12.021
Library: Divine sages advise Yudhishthira - The knower of dharma should restrain the wicked, favour the good, and, having established his subjects on the path of righteousness, conduct himself accordingly.
देवस्थान उवाच॥
devasthāna uvāca॥
[देवस्थान (devasthāna) - abode of the gods; temple; उवाच (uvāca) - said;]
(The abode of the gods said:)
The temple spoke:
अत्रैवोदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम्। इन्द्रेण समये पृष्टो यदुवाच बृहस्पतिः ॥१२-२१-१॥
atraivodāharantīmam itihāsaṃ purātanam। indreṇa samaye pṛṣṭo yaduvāca bṛhaspatiḥ ॥12-21-1॥
[अत्रैव (atraiva) - right here; उदाहरन्ति (udāharanti) - they cite; इमम् (imam) - this; इतिहासम् (itihāsam) - history; पुरातनम् (purātanam) - ancient; इन्द्रेण (indreṇa) - by Indra; समये (samaye) - at the time; पृष्टः (pṛṣṭaḥ) - having been asked; यदु (yadu) - what; उवाच (uvāca) - said; बृहस्पतिः (bṛhaspatiḥ) - Bṛhaspati;]
(Right here they cite this ancient history. When asked by Indra at the time, Bṛhaspati said what (follows).)
Right here, they recount this ancient story: When Indra asked at that time, Bṛhaspati spoke as follows.
सन्तोषो वै स्वर्गतमः सन्तोषः परमं सुखम्। तुष्टेर्न किञ्चित्परतः सुसम्यक्परितिष्ठति ॥१२-२१-२॥
santoṣo vai svargatamaḥ santoṣaḥ paramaṃ sukham। tuṣṭer na kiñcit parataḥ susamyak paritiṣṭhati ॥12-21-2॥
[सन्तोषः (santoṣaḥ) - contentment; वै (vai) - indeed; स्वर्गतमः (svargatamaḥ) - the highest heaven; सन्तोषः (santoṣaḥ) - contentment; परमम् (paramam) - supreme; सुखम् (sukham) - happiness; तुष्टेः (tuṣṭeḥ) - from contentment; न (na) - not; किञ्चित् (kiñcit) - anything; परतः (parataḥ) - beyond; सुसम्यक् (susamyak) - very well; परितिष्ठति (paritiṣṭhati) - stands established;]
(Contentment indeed is the highest heaven; contentment is supreme happiness. From contentment, nothing else stands established very well beyond it.)
Contentment is truly the highest heaven; contentment is the greatest happiness. Nothing stands better than contentment.
यदा संहरते कामान्कूर्मोऽङ्गानीव सर्वशः। तदात्मज्योतिरात्मैव स्वात्मनैव प्रसीदति ॥१२-२१-३॥
yadā saṁharate kāmān kūrmo'ṅgānīva sarvaśaḥ। tadātmajyotirātmaiva svātmanai'va prasīdati ॥12-21-3॥
[यदा (yadā) - when; संहरते (saṁharate) - withdraws; कामान् (kāmān) - desires; कूर्मः (kūrmaḥ) - tortoise; अङ्गानि (aṅgāni) - limbs; इव (iva) - like; सर्वशः (sarvaśaḥ) - altogether; तदा (tadā) - then; आत्मज्योतिः (ātmajyotiḥ) - self-luminous; आत्मा (ātmā) - self; एव (eva) - only; स्वात्मना (svātmanā) - by one's own self; एव (eva) - only; प्रसीदति (prasīdati) - becomes tranquil;]
(When one withdraws desires altogether like a tortoise (withdraws) its limbs, then the self-luminous self alone becomes tranquil by itself.)
When one withdraws all desires like a tortoise withdraws its limbs, then the self, shining by its own light, becomes peaceful by itself.
