefore, in the worlds, both the forest and the middle path are called austerity.
durādharṣaṃ padaṃ caiva gacchanti vighasāśinaḥ। sāyamprātarvibhajyānnaṃ svakutumbe yathāvidhi ॥12-11-23॥
Those who eat only the remnants, after properly dividing food among their family in the evening and morning according to rule, attain a state that is difficult to assail.
dattvātithibhyo devebhyaḥ pitṛbhyaḥ svajanasya ca। avaśiṣṭāni ye'śnanti tānāhurvighasāśinaḥ ॥12-11-24॥
Those who, after giving to guests, gods, ancestors, and their own people, eat the leftovers, are called 'eaters of remnants.'
tasmātsvadharmamāsthāya suvratāḥ satyavādinaḥ। lokasya guravo bhūtvā te bhavantyanupaskṛtāḥ ॥12-11-25॥
Therefore, adhering to their own duty, being virtuous and truthful, they become teachers of the world and remain unadorned.
tridivaṃ prāpya śakrasya svargaloke vimatsarāḥ। vasanti śāśvatīrvarṣā janā duṣkarakāriṇaḥ ॥12-11-26॥
Those who perform difficult deeds dwell for eternal years, free from envy, in the world of Śakra, having attained the highest heaven.
tatas te tad-vacaḥ śrutvā tasya dharmārthasaṃhitam। utsṛjya nāstikagatiṃ gārhasthyaṃ dharmamāśritāḥ ॥12-11-27॥
Then, having heard his words imbued with dharma and artha, they abandoned the path of disbelief and embraced the dharma of household life.
tasmāttvamapi durdharṣa dhairyamālambya śāśvatam। praśādhi pṛthivīṃ kṛtsnāṃ hatāmitrāṃ narottama ॥12-11-28॥
Therefore, O best of men, you too, O unconquerable one, take up eternal fortitude and rule the whole earth, now that your enemies are slain.
