12.158
युधिष्ठिर उवाच॥
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca॥
[युधिष्ठिर (yudhiṣṭhira) - Yudhishthira; (proper noun, name of a person); उवाच (uvāca) - said; (from the root 'vac', to speak);]
(Yudhishthira said;)
Yudhishthira said.
आनृशंस्यं विजानामि दर्शनेन सतां सदा। नृशंसान्न विजानामि तेषां कर्म च भारत ॥१२-१५८-१॥
ānṛśaṁsyaṁ vijānāmi darśanena satāṁ sadā। nṛśaṁsānna vijānāmi teṣāṁ karma ca bhārata॥12-158-1॥
[आनृशंस्यं (ānṛśaṁsyaṁ) - non-cruelty; compassion; विजानामि (vijānāmi) - I know; दर्शनेन (darśanena) - by the sight; सतां (satāṁ) - of the good; of the virtuous; सदा (sadā) - always; नृशंसान् (nṛśaṁsān) - the cruel ones; न (na) - not; विजानामि (vijānāmi) - I know; तेषां (teṣāṁ) - of them; कर्म (karma) - action; deed; च (ca) - and; भारत (bhārata) - O Bhārata; १२-१५८-१ (12-158-1) - 12-158-1;]
(I know non-cruelty by the sight of the virtuous always. I do not know the cruel ones, nor their actions, O Bhārata.)
O Bhārata, I always recognize compassion by seeing the virtuous; I do not recognize the cruel or their actions.
कण्टकान्कूपमग्निं च वर्जयन्ति यथा नराः। तथा नृशंसकर्माणं वर्जयन्ति नरा नरम् ॥१२-१५८-२॥
kaṇṭakān kūpam agniṃ ca varjayanti yathā narāḥ। tathā nṛśaṃsakarmāṇaṃ varjayanti narā naram॥12-158-2॥
[कण्टकान् (kaṇṭakān) - thorns; (accusative plural) कूपम् (kūpam) - well; (accusative singular) अग्निम् (agniṃ) - fire; (accusative singular) च (ca) - and; वर्जयन्ति (varjayanti) - avoid; (they) यथा (yathā) - just as; नराः (narāḥ) - men; (nominative plural) तथा (tathā) - so; in the same way; नृशंसकर्माणम् (nṛśaṃsakarmāṇam) - cruel-deed; (accusative singular) वर्जयन्ति (varjayanti) - avoid; (they) नराः (narāḥ) - men; (nominative plural) नरम् (naram) - man; (accusative singular);]
(Thorns, a well, and fire men avoid just as; so a man who does cruel deeds men avoid a man.)
Just as men avoid thorns, a well, and fire, so too do men avoid a man who performs cruel deeds.
नृशंसो ह्यधमो नित्यं प्रेत्य चेह च भारत। तस्माद्ब्रवीहि कौरव्य तस्य धर्मविनिश्चयम् ॥१२-१५८-३॥
nṛśaṁso hy adhamaḥ nityaṁ pretya ceha ca bhārata। tasmād bravīhi kauravya tasya dharmaviniścayam ॥12-158-3॥
[नृशंसः (nṛśaṁsaḥ) - cruel person; हि (hi) - indeed; अधमः (adhamaḥ) - lowest; नित्यम् (nityam) - always; प्रेत्य (pretya) - after death; च (ca) - and; इह (iha) - here; च (ca) - and; भारत (bhārata) - O Bhārata; तस्मात् (tasmāt) - therefore; ब्रवीहि (bravīhi) - speak; कौरव्य (kauravya) - O descendant of Kuru; तस्य (tasya) - his; धर्मविनिश्चयम् (dharmaviniścayam) - decision regarding dharma;]
(A cruel person indeed, the lowest, always (is so) after death and here, O Bhārata. Therefore, O descendant of Kuru, speak his decision regarding dharma.)
O Bhārata, a cruel person is always the lowest, both here and after death. Therefore, O descendant of Kuru, declare his decision regarding dharma.