न बिभेति यदा चायं यदा चास्मान्न बिभ्यति। कामद्वेषौ च जयति तदात्मानं प्रपश्यति ॥१२-२१-४॥
na bibheti yadā cāyaṃ yadā cāsmān na bibhyati। kāmadveṣau ca jayati tad ātmānaṃ prapaśyati ॥12-21-4॥
[न (na) - not; बिभेति (bibheti) - fears; यदा (yadā) - when; च (ca) - and; अयम् (ayam) - this (person); यदा (yadā) - when; च (ca) - and; अस्मान् (asmān) - us; न (na) - not; बिभ्यति (bibhyati) - fears; कामद्वेषौ (kāmadveṣau) - desire and hatred; च (ca) - and; जयति (jayati) - conquers; तत् (tat) - then; आत्मानम् (ātmānam) - self; प्रपश्यति (prapaśyati) - clearly sees;]
(Not fears when and this (person), when and us not fears; desire and hatred and conquers, then self clearly sees.)
When this person does not fear, and when he does not fear us, and conquers desire and hatred, then he clearly perceives the self.
यदासौ सर्वभूतानां न क्रुध्यति न दुष्यति। कर्मणा मनसा वाचा ब्रह्म सम्पद्यते तदा ॥१२-२१-५॥
yadāsau sarvabhūtānāṃ na krudhyati na duṣyati। karmaṇā manasā vācā brahma sampadyate tadā ॥12-21-5॥
[यदा (yadā) - when; असौ (asau) - he; सर्वभूतानाम् (sarvabhūtānām) - of all beings; न (na) - not; क्रुध्यति (krudhyati) - becomes angry; न (na) - not; दुष्यति (duṣyati) - is corrupted; कर्मणा (karmaṇā) - by action; मनसा (manasā) - by mind; वाचा (vācā) - by speech; ब्रह्म (brahma) - Brahman; सम्पद्यते (sampadyate) - attains; तदा (tadā) - then;]
(When he, of all beings, neither becomes angry nor is corrupted, by action, by mind, by speech, then he attains Brahman.)
When a person, towards all beings, neither becomes angry nor is corrupted in action, mind, or speech, then he attains Brahman.
एवं कौन्तेय भूतानि तं तं धर्मं तथा तथा। तदा तदा प्रपश्यन्ति तस्माद्बुध्यस्व भारत ॥१२-२१-६॥
evaṃ kaunteya bhūtāni taṃ taṃ dharmaṃ tathā tathā। tadā tadā prapaśyanti tasmādbudhyasva bhārata ॥12-21-6॥
[एवं (evaṃ) - thus; कौन्तेय (kaunteya) - O son of Kunti; भूतानि (bhūtāni) - beings; तं तं (taṃ taṃ) - each respective; धर्मं (dharmaṃ) - duty; तथा तथा (tathā tathā) - in such and such manner; तदा तदा (tadā tadā) - at such and such times; प्रपश्यन्ति (prapaśyanti) - perceive; तस्मात् (tasmāt) - therefore; बुध्यस्व (budhyasva) - understand; भारत (bhārata) - O descendant of Bharata;]
(Thus, O son of Kunti, beings perceive each respective duty in such and such manner at such and such times; therefore, understand this, O descendant of Bharata.)
O son of Kunti, beings perceive their respective duties in various ways at different times; therefore, O Bharata, understand this.
अन्ये शमं प्रशंसन्ति व्यायाममपरे तथा। नैकं न चापरं केचिदुभयं च तथापरे ॥१२-२१-७॥
anye śamaṃ praśaṃsanti vyāyāmam-apare tathā। na ekaṃ na ca aparam kecid-ubhayam ca tathā apare ॥12-21-7॥
[अन्ये (anye) - others; शमं (śamam) - tranquility; प्रशंसन्ति (praśaṃsanti) - praise; व्यायामम् (vyāyāmam) - exertion; अपरे (apare) - others; तथा (tathā) - likewise; न (na) - not; एकं (ekaṃ) - one; न (na) - not; च (ca) - and; अपरं (aparam) - the other; केचित् (kecit) - some; उभयं (ubhayam) - both; च (ca) - and; तथा (tathā) - likewise; अपरे (apare) - others;]
(Others praise tranquility; others likewise (praise) exertion; not one, nor the other, some (praise) both, and likewise others.)
Some praise tranquility, others praise exertion; some do not praise either one or the other, while some others praise both.
