12.020
Library: The divine sage advises King Yudhisthira on the importance of wealth and how it should be used for sacrifice alone.
वैशम्पायन उवाच॥
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
[वैशम्पायन (vaiśampāyana) - Vaiśampāyana; (name of the sage); उवाच (uvāca) - said; spoke;]
(Vaiśampāyana said;)
Vaiśampāyana said:
तस्मिन्वाक्यान्तरे वक्ता देवस्थानो महातपाः। अभिनीततरं वाक्यमित्युवाच युधिष्ठिरम् ॥१२-२०-१॥
tasmin vākyāntare vaktā devasthāno mahātapāḥ। abhinītataraṃ vākyam ity uvāca yudhiṣṭhiram ॥12-20-1॥
[तस्मिन् (tasmin) - in that; (locative singular of tat) वाक्य-अन्तरे (vākya-antare) - in another statement; (compound: vākya + antara) वक्ता (vaktā) - speaker; (nominative singular) देव-स्थानः (deva-sthānaḥ) - the divine sage; (compound: deva + sthāna) महातपाः (mahātapāḥ) - great ascetic; (nominative singular) अभिनीततरम् (abhinītataraṃ) - more humble; (comparative degree of abhinīta) वाक्यम् (vākyam) - statement; (accusative singular) इति (iti) - thus; (quotation marker) उवाच (uvāca) - said; (perfect tense, 3rd person singular) युधिष्ठिरम् (yudhiṣṭhiram) - to Yudhishthira; (accusative singular);]
(In that other statement, the speaker, the divine sage, the great ascetic, said a more humble statement thus to Yudhishthira.)
At that point, the speaker, the divine sage and great ascetic, addressed Yudhishthira with an even more humble statement, saying:
यद्वचः फल्गुनेनोक्तं न ज्यायोऽस्ति धनादिति। अत्र ते वर्तयिष्यामि तदेकाग्रमनाः शृणु ॥१२-२०-२॥
yad-vacaḥ phalgunena-uktaṃ na jyāyo-'sti dhanād-iti। atra te vartayiṣyāmi tad-ekāgramanāḥ śṛṇu ॥12-20-2॥
[यत् (yat) - which; वचः (vacaḥ) - speech; फल्गुनेन (phalgunena) - by Phalguna; उक्तं (uktaṃ) - spoken; न (na) - not; ज्यायः (jyāyaḥ) - greater; अस्ति (asti) - is; धनात् (dhanāt) - than wealth; इति (iti) - thus; अत्र (atra) - here; ते (te) - to you; वर्तयिष्यामि (vartayiṣyāmi) - I shall relate; तत् (tat) - that; एकाग्रमनाः (ekāgramanāḥ) - with one-pointed mind; शृणु (śṛṇu) - listen;]
(Which speech was spoken by Phalguna, 'There is nothing greater than wealth'—here I shall relate that to you; listen with one-pointed mind.)
I will now tell you what Phalguna said, 'There is nothing greater than wealth.' Listen to this with focused attention.
अजातशत्रो धर्मेण कृत्स्ना ते वसुधा जिता। तां जित्वा न वृथा राजंस्त्वं परित्यक्तुमर्हसि ॥१२-२०-३॥
ajātaśatro dharmeṇa kṛtsnā te vasudhā jitā। tāṃ jitvā na vṛthā rājaṃstvaṃ parityaktumarhasi ॥12-20-3॥
[अजातशत्रो (ajātaśatro) - O one whose enemies are unborn; धर्मेण (dharmeṇa) - by righteousness; कृत्स्ना (kṛtsnā) - entire; ते (te) - by you; वसुधा (vasudhā) - earth; जिता (jitā) - conquered; तां (tāṃ) - her; जित्वा (jitvā) - having conquered; न (na) - not; वृथा (vṛthā) - in vain; राजन् (rājan) - O king; त्वम् (tvam) - you; परित्यक्तुम् (parityaktum) - to abandon; अर्हसि (arhasi) - ought;]
(O one whose enemies are unborn, by righteousness the entire earth has been conquered by you. Having conquered her, O king, you ought not to abandon her in vain.)
O unconquered one, you have won the whole earth by righteousness. Having conquered her, O king, you should not abandon her without cause.
