12.020
Library: The divine sage advises King Yudhisthira on the importance of wealth and how it should be used for sacrifice alone.
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaiśampāyana said:
tasmin vākyāntare vaktā devasthāno mahātapāḥ। abhinītataraṃ vākyam ity uvāca yudhiṣṭhiram ॥12-20-1॥
At that point, the speaker, the divine sage and great ascetic, addressed Yudhishthira with an even more humble statement, saying:
yad-vacaḥ phalgunena-uktaṃ na jyāyo-'sti dhanād-iti। atra te vartayiṣyāmi tad-ekāgramanāḥ śṛṇu ॥12-20-2॥
I will now tell you what Phalguna said, 'There is nothing greater than wealth.' Listen to this with focused attention.
ajātaśatro dharmeṇa kṛtsnā te vasudhā jitā। tāṃ jitvā na vṛthā rājaṃstvaṃ parityaktumarhasi ॥12-20-3॥
O unconquered one, you have won the whole earth by righteousness. Having conquered her, O king, you should not abandon her without cause.
catuṣpadī hi niḥśreṇī karmaṇyeṣā pratiṣṭhitā। tāṃ krameṇa mahābāho yathāvajjaya pārthiva ॥12-20-4॥
O mighty-armed king, this four-stepped ladder to liberation is established in action. Conquer it properly, step by step.
tasmāt pārtha mahāyajñair yajāsva bahudakṣiṇaiḥ। svādhyāyayajñā ṛṣayo jñānayajñās tathāpare ॥12-20-5॥
Therefore, O Pārtha, perform great sacrifices with many gifts; the sages performed sacrifices of self-study, and others performed sacrifices of knowledge likewise.
karmaniṣṭhāṃstu budhyethāstaponiṣṭhāṃśca bhārata। vaikhānasānāṃ rājendra vacanaṃ śrūyate yathā ॥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".
īhate dhanahetoryas tasyānīhā garīyasī। bhūyān doṣaḥ pravardheta yas taṃ dhanam apāśrayet ॥12-20-7॥
For one who strives for wealth, not striving is better. The fault would be greater for one who depends on such wealth.
kṛcchrāc ca dravyasaṃhāraṃ kurvanti dhanakāraṇāt। dhanena tṛṣito'buddhyā bhrūṇahatyāṃ na budhyate ॥12-20-8॥
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.
anarhate yaddadāti na dadāti yadarhate। anarhārhāparijñānāddānadharmo'pi duṣkaraḥ ॥12-20-9॥
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.
yajñāya sṛṣṭāni dhanāni dhātrā; yaṣṭādiṣṭaḥ puruṣo rakṣitā ca. tasmātsarvaṃ yajña evopayojyaṃ; dhanaṃ tato'nantara eva kāmaḥ ॥12-20-10॥
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.
yajñair indro vividhair annavadbhir devān sarvān abhyayān mahaujāḥ. tena indratvaṃ prāpya vibhrājate'sau; tasmād yajñe sarvam evopayojyam ॥12-20-11॥
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.
mahādevaḥ sarvamedhe mahātmā; hutvātmānaṃ devadevo vibhūtaḥ। viśvāṃllokānvyāpya viṣṭabhya kīrtyā; virocate dyutimānkṛttivāsāḥ ॥12-20-12॥
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.
āvikṣitaḥ pārthivo vai maruttaḥ; svṛddhyā martyo yo'jayad devarājam. yajñe yasya śrīḥ svayaṃ saṃniviṣṭā; yasmin bhāṇḍaṃ kāñcanaṃ sarvam āsīt ॥12-20-13॥
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.
hariścandraḥ pārthivendraḥ śrutaste; yajñair iṣṭvā puṇyakṛd vītaśokaḥ. ṛddhyā śakraṃ yo'jayan mānuṣaḥ saṃ; tasmād yajñe sarvam evopayojyam ॥12-20-14॥
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.
