12.148
śaunaka uvāca॥
Śaunaka said.
tasmātte'haṃ pravakṣyāmi dharmamāvṛttacetase। śrīmānmahābalastuṣṭo yastvaṃ dharmamavekṣase॥ purastāddāruṇo bhūtvā sucitratarameva tat॥12-148-1॥
Therefore, I shall declare dharma to you, whose mind is turned inward. You, who are prosperous, mighty, and pleased, observe dharma. Formerly, having been fierce, that has now become even more excellent.
anugṛhṇanti bhūtāni svena vṛttena pārthiva। kṛtsne nūnaṃ sadasatī iti loko vyavasyati ॥ yatra tvaṃ tādṛśo bhūtvā dharmam adyānupaśyasi ॥12-148-2॥
O king, beings are supported by their own conduct. Indeed, the world judges everything as either existence or non-existence. Where you, having become such, do not see dharma today.
hitvā suruciraṃ bhakṣyaṃ bhogāṃśca tapa āsthitaḥ। ityetadapi bhūtānāmadbhutaṃ janamejaya ॥12-148-3॥
O Janamejaya, it is indeed a marvel among beings that he gave up delightful food and pleasures to undertake austerity.
yo durbalo bhaved-dātā kṛpaṇo vā tapodhanaḥ। anāścaryaṃ tad-ity āhur nātidūre hi vartate ॥12-148-4॥
It is said that if a weak person is a giver, a miser, or an ascetic, it is not surprising; such things are not uncommon.
etadeva hi kārpaṇyaṃ samagramasamīkṣitam। tasmātsamīkṣayaiva syādbhavettasmiṃstato guṇaḥ ॥12-148-5॥
This is truly misery, when left wholly unexamined. Therefore, only through examination should it be; in that, then, lies virtue.
yajño dānaṃ dayā vedāḥ satyaṃ ca pṛthivīpate। pañcaitāni pavitrāṇi ṣaṣṭhaṃ sucaritaṃ tapaḥ ॥12-148-6॥
O lord of the earth, sacrifice, charity, compassion, the Vedas, and truth are five purifying things; the sixth purifier is good conduct and austerity.
tadeva rājñāṃ paramaṃ pavitraṃ janamejaya। tena samyaggṛhītena śreyāṃsaṃ dharmamāpsyasi ॥12-148-7॥
O Janamejaya, that is truly the highest purifier for kings. By properly accepting it, you will attain superior dharma.
puṇyadeśābhigamanaṃ pavitraṃ paramaṃ smṛtam। api hyudāharantīmā gāthā gītā yayātinā ॥12-148-8॥
Going to a sacred place is regarded as supremely pure. Indeed, these verses, sung by Yayāti, are also cited as examples.
yo martyaḥ pratipadyeta āyurjīvet vā punaḥ। yajñam-ekāntataḥ kṛtvā tat-saṃnyasya tapaś caret ॥12-148-9॥
Any mortal who attains life or is reborn, having performed the sacrifice exclusively and then renounced it, should undertake austerity.
puṇyam āhuḥ kurukṣetraṃ sarasvatyāṃ pṛthūdakam। yatrāvagāhya pītvā vā naivaṃ śvomaraṇaṃ tapet ॥12-148-10॥
They declare Kurukshetra, where the Sarasvati flows with abundant water, to be holy; whoever bathes or drinks there will not suffer death the next day.
mahāsaraḥ puṣkarāṇi prabhāsottaramānase। kālodaṃ tveva gantāsi labdhāyurjīvite punaḥ ॥12-148-11॥
You will again go to the great lake, the lotuses, to Prabhāsa, Uttara, Mānasā, and Kāloda, having regained your life.
sarasvatī-dṛṣadvatyau sevamāno'nusañcareḥ। svādhyāyaśīlaḥ sthāneṣu sarveṣu samupaspṛśeḥ॥12-148-12॥
While serving the Sarasvatī and Dṛṣadvatī rivers and moving along, being devoted to self-study, you should perform the prescribed touch (purification) in all places.