चतुष्पदी हि निःश्रेणी कर्मण्येषा प्रतिष्ठिता। तां क्रमेण महाबाहो यथावज्जय पार्थिव ॥१२-२०-४॥
catuṣpadī hi niḥśreṇī karmaṇyeṣā pratiṣṭhitā। tāṃ krameṇa mahābāho yathāvajjaya pārthiva ॥12-20-4॥
[चतुष्पदी (catuṣpadī) - four-footed; (having four steps); हि (hi) - indeed; निःश्रेणी (niḥśreṇī) - ladder to liberation; (leading to the highest goal); कर्मणि (karmaṇi) - in action; (in duty); एषा (eṣā) - this; (she); प्रतिष्ठिता (pratiṣṭhitā) - established; (set up); ताम् (tām) - that; (her); क्रमेण (krameṇa) - step by step; (in order); महाबाहो (mahābāho) - O mighty-armed; यथावत् (yathāvat) - properly; (as it is); जय (jaya) - conquer; (overcome); पार्थिव (pārthiva) - O king;]
(Indeed, this four-footed ladder to liberation is established in action. That, O mighty-armed king, conquer properly step by step.)
O mighty-armed king, this four-stepped ladder to liberation is established in action. Conquer it properly, step by step.
तस्मात्पार्थ महायज्ञैर्यजस्व बहुदक्षिणैः। स्वाध्याययज्ञा ऋषयो ज्ञानयज्ञास्तथापरे ॥१२-२०-५॥
tasmāt pārtha mahāyajñair yajāsva bahudakṣiṇaiḥ। svādhyāyayajñā ṛṣayo jñānayajñās tathāpare ॥12-20-5॥
[तस्मात् (tasmāt) - therefore; पार्थ (pārtha) - O son of Pṛthā; महायज्ञैः (mahāyajñaiḥ) - with great sacrifices; यजस्व (yajasva) - perform sacrifice; बहुदक्षिणैः (bahudakṣiṇaiḥ) - with many gifts; स्वाध्याययज्ञाः (svādhyāyayajñāḥ) - those who perform sacrifice of self-study; ऋषयः (ṛṣayaḥ) - the sages; ज्ञानयज्ञाः (jñānayajñāḥ) - those who perform sacrifice of knowledge; तथा (tathā) - likewise; अपरे (apare) - others;]
(Therefore, O son of Pṛthā, perform sacrifice with great sacrifices and many gifts; the sages performed sacrifices of self-study, others likewise performed sacrifices of knowledge.)
Therefore, O Pārtha, perform great sacrifices with many gifts; the sages performed sacrifices of self-study, and others performed sacrifices of knowledge likewise.
कर्मनिष्ठांस्तु बुध्येथास्तपोनिष्ठांश्च भारत। वैखानसानां राजेन्द्र वचनं श्रूयते यथा ॥१२-२०-६॥
karmaniṣṭhāṃstu budhyethāstaponiṣṭhāṃśca bhārata। vaikhānasānāṃ rājendra vacanaṃ śrūyate yathā ॥12-20-6॥
[कर्मनिष्ठान् (karmaniṣṭhān) - those devoted to action; तु (tu) - but; बुध्येथाः (budhyethāḥ) - you should understand; तपोनिष्ठान् (taponiṣṭhān) - those devoted to austerity; च (ca) - and; भारत (bhārata) - O Bhārata; वैखानसानाम् (vaikhānasānām) - of the Vaikhānasas; राजेन्द्र (rājendra) - O king; वचनम् (vacanam) - statement; श्रूयते (śrūyate) - is heard; यथा (yathā) - as; १२-२०-६ (12-20-6) - 12-20-6;]
(But you should understand those devoted to action and those devoted to austerity, O Bhārata. The statement of the Vaikhānasas, O king, is heard as follows: "12-20-6".)
O Bhārata, you should know the distinction between those devoted to action and those devoted to austerity. O king, the statement of the Vaikhānasas is heard as follows: "12-20-6".