भीष्म उवाच॥
bhīṣma uvāca॥
[भीष्म (bhīṣma) - Bhīṣma; (name of the speaker); उवाच (uvāca) - said; (he spoke);]
(Bhīṣma said;)
Bhīṣma said.
स्पृहास्यान्तर्हिता चैव विदितार्था च कर्मणा। आक्रोष्टा क्रुश्यते चैव बन्धिता बध्यते च यः ॥१२-१५८-४॥
spṛhāsyāntarhitā caiva viditārthā ca karmaṇā। ākroṣṭā kruśyate caiva bandhita bādhyate ca yaḥ॥12-158-4॥
[स्पृहास्या (spṛhāsyā) - of desire; अन्तर्हिता (antarhitā) - hidden; च (ca) - and; एव (eva) - indeed; विदितार्था (viditārthā) - whose meaning is known; च (ca) - and; कर्मणा (karmaṇā) - by action; आक्रोष्टा (ākroṣṭā) - one who abuses; क्रुश्यते (kruśyate) - is tormented; च (ca) - and; एव (eva) - indeed; बन्धिता (bandhitā) - one who binds; बध्यते (bādhyate) - is bound; च (ca) - and; यः (yaḥ) - who;]
(Of desire hidden and indeed whose meaning is known by action; one who abuses is tormented and indeed one who binds is bound and who.)
He whose desire is hidden and whose purpose is known by his actions; the one who abuses is tormented, and the one who binds is himself bound.
दत्तानुकीर्तिर्विषमः क्षुद्रो नैकृतिकः शठः। असम्भोगी च मानी च तथा सङ्गी विकत्थनः ॥१२-१५८-५॥
dattānukīrtirviṣamaḥ kṣudro naikr̥tikaḥ śaṭhaḥ। asambhogī ca mānī ca tathā saṅgī vikatthanaḥ ॥12-158-5॥
[दत्त (datta) - given; अनुकीर्तिः (anukīrtiḥ) - recounting; विषमः (viṣamaḥ) - unequal; क्षुद्रः (kṣudraḥ) - petty; नैकृतिकः (naikr̥tikaḥ) - deceitful; शठः (śaṭhaḥ) - crafty; असम्भोगी (asambhogī) - not enjoying; च (ca) - and; मानी (mānī) - proud; च (ca) - and; तथा (tathā) - also; सङ्गी (saṅgī) - companionable; विकत्थनः (vikatthanaḥ) - boastful;]
(Given recounting, unequal, petty, deceitful, crafty, not enjoying, and proud, and also companionable, boastful.)
One who boasts of what he has given, is partial, petty, deceitful, crafty, does not enjoy, is proud, and is also companionable and boastful.
सर्वातिशङ्की परुषो बालिशः कृपणस्तथा। वर्गप्रशंसी सततमाश्रमद्वेषसङ्करी ॥१२-१५८-६॥
sarvātiśaṅkī paruṣo bāliśaḥ kṛpaṇastathā। vargapraśaṃsī satatamāśramadveṣasaṅkarī ॥12-158-6॥
[सर्वातिशङ्की (sarvātiśaṅkī) - one who always suspects; परुषः (paruṣaḥ) - harsh; बालिशः (bāliśaḥ) - childish; कृपणः (kṛpaṇaḥ) - miserly; तथा (tathā) - also; वर्गप्रशंसी (vargapraśaṃsī) - one who always praises his own group; सततम् (satatam) - always; आश्रमद्वेषसङ्करी (āśramadveṣasaṅkarī) - one who causes enmity among āśramas;]
(One who always suspects, harsh, childish, miserly, also one who always praises his own group, always one who causes enmity among āśramas.)
One who is ever suspicious, harsh, childish, miserly, always praises his own group, and constantly causes discord among the āśramas.
