12.162
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca॥
Yudhishthira said.
pitāmaha mahāprājña kurūṇāṃ kīrtivardhana। praśnaṃ kañcit pravakṣyāmi tan me vyākhyātum arhasi ॥12-162-1॥
O grandfather, greatly wise and enhancer of the Kurus' fame, I wish to ask you a certain question; please explain that to me.
kīdṛśā mānavāḥ saumyāḥ kaiḥ prītiḥ paramā bhavet। āyatyāṃ ca tadātve ca ke kṣamāstānvadasva me ॥12-162-2॥
O gentle one, what kind of humans are there by whom supreme affection may arise? In the future and at that time, who are the forgiving ones? Please tell me about them.
na hi tatra dhanaṃ sphītaṃ na ca sambandhibāndhavāḥ। tiṣṭhanti yatra suhṛdastiṣṭhantīti matirmama ॥12-162-3॥
It is my belief that neither abundant wealth nor relatives and kinsmen remain there, but only friends remain.
durlabho hi suhṛcchrotā durlabhaśca hitaḥ suhṛt। etaddharmabhṛtāṃ śreṣṭha sarvaṃ vyākhyātumarhasi ॥12-162-4॥
Indeed, it is rare to find a friend who listens, and equally rare to find a friend who gives beneficial advice. O best among the upholders of dharma, you are worthy to explain all this.
bhīṣma uvāca॥
Bhīṣma said.
sandheyān puruṣān rājan asandheyāṁś ca tattvataḥ। vadato me nibodha tvaṁ nikhilena yudhiṣṭhira ॥12-162-5॥
O king Yudhishthira, listen as I tell you fully and truly about the men who should be conciliated and those who should not.
lubdhaḥ krūrastyaktadharmā nikṛtaḥ śaṭha eva ca। kṣudraḥ pāpasamācāraḥ sarvaśaṅkī tathālasaḥ ॥12-162-6॥
He is greedy, cruel, has abandoned righteousness, deceitful, truly wicked and; petty, of evil conduct, suspicious of everyone, and also lazy.
dīrghasūtro'nṛjuḥ kaṣṭo gurudārapradharṣakaḥ। vyasane yaḥ parityāgī durātmā nirapatrapaḥ॥12-162-7॥
A person who procrastinates, is dishonest, troublesome, violates the teacher's wife, deserts others in adversity, is wicked-minded and shameless.
sarvataḥ pāpadarśī ca nāstiko vedanindakāḥ। samprakīrṇendriyo loke yaḥ kāmanirataś caret ॥12-162-8॥
One who always sees evil everywhere, is an atheist, reviles the Vedas, whose senses are scattered in the world, and who acts only to fulfill desires.
asatyo lokavidviṣṭaḥ samaye cānavasthitaḥ। piśuno'thākṛtaprajño matsarī pāpaniścayaḥ ॥12-162-9॥
One who is untruthful, hated by people, unstable in timely matters, slanderous, lacking discernment, envious, and intent on evil.
duḥśīlo'thākṛtātmā ca nṛśaṃsaḥ kitavastathā| mitrairarthakṛtī nityamicchatyarthaparaśca yaḥ॥12-162-10॥
He who is of bad character, undisciplined, cruel, deceitful, who always seeks gain from friends and is ever intent on wealth.
vahataś ca yathāśakti yo na tuṣyati mandadhīḥ। amitram iva yo bhuṅkte sadā mitraṃ nararṣabha ॥12-162-11॥
O best of men, one who, though bearing according to his ability, is never content and always treats a friend as if he were an enemy, is dull-witted.
asthānakrodhano yaśca akasmācca virajyate। suhṛdaścaiva kalyāṇānaśu tyajati kilbiṣī ॥12-162-12॥
He who becomes angry without cause, suddenly withdraws, and quickly abandons friends and good things, is indeed sinful.
alpe'pyapakṛte mūḍhastathājñānātkṛte'pi ca। kāryopasevī mitreṣu mitradveṣī narādhipa ॥12-162-13॥
A king who, even for a small wrong, out of ignorance, acts against friends, serves only his own interests, and hates his friends, is a fool.