ईहते धनहेतोर्यस्तस्यानीहा गरीयसी। भूयान्दोषः प्रवर्धेत यस्तं धनमपाश्रयेत् ॥१२-२०-७॥
īhate dhanahetoryas tasyānīhā garīyasī। bhūyān doṣaḥ pravardheta yas taṃ dhanam apāśrayet ॥12-20-7॥
[ईहते (īhate) - strives; धनहेतोः (dhanahetoḥ) - for the sake of wealth; यः (yaḥ) - who; तस्य (tasya) - his; अनीहा (anīhā) - non-striving; गरीयसी (garīyasī) - is greater; भूयान् (bhūyān) - greater; दोषः (doṣaḥ) - fault; प्रवर्धेत (pravardheta) - would increase; यः (yaḥ) - who; तम् (tam) - that; धनम् (dhanam) - wealth; अपाश्रयेत् (apāśrayet) - would resort to;]
(He who strives for the sake of wealth, for him non-striving is greater. Greater fault would increase for him who would resort to that wealth.)
For one who strives for wealth, not striving is better. The fault would be greater for one who depends on such wealth.
कृच्छ्राच्च द्रव्यसंहारं कुर्वन्ति धनकारणात्। धनेन तृषितोऽबुद्ध्या भ्रूणहत्यां न बुध्यते ॥१२-२०-८॥
kṛcchrāc ca dravyasaṃhāraṃ kurvanti dhanakāraṇāt। dhanena tṛṣito'buddhyā bhrūṇahatyāṃ na budhyate ॥12-20-8॥
[कृच्छ्रात् (kṛcchrāt) - from hardship; च (ca) - and; द्रव्यसंहारम् (dravyasaṃhāram) - accumulation of wealth; कुर्वन्ति (kurvanti) - they do; धनकारणात् (dhanakāraṇāt) - for the sake of wealth; धनेन (dhanena) - by wealth; तृषितः (tṛṣitaḥ) - one who is thirsty (craving); अबुद्ध्या (abuddhyā) - with lack of understanding; भ्रूणहत्याम् (bhrūṇahatyām) - foeticide; न (na) - not; बुध्यते (budhyate) - he perceives;]
(And from hardship, they accumulate wealth for the sake of money; by wealth, one who is craving, with lack of understanding, does not perceive foeticide.)
Driven by hardship, people accumulate wealth for the sake of money; blinded by craving for wealth and lacking understanding, they do not realize the sin of foeticide.
अनर्हते यद्ददाति न ददाति यदर्हते। अनर्हार्हापरिज्ञानाद्दानधर्मोऽपि दुष्करः ॥१२-२०-९॥
anarhate yaddadāti na dadāti yadarhate। anarhārhāparijñānāddānadharmo'pi duṣkaraḥ ॥12-20-9॥
[अनर्हते (anarhate) - to the unworthy; यत् (yat) - which; ददाति (dadāti) - gives; न (na) - not; ददाति (dadāti) - gives; यत् (yat) - which; अर्हते (arhate) - to the worthy; अनर्ह-अर्ह-अपरिज्ञानात् (anarha-arha-aparijñānāt) - from not knowing the unworthy and worthy; दानधर्मः (dānadharmaḥ) - the virtue of giving; अपि (api) - even; दुष्करः (duṣkaraḥ) - difficult;]
(He who gives to the unworthy, and does not give to the worthy, due to not knowing the unworthy and the worthy, even the virtue of giving is difficult.)
If one gives to the unworthy and not to the worthy, due to not discerning between the unworthy and the worthy, even the virtue of giving becomes difficult to practice.
