12.252
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca॥
Yudhiṣṭhira said.
sūkṣmaṃ sādhu samādiṣṭaṃ bhavatā dharmalakṣaṇam। pratibhā tv asti me kācit tāṃ brūyām anumānataḥ ॥12-252-1॥
You have properly explained the subtle characteristics of dharma. I do have a certain intuition, and I could express it by inference.
bhūyāṃso hṛdaye ye me praśnāste vyāhṛtāstvayā। imamanyaṃ pravakṣyāmi na rājanvigrahādiva ॥12-252-2॥
The greater questions that were in my heart have been answered by you. Now, O king, I will state another question, not as a challenge or dispute.
imāni hi prāpayanti sṛjantyuttārayanti ca। na dharmaḥ paripāṭhena śakyo bhārata veditum ॥12-252-3॥
These indeed lead to attainment, creation, and deliverance; but, O Bhārata, dharma cannot be known by mere recitation.
anyo dharmaḥ samasthasya viṣamasthasya cāparaḥ। āpadastu kathaṃ śakyāḥ paripāṭhena veditum ॥12-252-4॥
The duty of a person in normal circumstances is different from that of one in adversity; but how can calamities be known in advance by any set procedure?
sadācāro mato dharmaḥ santastvācāralakṣaṇāḥ। sādhyāsādhyaṃ kathaṃ śakyaṃ sadācāro hyalakṣaṇam ॥12-252-5॥
Good conduct is regarded as dharma; the virtuous are defined by their conduct. How can one distinguish between what should or should not be accomplished, since good conduct itself is without a fixed characteristic?
dṛśyate dharmarūpeṇa adharmaṃ prākṛtaś caran। dharmaṃ ca adharma-rūpeṇa kaścit aprākṛtaś caran ॥12-252-6॥
Ordinary people perceive unrighteousness disguised as righteousness, while someone extraordinary perceives righteousness even when it appears as unrighteousness.
punarasya pramāṇaṃ hi nirdiṣṭaṃ śāstrakovidaiḥ। vedavādāścānuyugaṃ hrasantīti ha naḥ śrutam ॥12-252-7॥
Again, the authority of this has indeed been specified by those skilled in the śāstra. It has also been heard by us that the Vedic doctrines diminish in every age.
anye kṛtayuge dharmāstretāyāṃ dvāpare'pare। anye kaliyuge dharmā yathāśaktikṛtā iva ॥12-252-8॥
Some performed righteous acts in the Kṛta Yuga, others in the Tretā, others in the Dvāpara, and others in the Kali Yuga, performing righteousness as per their ability.
āmnāyavacanaṃ satyamityayaṃ lokasaṅgrahaḥ। āmnāyebhyaḥ paraṃ vedāḥ prasṛtā viśvatomukhāḥ ॥12-252-9॥
The declaration of sacred tradition is considered truth, and this is what upholds the world. From these traditions, the supreme Vedas have emanated, extending in all directions.
te cetsarve pramāṇaṃ vai pramāṇaṃ tan na vidyate। pramāṇe cāpramāṇe ca viruddhe śāstratā kutaḥ ॥12-252-10॥
If all of them are means of knowledge, then that means of knowledge does not exist. When both means of knowledge and non-means of knowledge are in contradiction, from where does scriptural authority arise?
dharmasya hriyamāṇasya balavadbhir durātmabhiḥ। yā yā vikriyate sansthā tataḥ sāpi praṇaśyati॥12-252-11॥
When dharma is taken away by the strong and wicked, any institution that is thus altered will also perish.
vidma caivaṃ na vā vidma śakyaṃ vā vedituṃ na vā। aṇīyānkṣuradhārāyā garīyānparvatādapi ॥12-252-12॥
We may or may not know this; it may or may not be possible to know. It is subtler than the edge of a razor and greater than a mountain.
gandharvanagarākāraḥ prathamaṃ sampradṛśyate। anvīkṣyamāṇaḥ kavibhiḥ punargacchatyadarśanam ॥12-252-13॥
At first, it appears like the form of a Gandharva-city; but when examined by poets, it again disappears from sight.
nipānānīva gobhyāśe kṣetre kulyeva bhārata। smṛto'pi śāśvato dharmo viprahīṇo na dṛśyate ॥12-252-14॥
O Bhārata, just as watering places are useless for cows when they are absent, and an irrigation channel is useless in a field, so too, even if remembered, the eternal dharma is not seen when it is devoid of brāhmaṇas.
kāmād anye kṣayād anye kāraṇair aparais tathā। asanto hi vṛthācāraṃ bhajante bahavo'pare॥12-252-15॥
Some act out of desire, others out of loss, and others for various reasons; indeed, many unvirtuous people engage in futile conduct.
dharmo bhavati sa kṣipraṃ vilīnastveva sādhuṣu। anye tānāhurunmattānapi cāvahasantyuta ॥12-252-16॥
Righteousness quickly becomes absorbed only among the virtuous; others call them mad and even mock them.
mahājanā hyupāvṛttā rājadharmaṃ samāśritāḥ। na hi sarvahitaḥ kaścidācāraḥ sampradṛśyate ॥12-252-17॥
Great people have indeed turned away, having taken refuge in royal duty. Truly, no conduct that benefits everyone is ever seen.
tenaiva anyaḥ prabhavati saḥ aparam bādhate punaḥ। dṛśyate ca eva saḥ punaḥ tulyarūpaḥ yadṛcchayā ॥12-252-18॥
By that very cause, another arises; he overcomes another again; and again, he is seen in a similar form by chance.
yenaivānyaḥ prabhavati so'parānapi bādhate। ācārāṇām anaikāgryaṃ sarveṣāmeva lakṣayet ॥12-252-19॥
One should recognize that the lack of single-mindedness in practices is common to all, for by that very cause, one arises and also overcomes others.
cirābhipannaḥ kavibhiḥ pūrvaṃ dharma udāhṛtaḥ। tenācāreṇa pūrveṇa saṃsthā bhavati śāśvatī ॥12-252-20॥
Dharma, which was long ago accepted and declared by the sages, becomes an eternal institution through the conduct of those who came before.