यज्ञमेके प्रशंसन्ति संन्यासमपरे जनाः। दानमेके प्रशंसन्ति केचिदेव प्रतिग्रहम् ॥ केचित्सर्वं परित्यज्य तूष्णीं ध्यायन्त आसते ॥१२-२१-८॥
yajñam eke praśaṁsanti saṁnyāsam apare janāḥ। dānam eke praśaṁsanti kecid eva pratigraham॥ kecit sarvaṁ parityajya tūṣṇīṁ dhyāyanta āsate॥12-21-8॥
[यज्ञम् (yajñam) - sacrifice; एके (eke) - some; प्रशंसन्ति (praśaṁsanti) - praise; संन्यासम् (saṁnyāsam) - renunciation; अपरे (apare) - others; जनाः (janāḥ) - people; दानम् (dānam) - charity; एके (eke) - some; प्रशंसन्ति (praśaṁsanti) - praise; केचित् (kecit) - some; एव (eva) - indeed; प्रतिग्रहम् (pratigraham) - acceptance (of gifts); केचित् (kecit) - some; सर्वम् (sarvam) - all; परित्यज्य (parityajya) - having abandoned; तूष्णीम् (tūṣṇīm) - in silence; ध्यायन्तः (dhyāyantaḥ) - meditating; आसते (āsate) - sit;]
(Some praise sacrifice, others (praise) renunciation, people; some praise charity, some indeed (praise) acceptance (of gifts); some, having abandoned all, sit meditating in silence.)
Some people praise sacrifice, others praise renunciation; some praise charity, and some praise only the acceptance of gifts. Some, having abandoned everything, sit in silence and meditate.
राज्यमेके प्रशंसन्ति सर्वेषां परिपालनम्। हत्वा भित्त्वा च छित्त्वा च केचिदेकान्तशीलिनः ॥१२-२१-९॥
rājyam eke praśaṁsanti sarveṣāṁ paripālanam। hatvā bhittvā ca chittvā ca kecid ekāntaśīlinaḥ ॥12-21-9॥
[राज्यम् (rājyam) - kingdom; एके (eke) - some; प्रशंसन्ति (praśaṁsanti) - praise; सर्वेषाम् (sarveṣām) - of all; परिपालनम् (paripālanam) - protection; हत्वा (hatvā) - having killed; भित्त्वा (bhittvā) - having pierced; च (ca) - and; छित्त्वा (chittvā) - having cut; च (ca) - and; केचित् (kecit) - some; एकान्तशीलिनः (ekāntaśīlinaḥ) - those devoted to solitude;]
(Some praise the kingdom, the protection of all; having killed, having pierced, and having cut, some are devoted to solitude.)
Some praise the rule and protection of all; others, after killing, piercing, and cutting, are devoted to solitude.
एतत्सर्वं समालोक्य बुधानामेष निश्चयः। अद्रोहेणैव भूतानां यो धर्मः स सतां मतः ॥१२-२१-१०॥
etatsarvaṃ samālokya budhānāmeṣa niścayaḥ। adroheṇaiva bhūtānāṃ yo dharmaḥ sa satāṃ mataḥ ॥12-21-10॥
[एतत् (etat) - this; सर्वं (sarvaṃ) - all; समालोक्य (samālokya) - having considered; बुधानाम् (budhānām) - of the wise; एषः (eṣaḥ) - this; निश्चयः (niścayaḥ) - decision; अद्रोहेण (adroheṇa) - by non-injury; एव (eva) - indeed; भूतानाम् (bhūtānām) - of beings; यः (yaḥ) - which; धर्मः (dharmaḥ) - duty; सः (saḥ) - that; सताम् (satām) - of the good; मतः (mataḥ) - is considered;]
(Having considered all this, this is the decision of the wise: the duty which is by non-injury indeed to beings, that is considered by the good.)
After considering all this, the wise have concluded: the duty which consists in non-injury to beings is regarded as the highest by the virtuous.