tyāgadharmaṃ pavitrāṇāṃ saṃnyāsaṃ paramabravīt। atrāpyudāharantīmā gāthāḥ satyavatā kṛtāḥ ॥12-148-13॥
The supreme dharma of renunciation for the pure was declared. Here too, these verses composed by the truthful are cited.
yathā kumāraḥ satyo vai na puṇyo na ca pāpakṛt। na hyasti sarvabhūteṣu duḥkham asmin kutaḥ sukham ॥12-148-14॥
Just as a boy is simply truthful, neither virtuous nor sinful; in this world, since there is no suffering among all beings, how can there be happiness?
evaṃ prakṛtibhūtānāṃ sarvasaṃsargayāyinām। tyajatāṃ jīvitaṃ prāyo vivṛte puṇyapātake ॥12-148-15॥
Thus, when the fall of merit is manifest, life is generally lost for all beings who act according to their nature, seek all associations, and abandon restraint.
yattveva rājño jyāyo vai kāryāṇāṃ tadvadāmi te। balena saṃvibhāgaiśca jaya svargaṃ punīṣva ca ॥12-148-16॥
I will tell you what is truly the greatest of a king's deeds. By strength and by fair distribution, win heaven and purify yourself.
yasyai vaṃ balam ojaś ca sa dharmasya prabhur naraḥ। brāhmaṇānāṃ sukhārthaṃ tvaṃ paryehi pṛthivīm imām ॥12-148-17॥
He whose strength and vitality are thus, he is the lord of dharma, a true man. For the happiness of the Brāhmaṇas, you should go around this earth.
yathaivainān purākṣaipsīs tathaivainān prasādaya। api dhikkriyamāṇo'pi tyajyamāno'pyanekadhā ॥12-148-18॥
Just as you once reproached these people, now please them in the same way. Even if you are reproached or abandoned in many ways.
ātmano darśanaṃ vidvannāhantāsmīti mā krudhaḥ। ghaṭamānaḥ svakāryeṣu kuru naiḥśreyasaṃ param ॥12-148-19॥
O wise one, perceive the self without the egoistic thought 'I am'; do not be angry. Strive in your own duties and perform the highest good.
himāgni-ghora-sadṛśo rājā bhavati kaścana। lāṅgalāśani-kalpo vā bhavatyan-yaḥ parantapa ॥12-148-20॥
O scorcher of foes, sometimes a king becomes like snow, fire, or something terrible; at other times, another becomes like a plough or a thunderbolt.
na niḥśeṣeṇa mantavyamacikitsyena vā punaḥ। na jātu nāhamasmīti prasaktavyamasādhuṣu ॥12-148-21॥
One should never consider anyone as entirely incurable, nor should one ever say 'I am not' and become attached to the wicked.
vikarmaṇā tapyamānaḥ pādātpāpasya mucyate। naitatkāryaṃ punariti dvitīyātparimucyate ॥ cariṣye dharmameveti tṛtīyātparimucyate ॥12-148-22॥
One is released from a portion of sin by suffering for wrongful action. By resolving "This should not be done again," one is further freed. By resolving "I shall practice only dharma," one is completely freed.
kalyāṇamanumantavyaṃ puruṣeṇa bubhūṣatā। ye sugandhīni sevante tathāgandhā bhavanti te ॥ ye durgandhīni sevante tathāgandhā bhavanti te ॥12-148-23॥
A person who wishes to prosper should approve of what is auspicious. Those who associate with the good become good, just as those who associate with the fragrant become fragrant, and those who associate with the foul become foul.
tapaś-caryā-paraḥ sadyaḥ pāpād dhi parimucyate। saṃvatsaram upāsya agnim abhiśastaḥ pramucyate ॥ trīṇi varṣāṇi upāsya agniṃ bhrūṇahā vipramucyate ॥12-148-24॥
A person devoted to austerity is instantly freed from sin. One who is cursed is released after worshipping fire for a year. A slayer of the embryo is especially released after worshipping fire for three years.
