12.133
bhīṣma uvāca॥
Bhīṣma said.
atrāpy udāharantīmam itihāsaṃ purātanam। yathā dasyuḥ samaryādaḥ pretyabhāve na naśyati ॥12-133-1॥
Here too, they narrate this ancient story: Just as a robber who has proper conduct does not perish after death.
prahartā matimāñśūraḥ śrutavānanṛśaṃsavān। rakṣannakṣayiṇaṃ dharmaṃ brahmaṇyo gurupūjakaḥ ॥12-133-2॥
He is a striker, intelligent, brave, learned, compassionate, protector of the imperishable dharma, devoted to Brahman, and worshipper of the guru.
niṣādyāṃ kṣatriyāj jātaḥ kṣatradharmānupālakaḥ। kāpavyo nāma naiṣādir dasyutvāt siddhim āptavān ॥12-133-3॥
Kāpayva, born to a Kṣatriya and a Niṣādī woman, who upheld the duties of a Kṣatriya, was known as a Naiṣādi. Because of his life as a robber, he attained success.
araṇye sāyapūrvāhṇe mṛgayūthaprakopitā। vidhijño mṛgajātīnāṃ nipānānāṃ ca kovidaḥ ॥12-133-4॥
In the forest, in the early afternoon, agitated by herds of deer, there was an expert who knew the rules regarding the species of deer and their watering places.
sarvakānanadeśajñaḥ pāriyātracaraḥ sadā। dharmajñaḥ sarvabhūtānāmamogheṣurdṛḍhāyudhaḥ ॥12-133-5॥
He knows all the forest regions, always wanders in the Pāriyātra mountains; he is knowledgeable in dharma, knows all beings, has unfailing arrows, and is firmly armed.
apy anekaśatāḥ senā eka eva jigāya saḥ। sa vṛddhāvandhapitarau mahāraṇye'bhya pūjayat॥12-133-6॥
He alone conquered even hundreds of armies. In the great forest, he honored his aged and blind parents.
madhumāṁsair mūlaphalair annair uccāvacair api। satkṛtya bhojayāmāsa samyak paricacāra ca ॥12-133-7॥
He honored them and fed them properly with honey, meats, roots, fruits, and various kinds of foods, and also served them well.
āraṇyakān pravrajitān brāhmaṇān paripālayan। api tebhyo mṛgān hatvā nināya ca mahāvane ॥12-133-8॥
He protected the forest-dwelling ascetic Brāhmaṇas, and also brought them deer, having killed (the deer) for them, in the great forest.
ye sma na pratigṛhṇanti dasyubhojanaśaṅkayā। teṣām āsajya geheṣu kālya eva sa gacchati ॥12-133-9॥
Those who, out of suspicion that the food is from robbers, do not accept it—if such food is kept in their houses, it departs by morning.
taṃ bahūni sahasrāṇi grāmaṇitve'bhivavrire। nirmaryādāni dasyūnāṃ niranukrośakāriṇām ॥12-133-10॥
Many thousands chose him as the village head among the robbers, who were without boundaries and acted without compassion.
dasyava ūcuḥ॥
The robbers said.
muhūrtadeśakālajña prājña śīladṛḍhāyudha। grāmaṇīrbhava no mukhyaḥ sarveṣāmeva saṃmataḥ ॥12-133-11॥
Be the chief leader for us, one who knows the right moment, place, and time, wise, steadfast in conduct and arms, and accepted by all.
yathā yathā vakṣyasi naḥ kariṣyāmas tathā tathā। pālayāsmān yathā nyāyaṃ yathā mātā yathā pitā ॥12-133-12॥
Whatever you instruct us, we shall act accordingly. Please protect us justly, as a mother or a father would.
kāpavya uvāca॥
Kāpavya said.
mā vadhīstvaṃ striyaṃ bhīruṃ mā śiśuṃ mā tapasvinam। nāyudhyamāno hantavyo na ca grāhyā balātstriyaḥ ॥12-133-13॥
Do not kill a woman, a fearful person, a child, or an ascetic. One who is not fighting should not be killed, and women should not be seized by force.