अद्रोहः सत्यवचनं संविभागो धृतिः क्षमा। प्रजनः स्वेषु दारेषु मार्दवं ह्रीरचापलम् ॥१२-२१-११॥
adrohaḥ satyavacanaṃ saṃvibhāgo dhṛtiḥ kṣamā। prajanaḥ sveṣu dāreṣu mārdavaṃ hrīracāpalam ॥12-21-11॥
[अद्रोहः (adrohaḥ) - absence of hostility; सत्यवचनं (satyavacanaṃ) - truthful speech; संविभागः (saṃvibhāgaḥ) - sharing (with others); धृतिः (dhṛtiḥ) - steadfastness; क्षमा (kṣamā) - forgiveness; प्रजनः (prajanaḥ) - offspring; स्वेषु (sveṣu) - with one's own; दारेषु (dāreṣu) - in wives; मार्दवम् (mārdavam) - gentleness; ह्रीः (hrīḥ) - modesty; अचापलम् (acāpalam) - absence of fickleness;]
(Absence of hostility, truthful speech, sharing, steadfastness, forgiveness, offspring, with one's own wives, gentleness, modesty, absence of fickleness.)
Absence of hostility, speaking the truth, sharing with others, steadfastness, forgiveness, having offspring, gentleness with one's own wives, modesty, and absence of fickleness.
धनं धर्मप्रधानेष्टं मनुः स्वायम्भुवोऽब्रवीत्। तस्मादेवं प्रयत्नेन कौन्तेय परिपालय ॥१२-२१-१२॥
dhanaṃ dharmapradhāneṣṭaṃ manuḥ svāyambhuvo'bravīt। tasmādevaṃ prayatnena kaunteya paripālaya ॥12-21-12॥
[धनं (dhanaṃ) - wealth; धर्म-प्रधाने (dharma-pradhāne) - in righteousness as the foremost; इष्टं (iṣṭaṃ) - desired; मनुः (manuḥ) - Manu; स्वायम्भुवः (svāyambhuvaḥ) - Svāyambhuva (descendant of Svayambhū); अब्रवीत् (abravīt) - said; तस्मात् (tasmāt) - therefore; एवं (evaṃ) - thus; प्रयत्नेन (prayatnena) - with effort; कौन्तेय (kaunteya) - O son of Kunti; परिपालय (paripālaya) - protect;]
(Manu Svāyambhuva said, "Wealth is desired when righteousness is foremost." Therefore, O son of Kunti, protect (it) thus with effort.)
Manu Svāyambhuva declared, "Wealth is to be sought when righteousness is primary." Therefore, O son of Kunti, you should protect it diligently in this way.
यो हि राज्ये स्थितः शश्वद्वशी तुल्यप्रियाप्रियः। क्षत्रियो यज्ञशिष्टाशी राजशास्त्रार्थतत्त्ववित् ॥१२-२१-१३॥
yo hi rājye sthitaḥ śaśvadvaśī tulyapriyāpriyaḥ। kṣatriyo yajñaśiṣṭāśī rājaśāstrārthatattvavit ॥12-21-13॥
[यः (yaḥ) - who; हि (hi) - indeed; राज्ये (rājye) - in the kingdom; स्थितः (sthitaḥ) - situated; शश्वत् (śaśvat) - always; वशी (vaśī) - self-controlled; तुल्य (tulya) - equal; प्रिय (priya) - to the pleasant; अप्रियः (apriyaḥ) - to the unpleasant; क्षत्रियः (kṣatriyaḥ) - a Kṣatriya; यज्ञ (yajña) - sacrifice; शिष्ट (śiṣṭa) - remains; आशी (āśī) - eater; राज (rāja) - king; शास्त्र (śāstra) - scripture; अर्थ (artha) - meaning; तत्त्व (tattva) - essence; वित् (vit) - knower;]
(Who indeed, situated in the kingdom, always self-controlled, equal to the pleasant and unpleasant, a Kṣatriya, eater of the remains of sacrifice, knower of the essence of the meaning of the king's scriptures.)
He who, established in the kingdom, is always self-controlled, impartial to pleasure and displeasure, a Kṣatriya who partakes of the remnants of sacrifice and knows the true essence of royal scriptures.