yāvataḥ prāṇino hanyāt tajjātīyān svabhāvataḥ। pramīyamāṇān unmocya bhrūṇahā vipramucyate ॥12-148-25॥
If a person kills as many living beings of that kind by nature, but releases those who are being killed, the killer of an embryo is completely absolved.
api vāpsu nimajjeta trirjapannaghamarṣaṇam। yathāśvamedhāvabhṛthastathā tanmanurabravīt ॥12-148-26॥
Manu said: "Even by immersing oneself in water and reciting the Aghamarṣaṇa hymn three times, it is as meritorious as the final bath of the Aśvamedha sacrifice."
kṣipraṃ praṇudate pāpaṃ satkāraṃ labhate tathā। api cainaṃ prasīdanti bhūtāni jaḍamūka-vat ॥12-148-27॥
He quickly drives away sin and likewise obtains respect; moreover, even creatures, like those who are dull and mute, become pleased with him.
bṛhaspatiṃ devaguruṃ surāsurāḥ; sametya sarve nṛpate'nvayuñjan. dharme phalaṃ vettha kṛte maharṣe; tathetarasminnarake pāpaloke ॥12-148-28॥
O king, all the gods and asuras, having assembled, engaged Bṛhaspati, the teacher of the gods. O great sage, you know the fruit of dharma when performed, and likewise, in the opposite case, in hell, in the world of the wicked.
ubhe tu yasya sukṛte bhavetāṃ; kiṃ svittayostatra jayottaraṃ syāt. ācakṣva naḥ karmaphalaṃ maharṣe; kathaṃ pāpaṃ nudate puṇyaśīlaḥ ॥12-148-29॥
O great sage, tell us: If both good and bad deeds belong to a person, which of the two prevails? What is the fruit of action? How does a person of virtuous conduct drive away sin?
bṛhaspatiruvāca॥
Bṛhaspati said.
kṛtvā pāpaṃ pūrvam abuddhipūrvam; puṇyāni yaḥ kurute buddhipūrvam। sa tatpāpaṃ nudate puṇyaśīlo; vāso yathā malinaṃ kṣārayuktyā ॥12-148-30॥
If one has committed sin previously out of ignorance, but then performs virtuous deeds with understanding, he, being of virtuous character, dispels that sin, just as a soiled garment is cleansed by alkali.
pāpaṃ kṛtvā na manyeta nāhamasmīti pūruṣaḥ। cikīrṣedeva kalyāṇaṃ śraddadhāno'nasūyakaḥ ॥12-148-31॥
After committing a sin, a person should not think, 'I am not (the doer)'; rather, he should sincerely wish to do good, with faith and without envy.
chidrāṇi vasanasy-eva sādhuṇā vivṛṇoti yaḥ। yaḥ pāpaṃ puruṣaḥ kṛtvā kalyāṇam abhipadyate ॥12-148-32॥
Just as a good person covers the holes in a garment, so too, a man who has committed a sin attains goodness.
yathādityaḥ punarudyaṁstamaḥ sarvaṁ vyapohati। kalyāṇamācarannevaṁ sarvaṁ pāpaṁ vyapohati ॥12-148-33॥
Just as the sun, when it rises, dispels all darkness, so too, by practicing good deeds, one dispels all sin.
bhīṣma uvāca॥
Bhīṣma said.
evam-uktvā sa rājānam indrotaḥ janamejayam। yājayām āsa vidhivad vājim edhena śaunakaḥ ॥12-148-34॥
After saying this, Indrota caused King Janamejaya to perform the horse-sacrifice according to the prescribed rites, as narrated by Śaunaka.
tataḥ sa rājā vyapanītakalmaṣaḥ; śriyā yutaḥ prajvalitāgnirūpayā. viveśa rājyaṃ svam amitrakarśanaḥ; divaṃ yathā pūrṇavapur niśākaraḥ ॥12-148-35॥
Then that king, purified of sin and endowed with splendour like blazing fire, entered his own kingdom, subduing his enemies, just as the full moon ascends into the heavens.
