12.012
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaiśampāyana said:
arjunasya vacaḥ śrutvā nakulo vākyam abravīt। rājānam abhisamprekṣya sarvadharmabhṛtāṃ varam ॥12-12-1॥
After hearing Arjuna's words, Nakula addressed the king, who was the foremost among all upholders of dharma.
anurudhya mahāprājño bhrātuś cittam ariṃdamaḥ। vyūḍhorasko mahābāhus tāmrāsyō mitabhāṣitā ॥12-12-2॥
Having followed his brother's mind, the very wise and mighty-armed subduer of enemies, broad-chested and copper-faced, who spoke little.
viśākhayūpe devānāṃ sarveṣāmagnayaścitāḥ। tasmādviddhi mahārāja devānkarmapathi sthitān ॥12-12-3॥
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.
anāstikānāstikānāṃ prāṇadāḥ pitaraś ca ye। te'pi karmaiva kurvanti vidhiṃ paśyasva pārthiva ॥ vedavādāpaviddhāṃs tu tān viddhi bhṛśanāstikān ॥12-12-4॥
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.
na hi vedoktamutsṛjya vipraḥ sarveṣu karmasu। devayānena nākasya pṛṣṭham āpnoti bhārata ॥12-12-5॥
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.
atyāśramān ayaṃ sarvān ity āhur vedaniścayāḥ। brāhmaṇāḥ śrutisampannās tān nibodha janādhipa ॥12-12-6॥
O ruler of men, know those Brāhmaṇas endowed with śruti, whose conviction is based on the Veda, to be beyond all the āśramas.
vittāni dharmalabdhāni kratumukhyeṣv avāsṛjan। kṛtātmasu mahārāja sa vai tyāgī smṛto naraḥ ॥12-12-7॥
O great king, the man who offers wealth obtained by righteousness in chief sacrifices among the self-controlled is indeed considered a true renouncer.
anavekṣya sukhādānaṃ tathaivordhvaṃ pratiṣṭhitaḥ। ātmatyāgī mahārāja sa tyāgī tāmasaḥ prabho ॥12-12-8॥
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.
aniketaḥ paripatann-vṛkṣa-mūlāśrayo muniḥ। apācakaḥ sadā yogī sa tyāgī pārtha bhikṣukaḥ ॥12-12-9॥
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.
krodhaharṣāvanādṛtya paiśunyaṃ ca viśāṃ pate। vipro vedānadhīte yaḥ sa tyāgī gurupūjakaḥ ॥12-12-10॥
O lord of men, the brāhmaṇa who, disregarding anger, delight, and maliciousness, studies the Vedas, is a renouncer and worshipper of the teacher.
āśramāṃs tulayā sarvān dhṛtān āhur manīṣiṇaḥ। ekatas te trayo rājan gṛhasthāśrama ekataḥ ॥12-12-11॥
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.
samīkṣate tu yo'rthaṃ vai kāmaṃ svargaṃ ca bhārata। ayaṃ panthā maharṣīṇām iyaṃ lokavidāṃ gatiḥ ॥12-12-12॥
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.
iti yaḥ kurute bhāvaṃ sa tyāgī bharatarṣabha। na yaḥ parityajya gṛhān vanam eti vimūḍhavat ॥12-12-13॥
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.
yadā kāmān samīkṣeta dharmavaitaṁsiko'nṛjuḥ। athainaṃ mṛtyupāśena kaṇṭhe badhnāti mṛtyurāṭ ॥12-12-14॥
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.
abhimānakṛtaṃ karma naitatphalavad ucyate। tyāgayuktaṃ mahārāja sarvam eva mahāphalam ॥12-12-15॥
Action performed with pride is not considered fruitful; O great king, all actions performed with renunciation indeed yield great results.
śamo damastapo dānaṃ satyaṃ śaucam athārjavam। yajño dhṛtiś ca dharmaś ca nityam ārṣo vidhiḥ smṛtaḥ ॥12-12-16॥
Tranquility, self-restraint, austerity, charity, truthfulness, purity, straightforwardness, sacrifice, steadfastness, and righteousness—these are always regarded as the rules established by the sages.
pitṛdevātithikṛte samārambho'tra śasyate। atraiva hi mahārāja trivargaḥ kevalaṃ phalam ॥12-12-17॥
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.
etasmin vartamānasya vidhau vipraniṣevi te। tyāginaḥ prasṛtasya iha nocchittir vidyate kvacit॥12-12-18॥
In this current practice, which is attended by Brāhmaṇas, there is never any destruction here for the generous renouncer.