असाधुनिग्रहरतः साधूनां प्रग्रहे रतः। धर्मे वर्त्मनि संस्थाप्य प्रजा वर्तेत धर्मवित् ॥१२-२१-१४॥
asādhunigraharataḥ sādhūnāṃ pragrahe rataḥ। dharme vartmani saṃsthāpya prajā varteta dharmavit ॥12-21-14॥
[असाधु (asādhu) - not-good; निग्रह (nigraha) - restraint; रतः (rataḥ) - engaged; साधूनाम् (sādhūnām) - of the good; प्रग्रह (pragraha) - favor; रतः (rataḥ) - engaged; धर्मे (dharme) - in dharma; वर्त्मनि (vartmani) - on the path; संस्थाप्य (saṃsthāpya) - having established; प्रजाः (prajāḥ) - subjects; वर्तेत (varteta) - should conduct; धर्मवित् (dharmavit) - knower of dharma;]
(Engaged in the restraint of the not-good, engaged in favor of the good, having established the subjects on the path of dharma, the knower of dharma should conduct (himself).)
The knower of dharma should restrain the wicked, favor the good, and, having established his subjects on the path of righteousness, conduct himself accordingly.
पुत्रसङ्क्रामितश्रीस्तु वने वन्येन वर्तयन्। विधिना श्रामणेनैव कुर्यात्कालमतन्द्रितः ॥१२-२१-१५॥
putrasaṅkrāmitaśrīstu vane vanyena vartayan। vidhinā śrāmaṇenaiva kuryātkālamatandritaḥ ॥12-21-15॥
[पुत्र (putra) - son; सङ्क्रामित (saṅkrāmita) - transferred; श्रीः (śrīḥ) - prosperity; तु (tu) - but; वने (vane) - in the forest; वन्येन (vanyena) - with forest produce; वर्तयन् (vartayan) - sustaining; विधिना (vidhinā) - by rule; श्रामणेन (śrāmaṇena) - like an ascetic; एव (eva) - indeed; कुर्यात् (kuryāt) - should do; कालम् (kālam) - time; अतन्द्रितः (atandritaḥ) - without sloth;]
(But he, whose prosperity has been transferred to his son, sustaining himself in the forest with forest produce, should spend time by rule, indeed like an ascetic, without sloth.)
But when a man's prosperity has passed to his son, he should live in the forest, sustaining himself on forest produce, following the rules like an ascetic, and spend his time diligently.
य एवं वर्तते राजा राजधर्मविनिश्चितः। तस्यायं च परश्चैव लोकः स्यात्सफलो नृप ॥ निर्वाणं तु सुदुष्पारं बहुविघ्नं च मे मतम् ॥१२-२१-१६॥
ya evaṃ vartate rājā rājadarmaviniścitaḥ। tasyāyaṃ ca paraścaiva lokaḥ syātsaphalo nṛpa ॥ nirvāṇaṃ tu suduṣpāraṃ bahuvighnaṃ ca me matam ॥12-21-16॥
[य (ya) - who; एवं (evaṃ) - thus; वर्तते (vartate) - acts; राजा (rājā) - king; राजधर्मविनिश्चितः (rājadarma-viniścitaḥ) - one who is established in kingly duty; तस्य (tasya) - his; अयम् (ayam) - this; च (ca) - and; परः (paraḥ) - next; च (ca) - and; एव (eva) - indeed; लोकः (lokaḥ) - world; स्यात् (syāt) - will be; सफलः (saphalaḥ) - fruitful; नृप (nṛpa) - king; निर्वाणम् (nirvāṇam) - liberation; तु (tu) - but; सुदुष्पारम् (suduṣpāram) - very difficult to cross; बहुविघ्नम् (bahuvighnam) - having many obstacles; च (ca) - and; मे (me) - my; मतम् (matam) - opinion;]
(Who thus acts, the king established in kingly duty, for him this and the next world will indeed be fruitful, O king. But liberation, in my opinion, is very difficult to cross and has many obstacles.)
A king who acts in this way, firmly established in the duties of kingship, will find both this world and the next fruitful, O king. However, in my opinion, liberation is very difficult to attain and is beset with many obstacles.
