12.134
भीष्म उवाच॥
bhīṣma uvāca॥
[भीष्म (bhīṣma) - Bhīṣma; (name of a person); उवाच (uvāca) - said; (from the root 'vac' - to speak);]
(Bhīṣma said;)
Bhīṣma said.
अत्र गाथा ब्रह्मगीताः कीर्तयन्ति पुराविदः। येन मार्गेण राजानः कोशं सञ्जनयन्ति च ॥१२-१३४-१॥
atra gāthā brahmagītāḥ kīrtayanti purāvidaḥ। yena mārgeṇa rājānaḥ kośaṃ sañjanayanti ca ॥12-134-1॥
[अत्र (atra) - here; गाथा (gāthā) - verses; ब्रह्मगीताः (brahmagītāḥ) - songs of Brahman; कीर्तयन्ति (kīrtayanti) - recite; पुराविदः (purāvidaḥ) - knowers of ancient times; येन (yena) - by which; मार्गेण (mārgeṇa) - by the path; राजानः (rājānaḥ) - kings; कोशं (kośaṃ) - treasury; सञ्जनयन्ति (sañjanayanti) - cause to be produced; च (ca) - and;]
(Here, the verses called 'songs of Brahman' are recited by the knowers of ancient times; by which path the kings cause the treasury to be produced and (maintained).)
Here, the knowers of ancient times recite the 'songs of Brahman', describing the path by which kings establish and maintain the treasury.
न धनं यज्ञशीलानां हार्यं देवस्वमेव तत्। दस्यूनां निष्क्रियाणां च क्षत्रियो हर्तुमर्हति ॥१२-१३४-२॥
na dhanaṃ yajñaśīlānāṃ hāryaṃ devasvameva tat। dasyūnāṃ niṣkriyāṇāṃ ca kṣatriyo hartumarhati ॥12-134-2॥
[न (na) - not; धनं (dhanaṃ) - wealth; यज्ञशीलानां (yajñaśīlānām) - of those devoted to sacrifice; हार्यं (hāryam) - to be taken; देवस्वम् (devasvam) - property of the gods; एव (eva) - indeed; तत् (tat) - that; दस्यूनां (dasyūnām) - of robbers; निष्क्रियाणां (niṣkriyāṇām) - of the inactive; च (ca) - and; क्षत्रियः (kṣatriyaḥ) - a Kshatriya; हर्तुम् (hartum) - to take; अर्हति (arhati) - is entitled;]
(Not the wealth of those devoted to sacrifice is to be taken; that is indeed property of the gods. Of robbers and the inactive, a Kshatriya is entitled to take.)
The wealth of those devoted to sacrifice must not be taken, for it is indeed the property of the gods. However, a Kshatriya is entitled to seize the wealth of robbers and those who are inactive.
इमाः प्रजाः क्षत्रियाणां रक्ष्याश्चाद्याश्च भारत। धनं हि क्षत्रियस्येह द्वितीयस्य न विद्यते ॥१२-१३४-३॥
imāḥ prajāḥ kṣatriyāṇāṃ rakṣyāś cādyāś ca bhārata। dhanaṃ hi kṣatriyasya iha dvitīyasya na vidyate॥12-134-3॥
[इमाः (imāḥ) - these (feminine plural); प्रजाः (prajāḥ) - subjects; क्षत्रियाणां (kṣatriyāṇām) - of the kṣatriyas; रक्ष्याः (rakṣyāḥ) - to be protected; च (ca) - and; आद्याः (ādyāḥ) - to be nourished; च (ca) - and; भारत (bhārata) - O Bhārata; धनं (dhanaṃ) - wealth; हि (hi) - indeed; क्षत्रियस्य (kṣatriyasya) - of the kṣatriya; इह (iha) - here; द्वितीयस्य (dvitīyasya) - of the second (class); न (na) - not; विद्यते (vidyate) - exists;]
(These subjects of the kṣatriyas are to be protected and nourished, O Bhārata. Indeed, for the kṣatriya here, there is no wealth of the second (class) that exists.)
O Bhārata, these subjects of the kṣatriyas are to be protected and nourished. Indeed, for the kṣatriya here, there is no wealth belonging to a second class.
