12.186
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca॥
Yudhiṣṭhira said.
ācārasya vidhiṃ tāta procyamānaṃ tvayānagha। śrotum icchāmi dharmajña sarvajño hy asi me mataḥ ॥12-186-1॥
O dear, I wish to hear the procedure of conduct as explained by you, O sinless one. You are regarded by me as a knower of dharma and all-knowing.
bhīṣma uvāca॥
Bhīṣma said.
durācārā durviceṣṭā duṣprajñāḥ priyasāhasāḥ। asanto hy abhivikhyātāḥ santaś cācāralakṣaṇāḥ ॥12-186-2॥
Those of bad conduct, bad actions, and poor understanding, who are fond of rashness, are indeed well-known as the unvirtuous; while the virtuous are recognized by their good conduct.
purīṣaṃ yadi vā mūtraṃ ye na kurvanti mānavāḥ। rājamārge gavāṃ madhye dhānyamadhye ca te śubhāḥ॥12-186-3॥
Those humans who do not pass excrement or urine on the royal road, among cows, or in the midst of grain are considered auspicious.
śaucam āvaśyakam kṛtvā devatānāṃ ca tarpaṇam। dharmam āhur manuṣyāṇām upaspṛśya nadīṃ taret ॥12-186-4॥
One should necessarily perform purification and offer water to the deities; it is said that righteousness for men is to cross the river after having purified oneself.
sūryaṃ sadopatiṣṭheta na svapyādbhāskarodaye. sāyaṃ prātarjapansandhyāṃ tiṣṭhetpūrvāṃ tathāparām ॥12-186-5॥
One should always honor the Sun and not sleep at sunrise. In the evening and morning, one should perform the twilight prayers, remaining at both the morning and evening sandhyā.
pañcārdro bhojanaṃ kuryāt prāṅmukho maunamāsthitaḥ। na ninded annabhakṣyāṃś ca svādvasvādu ca bhakṣayet ॥12-186-6॥
One should eat food that is moist in five ways, sitting silently facing east. One should not criticize food or edible items, and should eat both tasty and tasteless foods.
nārdrapāṇiḥ samuttiṣṭhen nārdrapādaḥ svapen niśi। devarṣi-nārada-proktam etad ācāra-lakṣaṇam ॥12-186-7॥
One should rise without wet hands and sleep at night without wet feet; this is the rule of conduct as stated by the divine sage Nārada.
śucikāmamanadvāhaṃ devagoṣṭhaṃ catuṣpatham। brāhmaṇaṃ dhārmikaṃ caiva nityaṃ kuryātpradakṣiṇam ॥12-186-8॥
One should always circumambulate a bullock-cart desiring purity, a temple, a crossroads, and a righteous brāhmaṇa.
atithīnāṃ ca sarveṣāṃ preṣyāṇāṃ svajanasya ca। sāmānyaṃ bhojanaṃ bhṛtyaiḥ puruṣasya praśasyate ॥12-186-9॥
It is considered commendable for a man that the same food is served to guests, all people, servants, and his own family by his dependents.
sāyaṃ prātar-manuṣyāṇām-aśanaṃ deva-nirmitam। nāntarā bhojanaṃ dṛṣṭam-upavāsī tathā bhavet ॥12-186-10॥
Eating in the evening and morning is ordained by the gods for humans. Eating at other times is not approved; thus, one should fast accordingly.
homakāle tathā juhvannṛtukāle tathā vrajan। ananyastrījanaḥ prājño brahmacārī tathā bhavet ॥12-186-11॥
A wise celibate should approach (his wife) only at the time of offering oblations and at the proper season, and not with other women.
amṛtaṃ brāhmaṇocchiṣṭaṃ jananyā hṛdayaṃ kṛtam। upāsīta janaḥ satyaṃ satyaṃ santa upāsate ॥12-186-12॥
Nectar, the remnants of a Brāhmaṇa, and the heart given by the mother are to be revered; a person should worship truth, for the virtuous worship truth.
yajuṣā saṃskṛtaṃ māṃsaṃ nivṛtto māṃsabhakṣaṇāt। na bhakṣayed vṛthāmāṃsaṃ pṛṣṭhamāṃsaṃ ca varjayet ॥12-186-13॥
Having renounced eating meat through Vedic ritual purification, one should not eat useless meat and should avoid the meat from the back.
svadeśe paradeśe vā atithiṃ nopavāsayet। kāmyaṃ karmaphalaṃ labdhvā gurūṇāmupapādayet ॥12-186-14॥
Whether in one's own country or in a foreign land, one should not allow a guest to fast. Having obtained the desired fruit of action, one should offer it to the teachers.
gurubhya āsanaṃ deyaṃ kartavyaṃ cābhivādanam। gurūn abhyarcya yujyante āyuṣā yaśasā śriyā ॥12-186-15॥
A seat should be offered to the teachers and salutations performed. By worshipping the teachers, one attains long life, fame, and prosperity.
nekṣetādityamudyantaṃ na ca nagnāṃ parastriyam। maithunaṃ samaye dharmyaṃ guhyaṃ caiva samācaret ॥12-186-16॥
One should not gaze at the rising sun or at a naked woman who is another's wife. Sexual union should be performed at the proper time, in accordance with dharma, and in secrecy.