śatrurmitramukho yaśca jihmaprekṣī vilobhanaḥ। na rajyati ca kalyāṇe yastyajettādṛśaṃ naram ॥12-162-14॥
One should abandon a man who is an enemy in the guise of a friend, who looks askance, is deceitful, and does not take delight in good things.
pānapo dveṣaṇaḥ krūro nirghṛṇaḥ paruṣastathā। paropatāpī mitradhṛktathā prāṇivadhe rataḥ ॥12-162-15॥
A person who drinks, is hateful, cruel, merciless, harsh, harms others, betrays friends, and delights in killing living beings.
kṛtaghnaś cādhamaḥ loke na sandheyaḥ kathañcana। chidra-anveṣī na sandheyaḥ sandheyān api me śṛṇu ॥12-162-16॥
An ungrateful person and the lowest person in the world should never be trusted. A fault-finder should not be trusted. Listen to me about even those who are considered trustworthy.
kulīnā vākyasampannā jñānavijñānakovidāḥ। mitrajñāś ca kṛtajñāś ca sarvajñāḥ śokavarjitāḥ ॥12-162-17॥
They are of noble birth, eloquent, skilled in knowledge and wisdom, understanding friendship, grateful, all-knowing, and free from sorrow.
mādhuryaguṇasampannāḥ satyasandhā jitendriyāḥ। vyāyāmaśīlāḥ satataṃ bhṛtaputrāḥ kulodgatāḥ ॥12-162-18॥
They are endowed with the quality of sweetness, truthful, self-controlled, habitually exercising, always caring for their sons, and born in a noble family.
rūpavanto guṇopetās tathālubdhā jitaśramāḥ। doṣair viyuktāḥ prathitais te grāhyāḥ pārthivena ha ॥12-162-19॥
The king should accept those who are beautiful, virtuous, not greedy, have conquered fatigue, are free from faults, and are well-known.
yathāśaktisamācārāḥ santastuṣyanti hi prabho। nāsthāne krodhavantaśca na cākasmādvirāgiṇaḥ ॥12-162-20॥
O lord, good men are satisfied with conduct according to their capacity; they are not angry without cause, nor do they become dispassionate suddenly.
viraktāś ca na ruṣyanti manasāpy arthakovidāḥ। ātmānaṃ pīḍayitvāpi suhṛtkāryaparāyaṇāḥ॥ na virajyanti mitrebhyo vāso raktam ivāvikam॥12-162-21॥
Dispassionate and wise people do not get angry even in their minds; even if they have to trouble themselves, they remain devoted to the welfare of friends. They do not abandon their friends, just as a garment dyed in wool does not lose its color.
doṣāṃś ca lobha-mohādīn artheṣu yuvatiṣv atha। na darśayanti suhṛdāṃ viśvastā bandhuvatsalāḥ ॥12-162-22॥
Those who are trusted and affectionate to relatives among friends do not reveal the faults, greed, or delusions in matters concerning young women.
loṣṭakāñcanatulyārthāḥ suhṛtsvaśaṭhabuddhayaḥ। ye carantyanabhīmānā nisṛṣṭārthavibhūṣaṇāḥ॥ saṅgṛhṇantaḥ parijanaṃ svāmyarthaparamāḥ sadā॥12-162-23॥
Those who consider a lump of earth and gold as equal, whose minds are friendly or cunning, who act without pride, who have given up the ornaments of wealth, and who always gather followers for the sake of their master, are the highest.
īdṛśaiḥ puruṣaśreṣṭhaiḥ sandhiṃ yaḥ kurute nṛpaḥ। tasya vistīryate rāṣṭraṃ jyotsnā grahapteriva ॥12-162-24॥
When a king forms alliances with such excellent men, his kingdom expands like the moonlight of the lord of planets (the moon).