तदस्य स्याद्बलार्थं वा धनं यज्ञार्थमेव वा। अभोग्या ह्योषधीश्छित्त्वा भोग्या एव पचन्त्युत ॥१२-१३४-४॥
tadasya syādbalārthaṃ vā dhanaṃ yajñārthameva vā। abhogyaā hyoṣadhīśchittvā bhogyā eva pacantyuta ॥12-134-4॥
[तत् (tat) - that; अस्य (asya) - of this; स्यात् (syāt) - may be; बलार्थम् (balārtham) - for strength; वा (vā) - or; धनम् (dhanam) - wealth; यज्ञार्थम् (yajñārtham) - for sacrifice; एव (eva) - only; वा (vā) - or; अभोग्याः (abhogyāḥ) - not to be enjoyed; हि (hi) - indeed; ओषधीः (oṣadhīḥ) - herbs; छित्त्वा (chittvā) - having cut; भोग्याः (bhogyāḥ) - to be enjoyed; एव (eva) - only; पचन्ति (pacanti) - cook; उत (uta) - indeed;]
(That of this may be for strength or wealth, or only for sacrifice. Indeed, herbs not to be enjoyed, having been cut, only are cooked to be enjoyed, indeed.)
That may be for strength or wealth, or only for sacrifice. Indeed, herbs that are not to be enjoyed, once cut, are cooked only to be enjoyed.
यो वै न देवान्न पितॄन्न मर्त्यान्हविषार्चति। आनन्तिकां तां धनितामाहुर्वेदविदो जनाः ॥१२-१३४-५॥
yo vai na devān na pitṝn na martyān haviṣā arcati। ānantikāṃ tāṃ dhanitām āhur vedavido janāḥ ॥12-134-5॥
[यः (yaḥ) - who; वै (vai) - indeed; न (na) - not; देवान् (devān) - the gods; न (na) - not; पितॄन् (pitṝn) - the ancestors; न (na) - not; मर्त्यान् (martyān) - mortals; हविषा (haviṣā) - with oblation; अर्चति (arcati) - worships; आनन्तिकाम् (ānantikām) - endless; ताम् (tām) - that; धनिताम् (dhanitām) - wealth; आहुः (āhuḥ) - say; वेदविदः (vedavidaḥ) - knowers of the Veda; जनाः (janāḥ) - people;]
(Who indeed does not worship the gods, nor the ancestors, nor mortals with oblation—endless wealth, that, the knowers of the Veda say, is (his).)
The knowers of the Veda say that endless wealth belongs to the one who does not worship the gods, ancestors, or mortals with offerings.
हरेत्तद्द्रविणं राजन्धार्मिकः पृथिवीपतिः। न हि तत्प्रीणयेल्लोकान्न कोशं तद्विधं नृपः ॥१२-१३४-६॥
harettadraviṇaṃ rājan dhārmikaḥ pṛthivīpatiḥ। na hi tatprīṇayellokān na kośaṃ tadvidhaṃ nṛpaḥ ॥12-134-6॥
[हरेत् (haret) - should take away; तत् (tat) - that; द्रविणम् (draviṇam) - wealth; राजन् (rājan) - O king; धार्मिकः (dhārmikaḥ) - righteous; पृथिवीपतिः (pṛthivīpatiḥ) - lord of the earth; न (na) - not; हि (hi) - indeed; तत् (tat) - that; प्रीणयेत् (prīṇayet) - should please; लोकान् (lokān) - the worlds; न (na) - not; कोशम् (kośam) - treasury; तद्विधम् (tadvidham) - of that kind; नृपः (nṛpaḥ) - king;]
(A righteous king, O king, should take away that wealth; for such a king does not please the worlds, nor the treasury of that kind.)
O king, a righteous ruler should confiscate such wealth; for neither does such a king please the people, nor does a treasury of that kind bring satisfaction.