sarvathā strī na hantavyā sarvasattveṣu yudhyatā। nityaṃ gobrāhmaṇe svasti yoddhavyaṃ ca tadarthataḥ ॥12-133-14॥
Under all circumstances, a woman must never be killed; even in battle among all beings, one must always fight for the welfare of cows and Brāhmaṇas, and fight only for that purpose.
sasyaṃ ca nāpahantavyaṃ sīravighnaṃ ca mā kṛthāḥ। pūjyante yatra devāśca pitaro'tithayastathā ॥12-133-15॥
Do not destroy crops or cause obstruction to ploughing. In places where gods, ancestors, and guests are worshipped likewise.
sarvabhūteṣv api ca vai brāhmaṇo mokṣam arhati। kāryā cāpacitīs teṣāṃ sarvasvenāpi yā bhavet ॥12-133-16॥
A brāhmaṇa, even among all beings, truly deserves liberation. Reverence should be shown to them, even if it requires all of one's possessions.
yasya hy ete sampraruṣṭā mantrayanti parābhavam। na tasya triṣu lokeṣu trātā bhavati kaścana ॥12-133-17॥
If these people, being thoroughly enraged, plot ruin for someone, then in all the three worlds, there is no one who can protect him.
yo brāhmaṇān paribhaved vināśaṃ vāpi rocayet। sūryodaya iva avaśyaṃ dhruvaṃ tasya parābhavaḥ ॥12-133-18॥
Whoever insults Brāhmaṇas or even wishes for their destruction, his downfall is as certain and inevitable as the sunrise.
ihaiva phalam-āsīnaḥ pratyākāṅkṣati śaktitaḥ। ye ye no na pradāsyanti tāṃs tān senābhiyāsyati ॥12-133-19॥
He waits here itself for the result, expecting as per his ability. Whoever does not give to us, the army will march against them.
śiṣṭyarthaṃ vihito daṇḍo na vadhārthaṃ viniścayaḥ। ye ca śiṣṭān prabādhante dharmas teṣāṃ vadhaḥ smṛtaḥ ॥12-133-20॥
Punishment is instituted for the protection of the virtuous, not for the purpose of killing; but those who harm the virtuous, for them, killing is considered righteous.
ye hi rāṣṭroparodhana vṛttiṃ kurvanti kecana। tadeva te'nu mīyante kuṇapaṃ kṛmayo yathā ॥12-133-21॥
Those who make their living by harming the kingdom are regarded just like worms in a corpse.
ye punar dharmaśāstreṇa varteran iha dasyavaḥ। api te dasyavo bhūtvā kṣipraṃ siddhim avāpnuyuḥ॥12-133-22॥
Even if robbers here were to conduct themselves according to the dharmaśāstra, they too, having become robbers, would quickly attain success.
bhīṣma uvāca॥
Bhīṣma said.
tatsarvam upacakrus te kāpavyasyānuśāsanam। vṛttiṃ ca lebhire sarve pāpebhyaś cāpy upāraman ॥12-133-23॥
They all followed the instruction of Kāpavya; everyone obtained their livelihood and also refrained from sinful acts.
kāpavyaḥ karmaṇā tena mahatīṃ siddhim āptavān। sādhūnām ācaran kṣemaṃ dasyūn pāpān nivartayan ॥12-133-24॥
Kāpavya achieved great accomplishment by his actions; he ensured the welfare of the virtuous by turning away evil robbers.
idaṃ kāpavyacaritam yo nityam anukīrtayet। nāraṇyebhyaḥ sa bhūtebhyo bhayam ārcchet kadācana ॥12-133-25॥
Whoever always recites this account of Kāpavya will never experience fear from the forests or from any beings at any time.
bhayaṃ tasya na martyebhyo nāmartyebhyaḥ kathaṃcana। na sato nāsato rājans hyaraṇyeṣu gopatiḥ ॥12-133-26॥
O king, the lord of cows has no fear from mortals or immortals, nor from the existent or the non-existent, in any way, even in the forests.