यज्ञाय सृष्टानि धनानि धात्रा; यष्टादिष्टः पुरुषो रक्षिता च। तस्मात्सर्वं यज्ञ एवोपयोज्यं; धनं ततोऽनन्तर एव कामः ॥१२-२०-१०॥
yajñāya sṛṣṭāni dhanāni dhātrā; yaṣṭādiṣṭaḥ puruṣo rakṣitā ca. tasmātsarvaṃ yajña evopayojyaṃ; dhanaṃ tato'nantara eva kāmaḥ ॥12-20-10॥
[यज्ञाय (yajñāya) - for sacrifice; सृष्टानि (sṛṣṭāni) - created; धनानि (dhanāni) - wealths; धात्रा (dhātrā) - by the Creator; यष्टा (yaṣṭā) - the sacrificer; इष्टः (iṣṭaḥ) - worshipped; पुरुषः (puruṣaḥ) - person; रक्षिता (rakṣitā) - protected; च (ca) - and; तस्मात् (tasmāt) - therefore; सर्वं (sarvaṃ) - all; यज्ञ (yajña) - sacrifice; एव (eva) - indeed; उपयोज्यं (upayojyaṃ) - to be used; धनं (dhanaṃ) - wealth; ततः (tataḥ) - then; अनन्तर (anantara) - immediately after; एव (eva) - indeed; कामः (kāmaḥ) - desire;]
(For sacrifice, wealths are created by the Creator; the sacrificer, the person worshipped, is protected also. Therefore, all indeed is to be used for sacrifice; wealth, then immediately indeed, desire.)
Wealth is created by the Creator for sacrifice; the sacrificer and the worshipped person are protected. Therefore, everything should be used for sacrifice; only then, immediately, comes the fulfillment of desire.
यज्ञैरिन्द्रो विविधैरन्नवद्भिर्देवान्सर्वानभ्ययान्महौजाः। तेनेन्द्रत्वं प्राप्य विभ्राजतेऽसौ; तस्माद्यज्ञे सर्वमेवोपयोज्यम् ॥१२-२०-११॥
yajñair indro vividhair annavadbhir devān sarvān abhyayān mahaujāḥ. tena indratvaṃ prāpya vibhrājate'sau; tasmād yajñe sarvam evopayojyam ॥12-20-11॥
[यज्ञैः (yajñaiḥ) - by sacrifices; इन्द्रः (indraḥ) - Indra; विविधैः (vividhaiḥ) - by various; अन्नवद्भिः (annavadbhiḥ) - with food-offering; देवान् (devān) - the gods; सर्वान् (sarvān) - all; अभ्ययात् (abhyayāt) - approached; महा-उजाः (mahaujāḥ) - of great strength; तेन (tena) - by that; इन्द्रत्वं (indratvaṃ) - Indra-hood; प्राप्य (prāpya) - having attained; विभ्राजते (vibhrājate) - shines; असौ (asau) - he; तस्मात् (tasmāt) - therefore; यज्ञे (yajñe) - in sacrifice; सर्वम् (sarvam) - all; एव (eva) - indeed; उपयोज्यम् (upayojyam) - to be employed;]
(By sacrifices, Indra, by various food-offerings, approached all the gods, being of great strength. By that, having attained Indra-hood, he shines; therefore, indeed, everything is to be employed in sacrifice.)
Indra, by means of various sacrifices with food-offerings, approached all the gods with great strength. By this, having attained the status of Indra, he shines; therefore, everything is indeed to be used in sacrifice.
महादेवः सर्वमेधे महात्मा; हुत्वात्मानं देवदेवो विभूतः। विश्वाँल्लोकान्व्याप्य विष्टभ्य कीर्त्या; विरोचते द्युतिमान्कृत्तिवासाः ॥१२-२०-१२॥
mahādevaḥ sarvamedhe mahātmā; hutvātmānaṃ devadevo vibhūtaḥ। viśvāṃllokānvyāpya viṣṭabhya kīrtyā; virocate dyutimānkṛttivāsāḥ ॥12-20-12॥
[महादेवः (mahādevaḥ) - great god; सर्वमेधे (sarvamedhe) - in every sacrifice; महात्मा (mahātmā) - great-souled; हुत्वा (hutvā) - having offered; आत्मानं (ātmānaṃ) - himself; देवदेवः (devadevaḥ) - god of gods; विभूतः (vibhūtaḥ) - having become glorious; विश्वान् (viśvān) - all; लोकान् (lokān) - worlds; व्याप्य (vyāpya) - having pervaded; विष्टभ्य (viṣṭabhya) - having supported; कीर्त्या (kīrtyā) - by fame; विरोचते (virocate) - shines; द्युतिमान् (dyutimān) - resplendent; कृत्तिवासाः (kṛttivāsāḥ) - wearer of hides;]
(The great god, the great-souled, in every sacrifice, having offered himself, the god of gods, having become glorious, having pervaded all worlds and supported (them) by fame, shines, resplendent, the wearer of hides.)
