12.255
जाजलिरुवाच॥
Jājali said.
यथा प्रवर्तितो धर्मस्तुलां धारयता त्वया। स्वर्गद्वारं च वृत्तिं च भूतानामवरोत्स्यते ॥१२-२५५-१॥
As you uphold the balance and establish dharma, both the gate to heaven and the livelihood of all beings will be safeguarded.
कृष्या ह्यन्नं प्रभवति ततस्त्वमपि जीवसि। पशुभिश्चौषधीभिश्च मर्त्या जीवन्ति वाणिज ॥१२-२५५-२॥
It is through agriculture that food is produced; thus, you too live. By means of animals and plants, mortals sustain themselves, O merchant.
यतो यज्ञः प्रभवति नास्तिक्यमपि जल्पसि। न हि वर्तेदयं लोको वार्तामुत्सृज्य केवलम् ॥१२-२५५-३॥
You speak even of atheism, though sacrifice is the source of all. Indeed, this world would not exist if everyone abandoned their means of livelihood and lived only thus.
तुलाधार उवाच॥
Tulādhāra said.
वक्ष्यामि जाजले वृत्तिं नास्मि ब्राह्मण नास्तिकः। न च यज्ञं विनिन्दामि यज्ञवित्तु सुदुर्लभः ॥१२-२५५-४॥
O Brāhmaṇa, I will explain the conduct, O descendant of Jājali. I am not an atheist, nor do I condemn sacrifice; but one who truly knows sacrifice is very rare.
नमो ब्राह्मणयज्ञाय ये च यज्ञविदो जनाः। स्वयज्ञं ब्राह्मणा हित्वा क्षात्रं यज्ञमिहास्थिताः ॥१२-२५५-५॥
Salutations to the Brāhmaṇa-sacrifice and to those who are versed in sacrifice. Here, the Brāhmaṇas, having given up their own sacrifice, have taken up the Kṣatriya sacrifice.
लुब्धैर्वित्तपरैर्ब्रह्मन्नास्तिकैः सम्प्रवर्तितम्। वेदवादानविज्ञाय सत्याभासमिवानृतम् ॥१२-२५५-६॥
O Brāhmaṇa, this was instituted by the greedy, the wealth-seekers, and the atheists. Not understanding the Vedic doctrines, it is a falsehood that appears like the truth.
इदं देयमिदं देयमिति नान्तं चिकीर्षति। अतः स्तैन्यं प्रभवति विकर्माणि च जाजले ॥ तदेव सुकृतं हव्यं येन तुष्यन्ति देवताः ॥१२-२५५-७॥
One who keeps saying, "This should be given, this should be given," and never feels satisfied, causes theft and wrong actions to arise in the world. Only that act is truly virtuous, that offering by which the deities are pleased.
नमस्कारेण हविषा स्वाध्यायैरौषधैस्तथा। पूजा स्याद्देवतानां हि यथा शास्त्रनिदर्शनम् ॥१२-२५५-८॥
Worship of the deities should be performed by salutation, oblation, recitation of sacred texts, and medicinal herbs, exactly as prescribed by the scriptures.
इष्टापूर्तादसाधूनां विषमा जायते प्रजा। लुब्धेभ्यो जायते लुब्धः समेभ्यो जायते समः ॥१२-२५५-९॥
When unrighteous people perform sacrifices and charitable works, their offspring turn out unequal. The greedy give rise to greedy offspring, while the virtuous produce virtuous ones.
यजमानो यथात्मानमृत्विजश्च तथा प्रजाः। यज्ञात्प्रजा प्रभवति नभसोऽम्भ इवामलम् ॥१२-२५५-१०॥
Just as the sacrificer and the priests are (born) from themselves, so too do offspring arise from sacrifice, just as pure water arises from the sky.
अग्नौ प्रास्ताहुतिर्ब्रह्मन्नादित्यमुपतिष्ठति। आदित्याज्जायते वृष्टिर्वृष्टेरन्नं ततः प्रजाः ॥१२-२५५-११॥
O Brahman, the offering placed in the fire reaches the Sun. From the Sun comes rain, from rain comes food, and from food arise living beings.