असाधुभ्यो निरादाय साधुभ्यो यः प्रयच्छति। आत्मानं सङ्क्रमं कृत्वा मन्ये धर्मविदेव सः ॥१२-१३४-७॥
asādhubhyo nirādāya sādhubhyo yaḥ prayacchati। ātmānaṃ saṅkramaṃ kṛtvā manye dharmavideva saḥ ॥12-134-7॥
[असाधुभ्यः (asādhubhyaḥ) - from the wicked; निरादाय (nirādāya) - having taken away; साधुभ्यः (sādhubhyaḥ) - to the virtuous; यः (yaḥ) - who; प्रयच्छति (prayacchati) - gives; आत्मानम् (ātmānam) - himself; सङ्क्रमम् (saṅkramam) - as a bridge; कृत्वा (kṛtvā) - having made; मन््ये (manye) - I think; धर्मविदेव (dharmavid eva) - just like a knower of dharma; सः (saḥ) - he;]
(Who, having taken away from the wicked, gives to the virtuous, making himself a bridge, I think he is just like a knower of dharma.)
I believe that one who takes from the wicked and gives to the virtuous, making himself a bridge, is truly like a knower of dharma.
औद्भिज्जा जन्तवः केचिद्युक्तवाचो यथा तथा। अनिष्टतः सम्भवन्ति तथायज्ञः प्रतायते ॥१२-१३४-८॥
audbhijjā jantavaḥ kecid yuktavāco yathā tathā। aniṣṭataḥ sambhavanti tathā yajñaḥ pratāyate ॥12-134-8॥
[औद्भिज्जा (audbhijjā) - born from moisture; जन्तवः (jantavaḥ) - creatures; केचित् (kecit) - some; युक्तवाचः (yuktavācaḥ) - having proper speech; यथा (yathā) - as; तथा (tathā) - so; अनिष्टतः (aniṣṭataḥ) - from undesirable (sources); सम्भवन्ति (sambhavanti) - arise; तथा (tathā) - so; यज्ञः (yajñaḥ) - sacrifice; प्रतायते (pratāyate) - is produced;]
(Some creatures born from moisture, having proper speech, arise as such from undesirable (sources); so sacrifice is produced.)
Some creatures are born from moisture and possess proper speech; just as they arise from undesirable sources, so too is sacrifice produced.
यथैव दंशमशकं यथा चाण्डपिपीलिकम्। सैव वृत्तिरयज्ञेषु तथा धर्मो विधीयते ॥१२-१३४-९॥
yathaiva daṃśamaśakaṃ yathā cāṇḍapipīlikam। saiva vṛttirayajñeṣu tathā dharmo vidhīyate ॥12-134-9॥
[यथा (yathā) - just as; एव (eva) - indeed; दंशमशकं (daṃśamaśakam) - biting mosquito; यथा (yathā) - just as; च (ca) - and; अण्डपिपीलिकम् (aṇḍapipīlikam) - egg-ant; सैव (sa eva) - that very; वृत्तिः (vṛttiḥ) - conduct; अयज्ञेषु (ayajñeṣu) - among non-sacrifices; तथा (tathā) - so; धर्मः (dharmaḥ) - righteousness; विधीयते (vidhīyate) - is established;]
(Just as indeed a biting mosquito, just as an egg-ant, that very conduct among non-sacrifices, so righteousness is established.)
Just as a biting mosquito or an egg-ant, so too is conduct among non-sacrificers; thus, righteousness is established.
यथा ह्यकस्माद्भवति भूमौ पांसुतृणोलपम्। तथैवेह भवेद्धर्मः सूक्ष्मः सूक्ष्मतरोऽपि च ॥१२-१३४-१०॥
yathā hy akasmād bhavati bhūmau pāṃsu-tṛṇa-ulapam। tathaiva iha bhavet dharmaḥ sūkṣmaḥ sūkṣmataro'pi ca ॥12-134-10॥
[यथा (yathā) - just as; हि (hi) - indeed; अकस्मात् (akasmāt) - suddenly; भवति (bhavati) - arises; भूमौ (bhūmau) - on the ground; पांसु (pāṃsu) - dust; तृण (tṛṇa) - grass; उलपम् (ulapam) - chaff; तथा (tathā) - so; एव (eva) - just; इह (iha) - here; भवेत् (bhavet) - may be; धर्मः (dharmaḥ) - dharma; सूक्ष्मः (sūkṣmaḥ) - subtle; सूक्ष्मतरः (sūkṣmataraḥ) - more subtle; अपि (api) - even; च (ca) - and;]
(Just as indeed suddenly on the ground arise dust, grass, and chaff, so just here may dharma be subtle, even more subtle and;)
Just as dust, grass, and chaff may suddenly appear on the ground, so too, here, dharma may be subtle or even more subtle.
