12.146
युधिष्ठिर उवाच॥
Yudhishthira said.
अबुद्धिपूर्वं यः पापं कुर्याद्भरतसत्तम। मुच्यते स कथं तस्मादेनसस्तद्वदस्व मे ॥१२-१४६-१॥
O best of the Bharatas, please tell me how one who commits a sin without prior understanding is released from that sin.
भीष्म उवाच॥
Bhīṣma said.
अत्र ते वर्णयिष्येऽहमितिहासं पुरातनम्। इन्द्रोतः शौनको विप्रो यदाह जनमेजयम् ॥१२-१४६-२॥
Here, I will narrate to you the ancient history that the sage Śaunaka, descendant of Indrota, told to Janamejaya.
आसीद्राजा महावीर्यः पारिक्षिज्जनमेजयः। अबुद्धिपूर्वं ब्रह्महत्या तमागच्छन्महीपतिम् ॥१२-१४६-३॥
There was a mighty king named Janamejaya, descendant of Parikṣit. Unknowingly, the sin of killing a Brahmin befell him.
तं ब्राह्मणाः सर्व एव तत्यजुः सपुरोहिताः। जगाम स वनं राजा दह्यमानो दिवानिशम् ॥१२-१४६-४॥
All the brāhmaṇas, along with the family priest, abandoned him. The king, burning with grief, went to the forest day and night.
स प्रजाभिः परित्यक्तश्चकार कुशलं महत्। अतिवेलं तपस्तेपे दह्यमानः स मन्युना ॥१२-१४६-५॥
Abandoned by his subjects, he performed a great auspicious act. Burning with anger, he practiced severe austerities to an excessive degree.
तत्रेतिहासं वक्ष्यामि धर्मस्यास्योपबृंहणम्। दह्यमानः पापकृत्या जगाम जनमेजयः ॥१२-१४६-६॥
There, I will narrate the history that augments this dharma. Tormented by his sinful deed, Janamejaya departed.
वरिष्यमाण इन्द्रोतं शौनकं संशितव्रतम्। समासाद्योपजग्राह पादयोः परिपीडयन् ॥१२-१४६-७॥
As the rain was about to fall, Indrota, the Śaunaka of firm vows, approached and seized his feet, pressing them closely.
ततो भीतो महाप्राज्ञो जगर्हे सुभृशं तदा। कर्ता पापस्य महतो भ्रूणहा किमिहागतः ॥१२-१४६-८॥
Then, being afraid, the very wise one severely censured, saying at that time: "Why has the killer of the embryo, the doer of great sin, come here?"
किं तवास्मासु कर्तव्यं मा मा स्प्राक्षीः कथञ्चन। गच्छ गच्छ न ते स्थानं प्रीणात्यस्मानिह ध्रुवम् ॥१२-१४६-९॥
What business do you have with us? Do not touch us in any way. Go away, go away; there is certainly no place here that pleases us.
रुधिरस्येव ते गन्धः शवस्येव च दर्शनम्। अशिवः शिवसङ्काशो मृतो जीवन्निवाटसि ॥१२-१४६-१०॥
Your scent is like blood, your appearance like a corpse; you are inauspicious though you seem auspicious, dead though you appear alive, and you dwell thus.
अन्तर्मृत्युरशुद्धात्मा पापमेवानुचिन्तयन्। प्रबुध्यसे प्रस्वपिषि वर्तसे चरसे सुखी ॥१२-१४६-११॥
With inner death and an impure self, always thinking only of sin, you awaken, sleep, exist, and move about, thinking yourself happy.
मोघं ते जीवितं राजन्परिक्लिष्टं च जीवसि। पापायेव च सृष्टोऽसि कर्मणे ह यवीयसे ॥१२-१४६-१२॥
O king, your life is in vain and you live in affliction. Indeed, you are created for evil deeds and for even worse actions.
बहु कल्याणमिच्छन्त ईहन्ते पितरः सुतान्। तपसा देवतेज्याभिर्वन्दनेन तितिक्षया ॥१२-१४६-१३॥
Fathers, wishing for the great welfare of their sons, strive through penance, worship of the gods, reverence, and endurance.
पितृवंशमिमं पश्य त्वत्कृते नरकं गतम्। निरर्थाः सर्व एवैषामाशाबन्धास्त्वदाश्रयाः ॥१२-१४६-१४॥
Behold this ancestral line—because of you, it has gone to hell. All their bonds of hope, which depend on you, are now rendered useless.
यान्पूजयन्तो विन्दन्ति स्वर्गमायुर्यशः सुखम्। तेषु ते सततं द्वेषो ब्राह्मणेषु निरर्थकः ॥१२-१४६-१५॥
Hatred towards Brāhmaṇas, whom people worship and thereby attain heaven, long life, fame, and happiness, is always useless.
इमं लोकं विमुच्य त्वमवाङ्मूर्धा पतिष्यसि। अशाश्वतीः शाश्वतीश्च समाः पापेन कर्मणा ॥१२-१४६-१६॥
Having abandoned this world, you will fall head downward. Because of sinful actions, you will experience both fleeting and endless years of suffering.
अद्यमानो जन्तुगृध्रैः शितिकण्ठैरयोमुखैः। ततोऽपि पुनरावृत्तः पापयोनिं गमिष्यसि ॥१२-१४६-१७॥
While being devoured by creature-vultures with white throats and iron beaks, even after returning from there, you will again enter a sinful birth.
यदिदं मन्यसे राजन्नायमस्ति परः कुतः। प्रतिस्मारयितारस्त्वां यमदूता यमक्षये ॥१२-१४६-१८॥
O king, if you think this is not so, then where is another? The messengers of Yama will remind you at the abode of Yama.