हिंसाविहारी सततमविशेषगुणागुणः। बह्वलीको मनस्वी च लुब्धोऽत्यर्थं नृशंसकृत् ॥१२-१५८-७॥
hiṁsā-vihārī satatam aviśeṣa-guṇa-aguṇaḥ। bahv-alīkaḥ manasvī ca lubdhaḥ atyarthaṁ nṛśaṁsa-kṛt ॥12-158-7॥
[हिंसा (hiṁsā) - violence; विहारी (vihārī) - one who dwells; सततम् (satatam) - always; अविशेष (aviśeṣa) - without distinction; गुण (guṇa) - virtue; अगुणः (aguṇaḥ) - vice; बहु (bahu) - much; अलीकः (alīkaḥ) - false; मनस्वी (manasvī) - proud; च (ca) - and; लुब्धः (lubdhaḥ) - greedy; अत्यर्थम् (atyartham) - excessively; नृशंसकृत् (nṛśaṁsa-kṛt) - one who does cruel acts;]
(Violence-dweller always without distinction of virtue or vice; much false, proud and greedy excessively, one who does cruel acts.)
He who always delights in violence, makes no distinction between virtue and vice, is very deceitful, proud, excessively greedy, and acts cruelly.
धर्मशीलं गुणोपेतं पाप इत्यवगच्छति। आत्मशीलानुमानेन न विश्वसिति कस्यचित् ॥१२-१५८-८॥
dharmaśīlaṃ guṇopetaṃ pāpa ityavagacchati। ātmaśīlānumānena na viśvasiti kasyacit ॥12-158-8॥
[धर्मशीलं (dharmaśīlam) - of righteous nature; गुणोपेतं (guṇopetam) - endowed with virtues; पाप (pāpa) - wicked; इति (iti) - thus; अवगच्छति (avagacchati) - he understands; आत्मशीलानुमानेन (ātmaśīlānumānena) - by inference from his own character; न (na) - not; विश्वसिति (viśvasiti) - he trusts; कस्यचित् (kasyacit) - anyone;]
(He understands one of righteous nature and endowed with virtues as wicked; by inference from his own character, he does not trust anyone.)
He considers someone who is righteous and virtuous to be wicked; judging by his own character, he does not trust anyone.
परेषां यत्र दोषः स्यात्तद्गुह्यं सम्प्रकाशयेत्। समानेष्वेव दोषेषु वृत्त्यर्थमुपघातयेत् ॥१२-१५८-९॥
pareṣāṃ yatra doṣaḥ syāttadguhyaṃ samprakāśayet. samāneṣveva doṣeṣu vṛttyarthamupaghātayet ॥12-158-9॥
[परेषां (pareṣāṃ) - of others; यत्र (yatra) - where; दोषः (doṣaḥ) - fault; स्यात् (syāt) - may be; तत् (tat) - that; गुह्यं (guhyaṃ) - secret; सम्प्रकाशयेत् (samprakāśayet) - should reveal; समानेषु (samāneṣu) - in similar (ones); एव (eva) - indeed; दोषेषु (doṣeṣu) - in faults; वृत्त्यर्थम् (vṛttyartham) - for the sake of livelihood; उपघातयेत् (upaghātayet) - should harm;]
(Of others where fault may be, that secret should reveal. In similar faults indeed, for the sake of livelihood, should harm.)
One should reveal the secrets of others where there is a fault. But if the same faults are present in oneself, one should harm (others) for the sake of livelihood.
तथोपकारिणं चैव मन्यते वञ्चितं परम्। दत्त्वापि च धनं काले सन्तपत्युपकारिणे ॥१२-१५८-१०॥
tathopakāriṇaṃ caiva manyate vañcitaṃ param। dattvāpi ca dhanaṃ kāle santapatyupakāriṇe ॥12-158-10॥
[तथोपकारिणम् (tathopakāriṇam) - such a benefactor; च (ca) - and; एव (eva) - indeed; मन्यते (manyate) - considers; वञ्चितम् (vañcitam) - deceived; परम् (param) - another; दत्त्वा (dattvā) - having given; अपि (api) - even; च (ca) - and; धनम् (dhanam) - wealth; काले (kāle) - at the proper time; सन्तपत्य् (santapaty) - regrets; उपकारिणे (upakāriṇe) - to the benefactor;]
(And indeed, he considers such a benefactor as another deceiver; even having given wealth at the proper time, he regrets (giving) to the benefactor.)