asṛjaddhi prajā rājanprajāpatirakalmaṣaḥ। māṃ yakṣyantīti śāntātmā yajñairvividhadakṣiṇaiḥ ॥12-12-19॥
O king, the sinless Prajāpati created the creatures, thinking with a peaceful mind, 'They will worship me with sacrifices and various gifts.'
vīrudhaś caiva vṛkṣāṃś ca yajñārthaṃ ca tathauṣadhīḥ| paśūṃś caiva tathā medhyān yajñārthāni havīṃṣi ca ॥12-12-20॥
Herbs, trees, medicinal plants, animals, and pure sacrificial offerings, all these are meant for sacrifice.
gṛhasthāśramiṇas tacca yajñakarma virodhakam। tasmād gārhasthyam eveha duṣkaraṃ durlabhaṃ tathā ॥12-12-21॥
For householders, those sacrificial acts are opposed. Therefore, householdership here is indeed difficult and rare.
tatsamprāpya gṛhasthā ye paśudhānyasamanvitāḥ। na yajante mahārāja śāśvataṃ teṣu kilbiṣam ॥12-12-22॥
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.
svādhyāyayajñā ṛṣayo jñānayajñāstathāpare| athāpare mahāyajñānmanasaiva vitanvate ॥12-12-23॥
Some seers perform the sacrifice of study of the Veda, others the sacrifice of knowledge; likewise, others perform great sacrifices only with the mind.
evaṃ dānasamādhānaṃ mārgamātiṣṭhato nṛpa। dvijāter brahmabhūtasya spṛhayanti divaukasaḥ ॥12-12-24॥
Thus, O king, even the gods desire the path of giving and establishment, followed by a twice-born who has become Brahman.
sa ratnāni vicitrāṇi sambhṛtāni tatastataḥ। makheṣv anabhisantyajya nāstikyam abhijalpasi ॥ kuṭumbam āsthite tyāgaṃ na paśyāmi narādhipa ॥12-12-25॥
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.
rājasūyāśvamedheṣu sarvamedheṣu vā punaḥ। ya cānye kratavastāta brāhmaṇairabhipūjitāḥ ॥ tairyajasva mahārāja śakro devapatiryathā ॥12-12-26॥
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.
rājñaḥ pramāda-doṣeṇa dasyubhiḥ parimuṣyatām। aśaraṇyaḥ prajānāṃ yaḥ sa rājā kalir ucyate ॥12-12-27॥
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.
aśvāṅgāś caiva dāsīś ca kareṇūś ca svalaṅkṛtāḥ। grāmāñ janapadāṃś caiva kṣetrāṇi ca gṛhāṇi ca ॥12-12-28॥
Horses, cows, maidservants, female elephants, all well-adorned, as well as villages, districts, fields, and houses.
apradāya dvijātibhyo mātsaryāviṣṭacetasaḥ। vayaṃ te rājakalayo bhaviṣyāmo viśāṃ pate ॥12-12-29॥
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.
adātāro'śaraṇyāś ca rājakilbiṣabhāginaḥ। duḥkhānām eva bhoktāro na sukhānāṃ kadācana ॥12-12-30॥
Non-givers, those without refuge, and those who share in the king's sins experience only suffering and never any happiness at any time.
aniṣṭvā ca mahāyajñair akṛtvā ca pitṛsvadhām | tīrtheṣv anabhisantyajya pravrajiṣyasi ced atha ॥12-12-31॥
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...
chinnābhramiva gantāsi vilayaṃ māruteritam। lokayorubhayorbhraṣṭo hyantarāle vyavasthitaḥ ॥12-12-32॥
You, having fallen from both worlds, are now situated in the interval, like a severed cloud driven by the wind, destined for dissolution.
antarbahiś ca yat kiñcin manovyāsaṅgakārakam। parityajya bhavet tyāgī na yo hitvā pratiṣṭhate ॥12-12-33॥
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.
etasmin vartamānasya vidhau vipra-niṣevite। brāhmaṇasya mahārāja nocchittir vidyate kvacit ॥12-12-34॥
O great king, in this present rule attended by the Brāhmaṇas, there is no destruction of the Brāhmaṇa anywhere.
nihatya śatrūṃstarasā samṛddhā; naśakro yathā daityabalāni saṅkhye. kaḥ pārtha śocennirataḥ svadharme; pūrvaiḥ smṛte pārthiva śiṣṭajuṣṭe ॥12-12-35॥
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?
kṣātreṇa dharmeṇa parākrameṇa; jitvā mahīṃ mantravidbhyaḥ pradāya। nākasya pṛṣṭhe'si narendra gantā; na śocitavyaṃ bhavatādya pārtha ॥12-12-36॥
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.
