12.025
Library: Vyasa narrates the story of Hayagriva, how after properly acquiring the Vedas and studying the śāstras, and after rightly protecting the kingdom, the noble-souled Vājigrīva, having established the fourfold order in his own duty, rejoices in the world of the gods.
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaiśampāyana said:
punar eva maharṣiḥ taṃ kṛṣṇadvaipāyano 'bravīt। ajātaśatruṃ kaunteyam idaṃ vacanam arthavat ॥12-25-1॥
Once again, the great sage Kṛṣṇa Dvaipāyana (Vyāsa) addressed Ajātaśatru, the son of Kuntī (Yudhiṣṭhira), with these meaningful words.
araṇye vasatāṃ tāta bhrātṝṇāṃ te tapasvinām। manorathā mahārāja ye tatrāsan yudhiṣṭhira ॥12-25-2॥
O Yudhishthira, O great king, the desires that existed there among your ascetic brothers dwelling in the forest, O dear one.
tānime bharataśreṣṭha prāpnuvantu mahārathāḥ। praśādhi pṛthivīṃ pārtha yayātiriva nāhuṣaḥ ॥12-25-3॥
O best of the Bharatas, may those great chariot-warriors become mine. O Partha, rule the earth like Yayati, the son of Nahusha.
araṇye duḥkhavasatir anubhūtā tapasvibhiḥ। duḥkhasyānte naravyāghrāḥ sukhaṃ tvanubhavantv ime ॥12-25-4॥
In the forest, ascetics endured suffering; when the suffering ends, these heroic men truly experience happiness.
dharmam arthaṃ ca kāmaṃ ca bhrātṛbhiḥ saha bhārata। anubhūya tataḥ paścāt prasthātāsi viśāṃ pate ॥12-25-5॥
O Bhārata, after you have experienced duty, wealth, and desire together with your brothers, then afterwards, O lord of the people, you will depart.
atithīnāṃ ca pitṝṇāṃ devatānāṃ ca bhārata। ānṛṇyaṃ gaccha kaunteya tataḥ svargaṃ gamiṣyasi ॥12-25-6॥
O Bhārata, if you attain freedom from debts to guests, ancestors, and deities, O son of Kuntī, then you will reach heaven.
sarvamedhāśvamedhābhyāṃ yajasva kurunandana. tataḥ paścān mahārāja gamiṣyasi parāṃ gatim ॥12-25-7॥
O Kurunandana, perform the Sarvamedha and Aśvamedha sacrifices. Then, O great king, afterwards you will attain the highest state.
bhrātṝṁś ca sarvān kratu-bhiḥ saṁyojya bahu-dakṣiṇaiḥ। samprāptaḥ kīrti-matulāṁ pāṇḍaveya bhaviṣyasi॥12-25-8॥
O son of Pandu, by performing sacrifices with many gifts together with all your brothers, you will attain unequalled fame.
vidma te puruṣavyāghra vacanaṃ kurunandana। śṛṇu macca yathā kurvan dharmān na cyavate nṛpaḥ ॥12-25-9॥
O tiger among men, delighter of the Kurus, we know your words. Listen also as I tell you how a king, by performing his duties, does not stray from the path.
ādadānasya ca dhanaṃ nigrahaṃ ca yudhiṣṭhira। samānaṃ dharmakuśalāḥ sthāpayanti nareśvara ॥12-25-10॥
O Yudhiṣṭhira, O king, those skilled in dharma establish equal wealth and restraint for the one who takes.
deśakālapratīkṣe yo dasyordarśayate nṛpaḥ। śāstrajāṃ buddhimāsthāya nainasā sa hi yujyate ॥12-25-11॥
He who, waiting for the right place and time, reveals the robbers, the king, relying on intellect derived from the śāstra, is indeed not blamed for sin.