tīrthānāṃ hṛdayaṃ tīrthaṃ śucīnām hṛdayaṃ śuciḥ। sarvamāryakṛtaṃ śaucaṃ vālasansparśanāni ca॥12-186-17॥
The heart is the true sacred place among all holy places; the heart is pure among the pure. All acts of purity performed by the noble and even the touchings of hair are considered pure.
darśane darśane nityaṃ sukhapraśnamudāharet। sāyaṃ prātaśca viprāṇāṃ pradiṣṭamabhivādanam ॥12-186-18॥
One should always ask about well-being at every meeting. In the evening and morning, the prescribed salutation to Brāhmaṇas should be offered.
devagoṣṭhe gavāṃ madhye brāhmaṇānāṃ kriyāpathe। svādhyāye bhojane caiva dakṣiṇaṃ pāṇim uddharet ॥12-186-19॥
One should raise the right hand in the assembly of gods, among cows, on the path of Brāhmaṇas' rituals, during self-study, and while eating.
paṇyānāṃ śobhanaṃ paṇyaṃ kṛṣīṇāṃ bādyate kṛṣiḥ। bahukāraṃ ca sasyānāṃ vāhye vāhyaṃ tathā gavām ॥12-186-20॥
Excellent merchandise is the wealth of goods; agriculture is oppressed for the farmers. Crops are of much value; externally, the same applies to cows.
sampannaṃ bhojane nityaṃ pānīye tarpaṇaṃ tathā। suśṛtaṃ pāyase brūyādyavāgvāṃ kṛsare tathā ॥12-186-21॥
One should always ensure completeness in food, satisfaction in drink, and likewise; one should say the same for well-cooked milk-rice, barley-gruel, and krisara.
śmaśrukarmaṇi samprāpte kṣute snāne'tha bhojane| vyādhitānāṃ ca sarveṣām āyuṣyam abhinandanam ॥12-186-22॥
One should offer a greeting for long life to all, especially the sick, when engaged in shaving, when hungry, during bathing, and at meals.
pratyādityaṃ na meheta na paśyed ātmanaḥ śakṛt। sutastriyā ca śayanaṃ sahabhojyaṃ ca varjayet ॥12-186-23॥
One must not urinate facing the sun, nor look at one's own excrement. Sharing a bed or food with one's wife or son should be avoided.
tvaṅkāraṃ nāmadheyaṃ ca jyeṣṭhānāṃ parivarjayet। avarāṇāṃ samānānāmubhayēṣāṃ na duṣyati ॥12-186-24॥
The name 'Tvaṅkāra' should not be used for elders, but using it for juniors or equals is not considered wrong.
hṛdayaṃ pāpavṛttānāṃ pāpamākhyāti vaikṛtam। jñānapūrvaṃ vinaśyanti gūhamānā mahājane ॥12-186-25॥
The hearts of the wicked reveal their distorted sins; even when they try to hide them knowingly, they are ruined among the noble.
jñānapūrvaṃ kṛtaṃ pāpaṃ chādayantyabahuśrutāḥ। nainaṃ manuṣyāḥ paśyanti paśyanti tridivaukasah ॥12-186-26॥
The sin committed knowingly is concealed by the unlearned; ordinary people do not perceive it, but the dwellers of heaven do.
pāpena hi kṛtaṃ pāpaṃ pāpamevānuvartate। dhārmikeṇa kṛto dharmaḥ kartāramanuvartate ॥12-186-27॥
Indeed, a sinful act done by sin leads only to more sin; a righteous act done by the righteous follows the doer.
pāpaṃ kṛtaṃ na smaratīha mūḍho; vivartamānasya tadeti kartuḥ. rāhuryathā candramupaiti cāpi; tathābudhaṃ pāpamupaiti karma ॥12-186-28॥
A deluded person here does not remember the sin he has committed; that sin attaches to the doer who continues in saṃsāra. Just as Rāhu approaches the moon, so too does sin approach the ignorant because of their actions.
āśayā sañcitaṃ dravyaṃ yatkāle neha bhujyate. tadbudhā na praśaṃsanti maraṇaṃ na pratīkṣate ॥12-186-29॥
The wise do not praise wealth that is accumulated out of hope but not enjoyed at the proper time; nor do they wait for death.
mānasaṃ sarvabhūtānāṃ dharmam āhur manīṣiṇaḥ। tasmāt sarveṣu bhūteṣu manasā śivam ācaret ॥12-186-30॥
The wise declare that the mental attitude is the true duty of all beings; therefore, one should cultivate goodwill in thought towards all creatures.
eka eva cared dharmaṃ nāsti dharme sahāyatā। kevalaṃ vidhim āsādya sahāyaḥ kiṃ kariṣyati ॥12-186-31॥
One should practice dharma alone; there is no assistance in dharma. If one has attained the rule, what use is a helper?
devā yonir manuṣyāṇāṃ devānām amṛtaṃ divi। pretyabhāve sukhaṃ dharmāt śaśvat tair upabhujyate ॥12-186-32॥
The gods are the source of mankind; for the gods, immortality is in heaven. After death, happiness resulting from righteousness is eternally enjoyed by them.
