12.012
वैशम्पायन उवाच॥
Vaiśampāyana said:
अर्जुनस्य वचः श्रुत्वा नकुलो वाक्यमब्रवीत्। राजानमभिसम्प्रेक्ष्य सर्वधर्मभृतां वरम् ॥१२-१२-१॥
After hearing Arjuna's words, Nakula addressed the king, who was the foremost among all upholders of dharma.
अनुरुध्य महाप्राज्ञो भ्रातुश्चित्तमरिंदमः। व्यूढोरस्को महाबाहुस्ताम्रास्यो मितभाषिता ॥१२-१२-२॥
Having followed his brother's mind, the very wise and mighty-armed subduer of enemies, broad-chested and copper-faced, who spoke little.
विशाखयूपे देवानां सर्वेषामग्नयश्चिताः। तस्माद्विद्धि महाराज देवान्कर्मपथि स्थितान् ॥१२-१२-३॥
On the Viśākha-yūpa, the fires of all the gods have been kindled. Therefore, O great king, know that the gods are established on the path of ritual action.
अनास्तिकानास्तिकानां प्राणदाः पितरश्च ये। तेऽपि कर्मैव कुर्वन्ति विधिं पश्यस्व पार्थिव ॥ वेदवादापविद्धांस्तु तान्विद्धि भृशनास्तिकान् ॥१२-१२-४॥
O king, even those who are givers of life and ancestors among the non-āstikas, they too perform only actions according to procedure. But those who are cast away from Vedic doctrine, know them as utter non-āstikas.
न हि वेदोक्तमुत्सृज्य विप्रः सर्वेषु कर्मसु। देवयानेन नाकस्य पृष्ठमाप्नोति भारत ॥१२-१२-५॥
O Bhārata, a brāhmaṇa who abandons what is prescribed in the Veda in all actions does not attain the highest place in heaven by the path of the gods.
अत्याश्रमानयं सर्वानित्याहुर्वेदनिश्चयाः। ब्राह्मणाः श्रुतिसम्पन्नास्तान्निबोध जनाधिप ॥१२-१२-६॥
O ruler of men, know those Brāhmaṇas endowed with śruti, whose conviction is based on the Veda, to be beyond all the āśramas.
वित्तानि धर्मलब्धानि क्रतुमुख्येष्ववासृजन्। कृतात्मसु महाराज स वै त्यागी स्मृतो नरः ॥१२-१२-७॥
O great king, the man who offers wealth obtained by righteousness in chief sacrifices among the self-controlled is indeed considered a true renouncer.
अनवेक्ष्य सुखादानं तथैवोर्ध्वं प्रतिष्ठितः। आत्मत्यागी महाराज स त्यागी तामसः प्रभो ॥१२-१२-८॥
O great king, O lord, that renouncer who gives up the self without consideration, accepting happiness, and is established thus afterwards, is a renouncer of tamas.
अनिकेतः परिपतन्वृक्षमूलाश्रयो मुनिः। अपाचकः सदा योगी स त्यागी पार्थ भिक्षुकः ॥१२-१२-९॥
O Pārtha, he who is homeless, wandering, dwelling at the roots of trees, a sage who does not cook, always a yogi, a renouncer, is a mendicant.
क्रोधहर्षावनादृत्य पैशुन्यं च विशां पते। विप्रो वेदानधीते यः स त्यागी गुरुपूजकः ॥१२-१२-१०॥
O lord of men, the brāhmaṇa who, disregarding anger, delight, and maliciousness, studies the Vedas, is a renouncer and worshipper of the teacher.
आश्रमांस्तुलया सर्वान्धृतानाहुर्मनीषिणः। एकतस्ते त्रयो राजन्गृहस्थाश्रम एकतः ॥१२-१२-११॥
O King, the sages declare that if all the other āśramas are placed on one side of a scale, the householder āśrama alone balances them on the other.
समीक्षते तु योऽर्थं वै कामं स्वर्गं च भारत। अयं पन्था महर्षीणामियं लोकविदां गतिः ॥१२-१२-१२॥
O Bhārata, he who examines purpose, desire, and heaven—this is the path of the great sages, this is the way of those who know the world.