ādāya baliṣaḍbhāgaṃ yo rāṣṭraṃ nābhirakṣati. pratigṛhṇāti tatpāpaṃ caturthāṃśena pārthivaḥ ॥12-25-12॥
If a king, having collected one-sixth of the tribute, does not protect the kingdom, he incurs a fourth part of that sin.
nibodha ca yathātiṣṭhan dharmān na cyavate nṛpaḥ। nigrahād dharmaśāstrāṇām anurudhyan napetabhīḥ ॥ kāmakrodhāvanādṛtya piteva samadarśanaḥ ॥12-25-13॥
Understand also: The king, who abides by the dharmas and does not deviate from them, restrains himself according to the dharma-śāstras, follows them without fear, and, disregarding desire and anger, is impartial like a father.
daivenopahate rājā karmakāle mahādyute। pramādayati tatkarma na tatrāhuratikramam ॥12-25-14॥
They say that when a king, afflicted by fate, errs in action during a great contest, such an act is not regarded as a transgression.
tarasā buddhipūrvaṃ vā nigrāhyā eva śatravaḥ। pāpaiḥ saha na saṃdadhyādrāṣṭraṃ paṇyaṃ na kārayet ॥12-25-15॥
Enemies should be restrained either by force or with intelligence. One should not make alliances with the wicked, nor should the kingdom be treated as merchandise.
śūrāś cāryāś ca satkāryā vidvāṃś ca yudhiṣṭhira। gomatō dhaninaś caiva paripālyā viśeṣataḥ ॥12-25-16॥
O Yudhiṣṭhira, valiant people, teachers, those worthy of respect, learned ones, cow-owners, and the wealthy must especially be protected.
vyavahāreṣu dharmyeṣu niyojyāś ca bahuśrutāḥ। guṇayukte'pi naik asmin viśvasya ca vicakṣaṇaḥ ॥12-25-17॥
In matters of conduct, those to be appointed should be well-learned and righteous; even if someone is endowed with virtues, wisdom is not found in only one person in the world.
arakṣitā durvinīto mānī stabdho'bhyasūyakaḥ। enasā yujyate rājā durdānta iti cocyate ॥12-25-18॥
A king who is unprotected, ill-disciplined, proud, arrogant, and envious is afflicted by sin and is called uncontrollable.
ye'rakṣyamāṇā hīyante daivenopahate nṛpe. taskaraiścāpi hanyante sarvaṃ tad rājakilbiṣam ॥12-25-19॥
When a king, struck by fate, fails to protect, and all is destroyed by thieves, all that loss is the king's fault.
sumantrite sunīte ca vidhivaccopapādite। pauruṣe karmaṇi kṛte nāstyadharmo yudhiṣṭhira ॥12-25-20॥
O Yudhishthira, when an action is undertaken with good counsel, proper guidance, and in accordance with rules, and is accomplished through one's own effort, there is no unrighteousness.
vipadyante samārambhāḥ sidhyantyapi ca daivataḥ। kṛte puruṣakāre tu nainaḥ spṛśati pārthivam ॥12-25-21॥
Undertakings may fail or succeed by fate, but when human effort is applied, evil does not touch the person on earth.
atra te rājaśārdūla vartayiṣye kathāmimām। yadvṛttaṃ pūrvarājarṣerhayagrīvasya pārthiva ॥12-25-22॥
O king, tiger among kings, I will now tell you this story of what befell the former royal sage Hayagrīva.
śatrūn hatvā hatasya ājau śūrasya akliṣṭa-karmaṇaḥ। asahāyasya dhīrasya nirjitasya yudhiṣṭhira ॥12-25-23॥
O Yudhishthira, having slain enemies in battle, for the hero whose actions are unwearied, for the helpless, for the steadfast, and for the conquered.
yatkarma vai nigrahe śātravāṇāṃ; yogaścāgryaḥ pālane mānavānām। kṛtvā karma prāpya kīrtiṃ suyuddhe; vājigrīvo modate devaloke ॥12-25-24॥
The action of restraining enemies and the supreme discipline in protecting people—having performed such deeds and gained fame in righteous battle, Vājigrīva rejoices in the world of the gods.
