12.062
Library: A Brahmana engaging in the duties of other orders is not recommended. Same holds good for others.
युधिष्ठिर उवाच॥
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca॥
[युधिष्ठिर (yudhiṣṭhira) - Yudhiṣṭhira; (proper noun, name of a person); उवाच (uvāca) - said; (from the root 'vac', to speak);]
(Yudhiṣṭhira said;)
Yudhiṣṭhira said:
शिवान्सुखान्महोदर्कानहिंस्राँल्लोकसंमतान्। ब्रूहि धर्मान्सुखोपायान्मद्विधानां सुखावहान् ॥१२-६२-१॥
śivān sukhān mahodarkān ahiṃsrāṃl lokasaṃmatān। brūhi dharmān sukhopāyān madvidhānāṃ sukhāvahān ॥12-62-1॥
[शिवान् (śivān) - auspicious; beneficent; सुखान् (sukhān) - pleasant; leading to happiness; महोदर्कान् (mahodarkān) - of great consequence; having great results; अहिंस्रान् (ahiṃsrān) - non-violent; harmless; लोकसंमतान् (lokasaṃmatān) - approved by people; accepted by the world; ब्रूहि (brūhi) - speak; tell; धर्मान् (dharmān) - dharmas; righteous duties; सुखोपायान् (sukhopāyān) - means to happiness; ways to happiness; मद्विधानाम् (madvidhānām) - of those like me; for people like me; सुखावहान् (sukhāvahān) - bringing happiness; causing happiness;]
(Auspicious, pleasant, of great consequence, non-violent, approved by people—speak of the dharmas, the means to happiness, which bring happiness for people like me.)
Tell me about the auspicious, pleasant, greatly consequential, non-violent, and widely accepted dharmas—the means to happiness that bring joy to people like me.
भीष्म उवाच॥
bhīṣma uvāca॥
[भीष्म (bhīṣma) - Bhīṣma; उवाच (uvāca) - said;]
(Bhīṣma said;)
Bhīṣma said:
ब्राह्मणस्येह चत्वार आश्रमा विहिताः प्रभो। वर्णास्ताननुवर्तन्ते त्रयो भरतसत्तम ॥१२-६२-२॥
brāhmaṇasyeha catvāra āśramā vihitāḥ prabho। varṇāstānanuvartante trayo bharatasattama ॥12-62-2॥
[ब्राह्मणस्य (brāhmaṇasya) - of the brāhmaṇa; इह (iha) - here; चत्वार (catvāra) - four; आश्रमा (āśramāḥ) - āśramas; विहिताः (vihitāḥ) - prescribed; प्रभो (prabho) - O lord; वर्णाः (varṇāḥ) - castes; तान् (tān) - those; अनुवर्तन्ते (anuvartante) - follow; त्रयः (trayaḥ) - three; भरतसत्तम (bharatasattama) - O best of the Bharatas;]
(Of the brāhmaṇa, here four āśramas are prescribed, O lord. The castes, those, follow (them), three, O best of the Bharatas.)
O best of the Bharatas, four āśramas are prescribed here for the brāhmaṇa, O lord. Of those, three are followed by the other castes.
उक्तानि कर्माणि बहूनि राज; न्स्वर्ग्याणि राजन्यपरायणानि। नेमानि दृष्टान्तविधौ स्मृतानि; क्षात्रे हि सर्वं विहितं यथावत् ॥१२-६२-३॥
uktāni karmāṇi bahūni rāja; na svargyāṇi rājanya-parāyaṇāni. nemāni dṛṣṭānta-vidhau smṛtāni; kṣātre hi sarvaṃ vihitaṃ yathāvat. ॥12-62-3॥
[उक्तानि (uktāni) - spoken; कर्माणि (karmāṇi) - actions; बहूनि (bahūni) - many; राजन् (rājan) - O king; स्वर्ग्याणि (svargyāṇi) - leading to heaven; राजन्यपरायणानि (rājanya-parāyaṇāni) - devoted to the kṣatriya (royal) order; न (na) - not; इमानि (imāni) - these; दृष्टान्तविधौ (dṛṣṭānta-vidhau) - in the context of example; स्मृतानि (smṛtāni) - remembered; क्षात्रे (kṣātre) - in the kṣatriya (warrior) order; हि (hi) - indeed; सर्वम् (sarvam) - all; विहितम् (vihitam) - prescribed; यथावत् (yathāvat) - as it is;]
(Spoken actions many, O king; not leading to heaven, devoted to the kṣatriya order. These are not remembered in the context of example; indeed, in the kṣatriya order, all is prescribed as it is.)
O king, many actions have been spoken of; they are not heavenly, but are devoted to the kṣatriya order. These are not remembered as examples; indeed, in the kṣatriya order, everything is prescribed as it is.