इति यः कुरुते भावं स त्यागी भरतर्षभ। न यः परित्यज्य गृहान्वनमेति विमूढवत् ॥१२-१२-१३॥
O best of the Bharatas, he is a true renouncer who acts with this attitude; not the one who, abandoning his home, goes to the forest like a confused person.
यदा कामान्समीक्षेत धर्मवैतंसिकोऽनृजुः। अथैनं मृत्युपाशेन कण्ठे बध्नाति मृत्युराट् ॥१२-१२-१४॥
When a person who is crooked and separated from righteousness contemplates desires, then the lord of death binds him by the noose of death around his neck.
अभिमानकृतं कर्म नैतत्फलवदुच्यते। त्यागयुक्तं महाराज सर्वमेव महाफलम् ॥१२-१२-१५॥
Action performed with pride is not considered fruitful; O great king, all actions performed with renunciation indeed yield great results.
शमो दमस्तपो दानं सत्यं शौचमथार्जवम्। यज्ञो धृतिश्च धर्मश्च नित्यमार्षो विधिः स्मृतः ॥१२-१२-१६॥
Tranquility, self-restraint, austerity, charity, truthfulness, purity, straightforwardness, sacrifice, steadfastness, and righteousness—these are always regarded as the rules established by the sages.
पितृदेवातिथिकृते समारम्भोऽत्र शस्यते। अत्रैव हि महाराज त्रिवर्गः केवलं फलम् ॥१२-१२-१७॥
An undertaking performed for the sake of father, deity, and guest is praised here. Indeed, O great king, here alone the three aims of life yield their sole fruit.
एतस्मिन्वर्तमानस्य विधौ विप्रनिषेविते। त्यागिनः प्रसृतस्येह नोच्छित्तिर्विद्यते क्वचित् ॥१२-१२-१८॥
In this current practice, which is attended by Brāhmaṇas, there is never any destruction here for the generous renouncer.
असृजद्धि प्रजा राजन्प्रजापतिरकल्मषः। मां यक्ष्यन्तीति शान्तात्मा यज्ञैर्विविधदक्षिणैः ॥१२-१२-१९॥
O king, the sinless Prajāpati created the creatures, thinking with a peaceful mind, 'They will worship me with sacrifices and various gifts.'
वीरुधश्चैव वृक्षांश्च यज्ञार्थं च तथौषधीः। पशूंश्चैव तथा मेध्यान्यज्ञार्थानि हवींषि च ॥१२-१२-२०॥
Herbs, trees, medicinal plants, animals, and pure sacrificial offerings, all these are meant for sacrifice.
गृहस्थाश्रमिणस्तच्च यज्ञकर्म विरोधकम्। तस्माद्गार्हस्थ्यमेवेह दुष्करं दुर्लभं तथा ॥१२-१२-२१॥
For householders, those sacrificial acts are opposed. Therefore, householdership here is indeed difficult and rare.
तत्सम्प्राप्य गृहस्था ये पशुधान्यसमन्विताः। न यजन्ते महाराज शाश्वतं तेषु किल्बिषम् ॥१२-१२-२२॥
O great king, those householders who, having obtained that, are endowed with cattle and grain but do not perform sacrifice, indeed have eternal sin in them.
स्वाध्याययज्ञा ऋषयो ज्ञानयज्ञास्तथापरे। अथापरे महायज्ञान्मनसैव वितन्वते ॥१२-१२-२३॥
Some seers perform the sacrifice of study of the Veda, others the sacrifice of knowledge; likewise, others perform great sacrifices only with the mind.
एवं दानसमाधानं मार्गमातिष्ठतो नृप। द्विजातेर्ब्रह्मभूतस्य स्पृहयन्ति दिवौकसः ॥१२-१२-२४॥
Thus, O king, even the gods desire the path of giving and establishment, followed by a twice-born who has become Brahman.
स रत्नानि विचित्राणि सम्भृतानि ततस्ततः। मखेष्वनभिसन्त्यज्य नास्तिक्यमभिजल्पसि ॥ कुटुम्बमास्थिते त्यागं न पश्यामि नराधिप ॥१२-१२-२५॥
He gathers various gems from here and there, and though he does not fully abandon atheism even in sacrifices, he speaks of it. O king, when one is settled in family life, I do not see renunciation.