He regards even a true benefactor as a deceiver; even after giving wealth at the right time, he regrets having helped the benefactor.
भक्ष्यं भोज्यमथो लेह्यं यच्चान्यत्साधु भोजनम्। प्रेक्षमाणेषु योऽश्नीयान्नृशंस इति तं विदुः ॥१२-१५८-११॥
bhakṣyaṃ bhojyam atho lehyam yac cānyat sādhu bhojanam। prekṣamāṇeṣu yo'śnīyān nṛśaṃsa iti taṃ viduḥ॥12-158-11॥
[भक्ष्यम् (bhakṣyam) - that which is to be eaten; भोज्यम् (bhojyam) - that which is to be enjoyed (eaten); अथ (atha) - and; लेह्यम् (lehyam) - that which is to be licked; यत् (yat) - which; च (ca) - and; अन्यत् (anyat) - other; साधु (sādhu) - proper; भोजनम् (bhojanam) - food; प्रेक्षमाणेषु (prekṣamāṇeṣu) - in the presence of those who are watching; यः (yaḥ) - who; अश्नीयात् (aśnīyāt) - should eat; नृशंसः (nṛśaṃsaḥ) - cruel; इति (iti) - thus; तम् (tam) - him; विदुः (viduḥ) - they know;]
(That which is to be eaten, that which is to be enjoyed, and that which is to be licked, and any other proper food—who should eat in the presence of those who are watching, him they know as cruel, thus.)
One who eats food—whether it is to be eaten, enjoyed, or licked, or any other proper food—in the presence of those who are watching, is known as cruel.
ब्राह्मणेभ्यः प्रदायाग्रं यः सुहृद्भिः सहाश्नुते। स प्रेत्य लभते स्वर्गमिह चानन्त्यमश्नुते ॥१२-१५८-१२॥
brāhmaṇebhyaḥ pradāyāgraṃ yaḥ suhṛdbhiḥ sahāśnute। sa pretya labhate svargamiha cānantyamaśnute ॥12-158-12॥
[ब्राह्मणेभ्यः (brāhmaṇebhyaḥ) - to the Brāhmaṇas; प्रदाय (pradāya) - having given; आग्रम् (āgram) - the best; यः (yaḥ) - who; सुहृद्भिः (suhṛdbhiḥ) - with friends; सह (saha) - together; अश्नुते (aśnute) - enjoys; सः (saḥ) - he; प्रेत्य (pretya) - having departed (after death); लभते (labhate) - obtains; स्वर्गम् (svargam) - heaven; इह (iha) - here; च (ca) - and; अनन्त्यम् (anantyam) - endlessness; अश्नुते (aśnute) - enjoys;]
(He who, having given the best to the Brāhmaṇas, enjoys together with friends, he, having departed, obtains heaven and here enjoys endlessness.)
He who gives the best to the Brāhmaṇas and enjoys it together with friends attains heaven after death and endless prosperity even here.
एष ते भरतश्रेष्ठ नृशंसः परिकीर्तितः। सदा विवर्जनीयो वै पुरुषेण बुभूषता ॥१२-१५८-१३॥
eṣa te bharataśreṣṭha nṛśaṁsaḥ parikīrtitaḥ। sadā vivarjanīyo vai puruṣeṇa bubhūṣatā ॥12-158-13॥
[एष (eṣa) - this; ते (te) - to you; भरतश्रेष्ठ (bharataśreṣṭha) - O best of the Bharatas; नृशंसः (nṛśaṁsaḥ) - cruel; परिकीर्तितः (parikīrtitaḥ) - is described; सदा (sadā) - always; विवर्जनीयः (vivarjanīyaḥ) - to be avoided; वै (vai) - indeed; पुरुषेण (puruṣeṇa) - by a man; बुभूषता (bubhūṣatā) - desiring well-being;]
(This, to you, O best of the Bharatas, the cruel (one) is described. Always to be avoided indeed by a man desiring well-being.)
O best of the Bharatas, this cruel (trait) is described to you. It should always be avoided by a man who desires his own welfare.