क्षात्राणि वैश्यानि च सेवमानः; शौद्राणि कर्माणि च ब्राह्मणः सन्। अस्मिँल्लोके निन्दितो मन्दचेताः; परे च लोके निरयं प्रयाति ॥१२-६२-४॥
kṣātrāṇi vaiśyāni ca sevamānaḥ; śaudrāṇi karmāṇi ca brāhmaṇaḥ san। asmiñloke nindito mandacetāḥ; pare ca loke nirayaṃ prayāti ॥12-62-4॥
[क्षात्राणि (kṣātrāṇi) - kṣatriya (duties); वैश्यानि (vaiśyāni) - vaiśya (duties); च (ca) - and; सेवमानः (sevamānaḥ) - engaging in; शौद्राणि (śaudrāṇi) - śūdra (duties); कर्माणि (karmāṇi) - actions; च (ca) - and; ब्राह्मणः (brāhmaṇaḥ) - brāhmaṇa; सन् (san) - being; अस्मिँल्लोके (asmiñloke) - in this world; निन्दितः (ninditaḥ) - condemned; मन्दचेताः (mandacetāḥ) - of dull mind; परे (pare) - in the next; च (ca) - and; लोके (loke) - world; निरयम् (nirayam) - hell; प्रयाति (prayāti) - goes;]
(A brāhmaṇa, being, engaging in kṣatriya, vaiśya, and śūdra actions, in this world is condemned as of dull mind; and in the next world goes to hell.)
If a brāhmaṇa engages in the duties of kṣatriyas, vaiśyas, and śūdras, he is condemned as dull-minded in this world and goes to hell in the next.
या सञ्ज्ञा विहिता लोके दासे शुनि वृके पशौ। विकर्मणि स्थिते विप्रे तां सञ्ज्ञां कुरु पाण्डव ॥१२-६२-५॥
yā sañjñā vihitā loke dāse śuni vṛke paśau। vikarmaṇi sthite vipre tāṃ sañjñāṃ kuru pāṇḍava॥12-62-5॥
[या (yā) - which; (feminine singular nominative) सञ्ज्ञा (sañjñā) - designation; name; विहिता (vihitā) - established; prescribed; लोके (loke) - in the world; दासे (dāse) - in a servant; शुनि (śuni) - in a dog; वृके (vṛke) - in a wolf; पशौ (paśau) - in a beast; विकर्मणि (vikarmaṇi) - in one engaged in wrongful acts; स्थिते (sthite) - when situated; विप्रे (vipre) - in a Brāhmaṇa; तां (tāṃ) - that; (accusative singular feminine) सञ्ज्ञां (sañjñāṃ) - designation; name; कुरु (kuru) - make; do; पाण्डव (pāṇḍava) - O Pāṇḍava;]
(Which designation established in the world in a servant, in a dog, in a wolf, in a beast, in one engaged in wrongful acts, when situated in a Brāhmaṇa, that designation make, O Pāṇḍava.)
O Pāṇḍava, apply the same designation that is established in the world for a servant, a dog, a wolf, a beast, or one engaged in wrongful acts, even when it is a Brāhmaṇa.
षट्कर्मसम्प्रवृत्तस्य आश्रमेषु चतुर्ष्वपि। सर्वधर्मोपपन्नस्य सम्भूतस्य कृतात्मनः ॥१२-६२-६॥
ṣaṭkarma-sampravṛttasya āśrameṣu caturṣv api। sarvadharmopapannasya sambhūtasya kṛtātmanaḥ ॥12-62-6॥
[षट् (ṣaṭ) - six; कर्म (karma) - actions; सम्प्रवृत्तस्य (sampravṛttasya) - of one engaged in; आश्रमेषु (āśrameṣu) - in the āśramas; चतुर्षु (caturṣu) - in four; अपि (api) - also; सर्वधर्मोपपन्नस्य (sarvadharmopapannasya) - of one endowed with all dharmas; सम्भूतस्य (sambhūtasya) - of one who has arisen; कृतात्मनः (kṛtātmanaḥ) - of one who has mastered the self;]
(Of one engaged in the six actions, in all four āśramas, of one endowed with all dharmas, of one who has arisen, of one who has mastered the self.)
Of one who is engaged in the six duties, in all four āśramas, endowed with all virtues, arisen and self-controlled.
ब्राह्मणस्य विशुद्धस्य तपस्यभिरतस्य च। निराशिषो वदान्यस्य लोका ह्यक्षरसञ्ज्ञिताः ॥१२-६२-७॥
brāhmaṇasya viśuddhasya tapasyabhiratasya ca। nirāśiṣo vadānyasya lokā hyakṣarasañjñitāḥ ॥12-62-7॥
[ब्राह्मणस्य (brāhmaṇasya) - of the brāhmaṇa; विशुद्धस्य (viśuddhasya) - of the pure; तपस्यभिरतस्य (tapasyabhiratasya) - engaged in austerities; च (ca) - and; निराशिषः (nirāśiṣaḥ) - without desires; वदान्यस्य (vadānyasya) - of the generous; लोकाः (lokāḥ) - worlds; हि (hi) - indeed; अक्षरसञ्ज्ञिताः (akṣarasañjñitāḥ) - called imperishable;]
(The worlds called imperishable indeed belong to the brāhmaṇa who is pure, engaged in austerities, without desires, and generous.)