santyaktātmā samareṣv-ātatāyī; śastraiś-chinno dasyubhir-ardyamānaḥ. aśvagrīvaḥ karmaśīlo mahātmā; saṃsiddhātmā modate devaloke ॥12-25-25॥
Aśvagrīva, who had completely renounced self, was an aggressor in battles, cut down by weapons and tormented by robbers; being active in deeds and great-souled, with a perfected self, now rejoices in the world of the gods.
dhanuryūpo raśanā jyā śaraḥ sru; ksruvaḥ khaḍgo rudhiraṃ yatra cājyam। ratho vedī kāmago yuddhamagni; cāturhotraṃ caturo vājimukhyāḥ ॥12-25-26॥
The bow is likened to the sacrificial post, the cord to the bowstring, the arrow to the ladle; the sword is the spoon, blood is the clarified butter. The chariot is the altar, desire is the motive, battle is the fire; the four chief horses represent the four priests of the sacrifice.
hutvā tasmin yajñavahnāv athārī; npāpān mukto rājasiṃhas tarasvī. prāṇān hutvā cāvabhṛthe raṇe sa; vājigrīvo modate devaloke ॥12-25-27॥
Having performed oblations in the sacrificial fire, then the mighty lion among kings, freed from sin, having offered his life in the final bath of battle, now rejoices in the world of the gods.
rāṣṭraṃ rakṣanbuddhipūrvaṃ nayena; santyaktātmā yajñaśīlo mahātmā. sarvāṃllokānvyāpya kīrtyā manasvī; vājigrīvo modate devaloke ॥12-25-28॥
Vājigrīva, who protected the nation with wisdom and policy, selflessly devoted to sacrifice and of great soul, whose fame pervades all worlds, now rejoices in the world of the gods.
daivīṃ siddhiṃ mānuṣīṃ daṇḍanītiṃ; yoganyāyaiḥ pālayitvā mahīṃ ca. tasmādrājā dharmaśīlo mahātmā; hayagrīvo modate svargaloke ॥12-25-29॥
By upholding both divine and human accomplishments and the science of punishment through union and justice, King Hayagrīva, a great-souled and righteous ruler, enjoys happiness in the heavenly realm.
vidvāṃstyāgī śraddadhānaḥ kṛtajña; styaktvā lokaṃ mānuṣaṃ karma kṛtvā। medhāvināṃ viduṣāṃ saṃmatānāṃ; tanutyajāṃ lokamākramya rājā ॥12-25-30॥
The king, being learned, a renouncer, faithful, and grateful, after abandoning the human world and performing his duties, entered the realm esteemed by the wise, the intelligent, and those who have departed their bodies.
samyag-vedān prāpya śāstrāṇi adhītya; samyag-rāṣṭram pālayitvā mahātmā। cātur-varṇyam sthāpayitvā sva-dharme; vājigrīvaḥ modate deva-loke ॥12-25-31॥
After properly acquiring the Vedas and studying the śāstras, and after rightly protecting the kingdom, the noble-souled Vājigrīva, having established the fourfold order in his own duty, rejoices in the world of the gods.
jitvā saṅgrāmān pālayitvā prajāś ca; somaṃ pītvā tarpayitvā dvijāgryān. yuktyā daṇḍaṃ dhārayitvā prajānāṃ; yuddhe kṣīṇo modate devaloke ॥12-25-32॥
After conquering battles, protecting his people, drinking Soma, satisfying the foremost Brahmins, and justly administering punishment to his subjects, a king who is worn out in battle rejoices in the world of the gods.
vṛttaṃ yasya ślāghanīyaṃ manuṣyāḥ; santo vidvāṃś cārhayanty arhaṇīyāḥ. svargaṃ jitvā vīralokāṃś ca gatvā; siddhiṃ prāptaḥ puṇyakīrtir mahātmā ॥12-25-33॥
He whose conduct is praiseworthy is honored by men, the virtuous, and the learned as worthy of honor; having conquered heaven and reached the worlds of heroes, and having attained perfection, the great-souled one of virtuous fame.