राजसूयाश्वमेधेषु सर्वमेधेषु वा पुनः। य चान्ये क्रतवस्तात ब्राह्मणैरभिपूजिताः ॥ तैर्यजस्व महाराज शक्रो देवपतिर्यथा ॥१२-१२-२६॥
O great king, you should perform sacrifices such as the Rājasūya, Aśvamedha, Sarvamedha, and others that have been duly honored by Brāhmaṇas, just as Indra, the lord of the gods, did.
राज्ञः प्रमाददोषेण दस्युभिः परिमुष्यताम्। अशरण्यः प्रजानां यः स राजा कलिरुच्यते ॥१२-१२-२७॥
He is called a Kali king who, due to the fault of negligence, allows his subjects to be plundered by robbers and remain without protection.
अश्वान्गाश्चैव दासीश्च करेणूश्च स्वलङ्कृताः। ग्रामाञ्जनपदांश्चैव क्षेत्राणि च गृहाणि च ॥१२-१२-२८॥
Horses, cows, maidservants, female elephants, all well-adorned, as well as villages, districts, fields, and houses.
अप्रदाय द्विजातिभ्यो मात्सर्याविष्टचेतसः। वयं ते राजकलयो भविष्यामो विशां पते ॥१२-१२-२९॥
O lord of the people, if we, your royal dependents, do not give to the twice-born due to minds filled with envy, this will be our fate.
अदाता रोऽशरण्याश्च राजकिल्बिषभागिनः। दुःखानामेव भोक्तारो न सुखानां कदाचन ॥१२-१२-३०॥
Non-givers, those without refuge, and those who share in the king's sins experience only suffering and never any happiness at any time.
अनिष्ट्वा च महायज्ञैरकृत्वा च पितृस्वधाम्। तीर्थेष्वनभिसन्त्यज्य प्रव्रजिष्यसि चेदथ ॥१२-१२-३१॥
If you go forth as an ascetic without having performed great sacrifices, without having done the oblation to the ancestors, and without having completely abandoned everything in holy places, then...
छिन्नाभ्रमिव गन्तासि विलयं मारुतेरितम्। लोकयोरुभयोर्भ्रष्टो ह्यन्तराले व्यवस्थितः ॥१२-१२-३२॥
You, having fallen from both worlds, are now situated in the interval, like a severed cloud driven by the wind, destined for dissolution.
अन्तर्बहिश्च यत्किञ्चिन्मनोव्यासङ्गकारकम्। परित्यज्य भवेत्त्यागी न यो हित्वा प्रतिष्ठते ॥१२-१२-३३॥
One should become a true renouncer by abandoning all causes of mental attachment, both internal and external; not he who merely gives up and remains.
एतस्मिन्वर्तमानस्य विधौ विप्रनिषेविते। ब्राह्मणस्य महाराज नोच्छित्तिर्विद्यते क्वचित् ॥१२-१२-३४॥
O great king, in this present rule attended by the Brāhmaṇas, there is no destruction of the Brāhmaṇa anywhere.
निहत्य शत्रूंस्तरसा समृद्धा; न्शक्रो यथा दैत्यबलानि सङ्ख्ये। कः पार्थ शोचेन्निरतः स्वधर्मे; पूर्वैः स्मृते पार्थिव शिष्टजुष्टे ॥१२-१२-३५॥
Having forcefully defeated the enemies and attained prosperity—not unlike how Indra destroyed the Daityas' powers in battle—who, O Pārtha, should grieve when engaged in one's own duty, which is remembered by former kings and approved by the virtuous?
क्षात्रेण धर्मेण पराक्रमेण; जित्वा महीं मन्त्रविद्भ्यः प्रदाय। नाकस्य पृष्ठेऽसि नरेन्द्र गन्ता; न शोचितव्यं भवताद्य पार्थ ॥१२-१२-३६॥
By the way of the warrior, by righteousness and valor, having conquered the earth and given it to the wise counselors, you are about to ascend to heaven, O king; do not grieve today, O Partha.