एवं धर्ममनुक्रान्ताः सत्यदानतपःपराः। आनृशंस्यगुणैर्युक्ताः कामक्रोधविवर्जिताः ॥१२-२१-१७॥
evaṃ dharmam-anukrāntāḥ satya-dāna-tapaḥ-parāḥ। ānṛśaṃsya-guṇair-yuktāḥ kāma-krodha-vivarjitāḥ ॥12-21-17॥
[एवं (evaṃ) - thus; धर्मम् (dharmam) - dharma; अनुक्रान्ताः (anukrāntāḥ) - having followed; सत्य (satya) - truth; दान (dāna) - charity; तपः (tapaḥ) - austerity; पराः (parāḥ) - devoted to; आनृशंस्य (ānṛśaṃsya) - compassion; गुणैः (guṇaiḥ) - with qualities; युक्ताः (yuktāḥ) - endowed; काम (kāma) - desire; क्रोध (krodha) - anger; विवर्जिताः (vivarjitāḥ) - devoid of;]
(Thus, having followed dharma, devoted to truth, charity, and austerity, endowed with the qualities of compassion, devoid of desire and anger.)
Thus, having followed dharma, devoted to truth, charity, and austerity, endowed with the qualities of compassion, and free from desire and anger.
प्रजानां पालने युक्ता दममुत्तममास्थिताः। गोब्राह्मणार्थं युद्धेन सम्प्राप्ता गतिमुत्तमाम् ॥१२-२१-१८॥
prajānāṃ pālane yuktā damam uttamam āsthitāḥ। gobrāhmaṇārthaṃ yuddhena samprāptā gatim uttamām ॥12-21-18॥
[प्रजानाम् (prajānām) - of the subjects; पालने (pālne) - in the protection; युक्ताः (yuktāḥ) - engaged; दमम् (damam) - self-restraint; उत्तमम् (uttamam) - supreme; आस्थिताः (āsthitāḥ) - having resorted to; गोब्राह्मणार्थम् (gobrāhmaṇārtham) - for the sake of cows and Brāhmaṇas; युद्धेन (yuddhena) - by battle; सम्प्राप्ताः (samprāptāḥ) - having attained; गतिम् (gatim) - state; उत्तमाम् (uttamām) - supreme;]
(Engaged in the protection of the subjects, having resorted to supreme self-restraint, for the sake of cows and Brāhmaṇas, by battle, having attained the supreme state.)
They, engaged in protecting the people and practicing supreme self-restraint, attained the highest state through battle for the sake of cows and Brāhmaṇas.
एवं रुद्राः सवसवस्तथादित्याः परन्तप। साध्या राजर्षिसङ्घाश्च धर्ममेतं समाश्रिताः ॥ अप्रमत्तास्ततः स्वर्गं प्राप्ताः पुण्यैः स्वकर्मभिः ॥१२-२१-१९॥
evaṃ rudrāḥ savasavastathādityāḥ parantapa | sādhyā rājarṣisaṅghāśca dharmametaṃ samāśritāḥ ॥ apramattāstataḥ svargaṃ prāptāḥ puṇyaiḥ svakarmabhiḥ ॥12-21-19॥
[एवं (evaṃ) - thus; रुद्राः (rudrāḥ) - Rudras; सवसवः (savasavaḥ) - Vasus; तथा (tathā) - also; आदित्याः (ādityāḥ) - Ādityas; परन्तप (parantapa) - O scorcher of foes; साध्याः (sādhyāḥ) - Sādhyas; राजर्षिसङ्घाः (rājarṣisaṅghāḥ) - assemblies of royal sages; च (ca) - and; धर्मम् (dharmaṃ) - dharma; एतं (etaṃ) - this; समाश्रिताः (samāśritāḥ) - have resorted to; अप्रमत्ताः (apramattāḥ) - vigilant; ततः (tataḥ) - thereafter; स्वर्गम् (svargam) - heaven; प्राप्ताः (prāptāḥ) - have attained; पुण्यैः (puṇyaiḥ) - by merits; स्वकर्मभिः (svakarmabhiḥ) - by their own actions;]
(Thus the Rudras, Vasus, also the Ādityas, O scorcher of foes, the Sādhyas, and assemblies of royal sages, have resorted to this dharma. Being vigilant, thereafter, they have attained heaven by merits through their own actions.)
O scorcher of foes, thus the Rudras, Vasus, Ādityas, Sādhyas, and assemblies of royal sages have all resorted to this dharma. By being vigilant, they attained heaven through the merits of their own actions.