The imperishable worlds are attained by the brāhmaṇa who is pure, devoted to austerities, free from desires, and generous.
यो यस्मिन्कुरुते कर्म यादृशं येन यत्र च। तादृशं तादृशेनैव स गुणं प्रतिपद्यते ॥१२-६२-८॥
yo yasmin kurute karma yādṛśaṃ yena yatra ca। tādṛśaṃ tādṛśenaiva sa guṇaṃ pratipadyate ॥12-62-8॥
[यः (yaḥ) - who; यस्मिन् (yasmin) - in whom; कुरुते (kurute) - does; कर्म (karma) - action; यादृशं (yādṛśaṃ) - of what kind; येन (yena) - by whom; यत्र (yatra) - where; च (ca) - and; तादृशं (tādṛśaṃ) - of that kind; तादृशेनैव (tādṛśenaiva) - by just such a one; सः (saḥ) - he; गुणं (guṇam) - quality; प्रतिपद्यते (pratipadyate) - obtains;]
(Who, in whom, does action, of what kind, by whom, where, and; of that kind, by just such a one, he, quality, obtains.)
Whatever action a person performs, of whatever kind, by whom, and wherever, he obtains a quality of that very kind by just such a one.
वृद्ध्या कृषिवणिक्त्वेन जीवसञ्जीवनेन च। वेत्तुमर्हसि राजेन्द्र स्वाध्यायगणितं महत् ॥१२-६२-९॥
vṛddhyā kṛṣivaṇiktvena jīvasañjīvanena ca। vettumarhasi rājendra svādhyāyagaṇitaṃ mahat ॥12-62-9॥
[वृद्ध्या (vṛddhyā) - by increase; by growth; कृषिवणिक्त्वेन (kṛṣivaṇiktvena) - by agriculture and trade; जीवसञ्जीवनेन (jīvasañjīvanena) - by sustaining life; by livelihood; च (ca) - and; वेत्तुम् (vettum) - to know; अर्हसि (arhasi) - you are worthy; you ought; राजेन्द्र (rājendra) - O king; स्वाध्यायगणितं (svādhyāyagaṇitam) - the calculation of self-study; महत् (mahat) - great;]
(By increase, by agriculture and trade, by sustaining life, and you ought to know, O king, the great calculation of self-study.)
O King, you should know the great calculation of self-study through increase, agriculture and trade, and sustaining life.
कालसञ्चोदितः कालः कालपर्यायनिश्चितः। उत्तमाधममध्यानि कर्माणि कुरुतेऽवशः ॥१२-६२-१०॥
kālasañcoditaḥ kālaḥ kālaparyāyaniścitaḥ। uttamādhamamadhyāni karmāṇi kurute'vaśaḥ ॥12-62-10॥
[काल-सञ्चोदितः (kāla-sañcoditaḥ) - impelled by time; कालः (kālaḥ) - time; काल-पर्याय-निश्चितः (kāla-paryāya-niścitaḥ) - determined by the succession of time; उत्तम-अधम-मध्यानि (uttama-adhama-madhyāni) - excellent, inferior, and middling; कर्माणि (karmāṇi) - actions; कुरुते (kurute) - performs; अवशः (avaśaḥ) - helplessly;]
(Impelled by time, time, determined by the succession of time, performs excellent, inferior, and middling actions helplessly.)
Time, impelled and determined by its own succession, helplessly performs actions that are excellent, inferior, and middling.
अन्तवन्ति प्रदानानि पुरा श्रेयस्कराणि च। स्वकर्मनिरतो लोको ह्यक्षरः सर्वतोमुखः ॥१२-६२-११॥
antavanti pradānāni purā śreyaskarāṇi ca। svakarmanirato loko hyakṣaraḥ sarvatomukhaḥ ॥12-62-11॥
[अन्तवन्ति (antavanti) - having an end; perishable; प्रदानानि (pradānāni) - gifts; offerings; पुरा (purā) - formerly; in ancient times; श्रेयस्कराणि (śreyaskarāṇi) - leading to welfare; auspicious; च (ca) - and; स्वकर्मनिरतः (svakarmanirataḥ) - engaged in one's own duty; लोकः (lokaḥ) - people; beings; हि (hi) - indeed; अक्षरः (akṣaraḥ) - imperishable; eternal; सर्वतोमुखः (sarvatomukhaḥ) - facing all directions; omnipresent;]
(Gifts are perishable, formerly (they were) auspicious, and people engaged in their own duty indeed (are) imperishable, facing all directions.)
Gifts are perishable, though they were once considered auspicious; but those who are devoted to their own duties are truly imperishable and omnipresent.