The great god Mahādeva, the great-souled one, in every sacrifice, having offered himself, the god of gods, having become glorious, pervading and supporting all worlds by his fame, shines resplendently, the wearer of hides.
आविक्षितः पार्थिवो वै मरुत्तः; स्वृद्ध्या मर्त्यो योऽजयद्देवराजम्। यज्ञे यस्य श्रीः स्वयं संनिविष्टा; यस्मिन्भाण्डं काञ्चनं सर्वमासीत् ॥१२-२०-१३॥
āvikṣitaḥ pārthivo vai maruttaḥ; svṛddhyā martyo yo'jayad devarājam. yajñe yasya śrīḥ svayaṃ saṃniviṣṭā; yasmin bhāṇḍaṃ kāñcanaṃ sarvam āsīt ॥12-20-13॥
[आविक्षितः (āvikṣitaḥ) - descendant of Avikṣit; पार्थिवः (pārthivaḥ) - king; वै (vai) - indeed; मरुत्तः (maruttaḥ) - Marutta; स्वृद्ध्या (svṛddhyā) - with prosperity; मर्त्यः (martyaḥ) - mortal; यः (yaḥ) - who; अजयत् (ajayat) - conquered; देवराजम् (devarājam) - the king of gods; यज्ञे (yajñe) - in the sacrifice; यस्यम् (yasya) - whose; श्रीः (śrīḥ) - prosperity; स्वयम् (svayam) - herself; संनिविष्टा (saṃniviṣṭā) - was established; यस्मिन् (yasmin) - in whom; भाण्डम् (bhāṇḍam) - vessel; काञ्चनम् (kāñcanam) - golden; सर्वम् (sarvam) - all; आसीत् (āsīt) - was;]
(The king Marutta, descendant of Avikṣit, indeed, with prosperity, the mortal who conquered the king of gods. In whose sacrifice prosperity herself was established; in whom all the vessels were golden.)
Marutta, the king descended from Avikṣit, was so prosperous that as a mortal he conquered even the king of the gods. In his sacrifice, prosperity herself was present, and all the vessels used were made of gold.
हरिश्चन्द्रः पार्थिवेन्द्रः श्रुतस्ते; यज्ञैरिष्ट्वा पुण्यकृद्वीतशोकः। ऋद्ध्या शक्रं योऽजयन्मानुषः सं; स्तस्माद्यज्ञे सर्वमेवोपयोज्यम् ॥१२-२०-१४॥
hariścandraḥ pārthivendraḥ śrutaste; yajñair iṣṭvā puṇyakṛd vītaśokaḥ. ṛddhyā śakraṃ yo'jayan mānuṣaḥ saṃ; tasmād yajñe sarvam evopayojyam ॥12-20-14॥
[हरिश्चन्द्रः (hariścandraḥ) - Hariścandra; (proper noun, king's name); पार्थिवेन्द्रः (pārthivendraḥ) - king of kings; श्रुतः (śrutaḥ) - heard; ते (te) - by you; (to you); यज्ञैः (yajñaiḥ) - by sacrifices; इष्ट्वा (iṣṭvā) - having worshipped; पुण्यकृत् (puṇyakṛt) - doer of meritorious deeds; वीतशोकः (vītaśokaḥ) - free from sorrow; ऋद्ध्या (ṛddhyā) - by prosperity; शक्रम् (śakram) - Indra; यः (yaḥ) - who; अजयत् (ajayat) - conquered; मानुषः (mānuṣaḥ) - a man; सः (saḥ) - he; तस्मात् (tasmāt) - therefore; यज्ञे (yajñe) - in sacrifice; सर्वम् (sarvam) - all; एव (eva) - indeed; उपयोज्यम् (upayojyam) - should be employed;]
(Hariścandra, king of kings, heard by you; having worshipped by sacrifices, the doer of meritorious deeds, free from sorrow. By prosperity, the man who conquered Indra; therefore, in sacrifice, indeed all should be employed.)
Hariścandra, the king of kings, as you have heard, performed sacrifices, did meritorious deeds, and became free from sorrow. By his prosperity, he, a man, conquered Indra; therefore, everything should indeed be employed in sacrifice.