śāstranityā jitakrodhā balavanto raṇapriyāḥ। kṣāntāḥ śīlaguṇopetāḥ sandheyāḥ puruṣottamāḥ ॥12-162-25॥
They are always devoted to the śāstra, have conquered anger, are strong and fond of battle, forbearing, endowed with virtues of character, fit to be allied with, and are excellent men.
ye ca doṣasamāyuktā narāḥ proktā mayānagha। teṣāmapyadhamo rājan kṛtaghno mitraghātakaḥ ॥ tyaktavyaḥ sa durācāraḥ sarveṣāmiti niścayaḥ ॥12-162-26॥
O sinless one, among all the men with faults I have described, O king, the lowest is the ungrateful one who betrays friends. Such a person of bad conduct should be abandoned by everyone—this is the settled conclusion.
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca॥
Yudhiṣṭhira said.
vistareṇārthasambandhaṃ śrotumicchāmi pārthiva। mitradrohī kṛtaghnaśca yaḥ proktastaṃ ca me vada ॥12-162-27॥
O king, I wish to hear in detail the connection with the meaning. Tell me about the one who is called a betrayer of a friend and an ungrateful one. 12-162-27.
bhīṣma uvāca॥
Bhīṣma said.
hanta te vartayiṣye'ham itihāsaṃ purātanam। udīcyāṃ diśi yad vṛttaṃ mleccheṣu manujādhipa ॥12-162-28॥
O king, I will now tell you the ancient story that took place in the northern region among the foreigners.
brāhmaṇo madhyadeśīyaḥ kṛṣṇāṅgo brahmavarjitaḥ। grāmaṃ prekṣya janākīrṇaṃ prāviśad bhaikṣakāṅkṣayā॥12-162-29॥
A brāhmaṇa from the Madhyadeśa region, dark in complexion and lacking Brahmanical qualities, saw a village crowded with people and entered it seeking alms.
tatra dasyur dhanayutaḥ sarvavarṇaviśeṣavit। brahmaṇyaḥ satyasaṃdhaś ca dāne ca nirato'bhavat ॥12-162-30॥
There, the bandit, who was wealthy, knowledgeable of all castes, devoted to Brahmins, truthful, and engaged in charity, became thus.
tasya kṣayam upāgamya tato bhikṣām ayācata। pratiśrayaṃ ca vāsārthaṃ bhikṣāṃ caiva atha vārṣikīm ॥12-162-31॥
Having reached his abode, he then asked for alms. He also requested shelter for staying, and alms specifically for the rainy season.
prādāttasmai sa viprāya vastraṃ ca sadṛśaṃ navam। nārīṃ cāpi vayopetāṃ bhartrā virahitāṃ tadā ॥12-162-32॥
He gave the Brāhmaṇa a new garment of similar kind and also a woman of suitable age who had been bereft of her husband at that time.
etatsamprāpya hṛṣṭātmā dasyoḥ sarvaṃ dvijastadā। tasmingṛhavare rājaṃstayā reme sa gautamaḥ ॥12-162-33॥
Having received all this from the robber, the joyful Gautama, O king, enjoyed himself with her in that excellent house.
kuṭumbārtheṣu dasyoḥ sa sāhāyyaṃ cāpyathākarot। tatrāvasatso'tha varṣāḥ samṛddhe śabarālaye ॥ bāṇavedhye paraṃ yatnamakaroccai̱va gautamaḥ ॥12-162-34॥
He helped the robber for the sake of his family and lived for years in the prosperous abode of the Śabaras. Gautama also made supreme effort in archery.
vakrāṅgāṃstu sa nityaṃ vai sarvato bāṇagocare। jaghāna gautamo rājanyathā dasyugaṇastathā ॥12-162-35॥
But Gautama always slew all the crooked-limbed ones within the range of his arrows on every side, O king, just as one would destroy a band of robbers.
hiṁsāparo ghṛṇāhīnaḥ sadā prāṇivadhe rataḥ। gautamaḥ saṁnikarṣeṇa dasyubhiḥ samatāmiyāt ॥12-162-36॥
One who is devoted to violence, devoid of compassion, and always engaged in killing living beings—Gautama, by association with robbers, may become like them.
tathā tu vasatas tasya dasyugrāme sukhaṃ tadā। agacchan bahavo māsā nighnataḥ pakṣiṇo bahūn ॥12-162-37॥
Thus, while he was living happily in the robbers' village, many months passed as he killed many birds.
tataḥ kadācid aparo dvijas taṃ deśam āgamat। jaṭī cīrājinadharaḥ svādhyāyaparamaḥ śuciḥ ॥12-162-38॥
Then, at some point, another Brāhmaṇa arrived in that region; he had matted hair, wore bark and deer skin, was devoted to self-study, and was pure.
vinīto niyatāhāro brahmaṇyo vedapāragaḥ। sabrahmacārī taddeśyaḥ sakhā tasyaiva supriyam ॥ taṃ dasyugrāmamagamadyatrāsau gautamo'bhavat ॥12-162-39॥
He was humble, regulated in food, devoted to Brahman, a master of the Vedas, accompanied by a brahmacārī, a native of that region, a friend, and very dear to him. He went to the village of bandits, where that Gautama was found.
sa tu vipragṛhānveṣī śūdrānnaparivarjakaḥ। grāme dasyujanākīrṇe vyacaratsarvatodiśam ॥12-162-40॥
But he, seeking out Brāhmaṇa households and not avoiding Śūdra food, moved about in all directions in a village filled with robbers.
tataḥ sa gautamagṛhaṃ praviveśa dvijottamaḥ। gautamaścāpi samprāptastāvanyonyeṇa saṅgatau ॥12-162-41॥
Then he, the best of the twice-born, entered Gautama's house. Gautama also arrived, and the two met each other.
vakrāṅgabhārahastaṃ taṃ dhanuṣpāṇiṃ kṛtāgasam। rudhireṇāvasiktāṅgaṃ gṛhadvāramupāgatam ॥12-162-42॥
He, crooked-limbed and bearing a burden in his hand, holding a bow, stained with blood and guilty of sin, approached the doorway of the house.
taṃ dṛṣṭvā puruṣādābham apadhvastaṃ kṣayāgatam। abhijñāya dvijo vrīḍām agamad vākyam āha ca ॥12-162-43॥
Seeing him, who looked like a man-eater, ruined and brought to destruction, the Brahmin recognized him, felt ashamed, and spoke these words.
kimidaṃ kuruṣe mauḍhyād vipras tvaṃ hi kulodgataḥ। madhyadeśaparijñāto dasyubhāvaṃ gataḥ katham ॥12-162-44॥
"What are you doing out of foolishness, O Brāhmaṇa? You are born in a noble family and are well-known in Madhyadeśa; how have you come to be in the state of a bandit?"
pūrvān smara dvijāgryāṃs tān prakhyātān vedapāragān। yeṣāṃ vaṃśe'bhijātas tvam īdṛśaḥ kulapāṃsanaḥ॥12-162-45॥
Recall your illustrious ancestors, the foremost among the twice-born, renowned and accomplished in the Vedas, in whose lineage you, an ornament of the family, have been born.
avabudhyātmanātmānaṃ satyaṃ śīlaṃ śrutaṃ damam| anukrośaṃ ca saṃsmṛtya tyaja vāsamimaṃ dvija ॥12-162-46॥
O Brahmin, having realized your true self, truth, character, learning, self-restraint, and recalling compassion, renounce this dwelling.
evam-uktaḥ sa suhṛdā tadā tena hitaiṣiṇā। pratyuvāca tato rājan viniścitya tadārtavat ॥12-162-47॥
O king, when thus addressed by his well-wishing friend, he replied after careful consideration, with distress.
adhano'smi dvijaśreṣṭha na ca vedavidapyaham। vṛttyarthamiha samprāptaṃ viddhi māṃ dvijasattama ॥12-162-48॥
O best of the twice-born, I am poor and not even a knower of the Veda. I have come here for the sake of livelihood; please know me as such, O excellent twice-born.
tvaddarśanāttu viprarṣe kṛtārthaṃ vedmyahaṃ dvija। ātmānaṃ saha yāsyāvaḥ śvo vasādyeha śarvarīm ॥12-162-49॥
But by seeing you, O best of Brāhmaṇas, I know my purpose is fulfilled, O twice-born. After spending the night here, tomorrow we shall depart together.