तस्मात्स्वनुष्ठितात्पूर्वे सर्वान्कामांश्च लेभिरे। अकृष्टपच्या पृथिवी आशीर्भिर्वीरुधोऽभवन् ॥ न ते यज्ञेष्वात्मसु वा फलं पश्यन्ति किञ्चन ॥१२-२५५-१२॥
Therefore, the people of old, by performing their own duties, obtained all their desires; the earth, without being tilled, produced plants by blessings. They do not see any fruit in sacrifices or in themselves.
शङ्कमानाः फलं यज्ञे ये यजेरन्कथञ्चन। जायन्तेऽसाधवो धूर्ता लुब्धा वित्तप्रयोजनाः ॥१२-२५५-१३॥
Those who doubt the results of sacrifice and perform it in any manner, are born as unrighteous, deceitful, and greedy people whose only aim is wealth.
स स्म पापकृतां लोकान्गच्छेदशुभकर्मणा। प्रमाणमप्रमाणेन यः कुर्यादशुभं नरः ॥ पापात्मा सोऽकृतप्रज्ञः सदैवेह द्विजोत्तम ॥१२-२५५-१४॥
He who, by evil actions, goes to the worlds of evil-doers, and who acts wrongly against authority with non-authority, is a wicked-souled and unwise man, always so, O best of the twice-born.
कर्तव्यमिति कर्तव्यं वेत्ति यो ब्राह्मणोभयम्। ब्रह्मैव वर्तते लोके नैति कर्तव्यतां पुनः ॥१२-२५५-१५॥
The brāhmaṇa who understands what is to be done as duty knows both; in the world, only Brahman exists, and he does not again become subject to duty.
विगुणं च पुनः कर्म ज्याय इत्यनुशुश्रुम। सर्वभूतोपघातश्च फलभावे च संयमः ॥१२-२५५-१६॥
We have heard that even defective action is better; restraint in the result and not harming all beings is also taught.
सत्ययज्ञा दमयज्ञा अलुब्धाश्चात्मतृप्तयः। उत्पन्नत्यागिनः सर्वे जना आसन्नमत्सराः ॥१२-२५५-१७॥
All people were devoted to truth and self-control, free from greed, content in themselves, given to renunciation, and without envy.
क्षेत्रक्षेत्रज्ञतत्त्वज्ञाः स्वयज्ञपरिनिष्ठिताः। ब्राह्मं वेदमधीयन्तस्तोषयन्त्यमरानपि ॥१२-२५५-१८॥
Those who know the field, the knower of the field, and the truth, who are firmly established in self-sacrifice and study the Veda relating to Brahman, even please the immortals.
अखिलं दैवतं सर्वं ब्रह्म ब्राह्मणसंश्रितम्। तृप्यन्ति तृप्यतो देवास्तृप्तास्तृप्तस्य जाजले ॥१२-२५५-१९॥
All divinity, everything, is Brahman, dependent on the Brāhmaṇa. The gods are satisfied by those who are content; the contented are fulfilled in the sacrifice.
यथा सर्वरसैस्तृप्तो नाभिनन्दति किञ्चन। तथा प्रज्ञानतृप्तस्य नित्यं तृप्तिः सुखोदया ॥१२-२५५-२०॥
Just as a person who is satisfied with all tastes does not delight in anything in particular, so too, for one who is fulfilled by wisdom, there is always a satisfaction from which happiness arises.
धर्मारामा धर्मसुखाः कृत्स्नव्यवसितास्तथा। अस्ति नस्तत्त्वतो भूय इति प्रज्ञागवेषिणः ॥१२-२५५-२१॥
Those who delight and find happiness in dharma, who are wholly resolved, likewise, for us, there is truly more—thus are the seekers of wisdom.
ज्ञानविज्ञानिनः केचित्परं पारं तितीर्षवः। अतीव तत्सदा पुण्यं पुण्याभिजनसंहितम् ॥१२-२५५-२२॥
Some of those endowed with knowledge and realization, wishing to cross to the supreme further shore, always greatly value that which is meritorious and associated with noble lineage.
यत्र गत्वा न शोचन्ति न च्यवन्ति व्यथन्ति च। ते तु तद्ब्रह्मणः स्थानं प्राप्नुवन्तीह सात्त्विकाः ॥१२-२५५-२३॥
The pure ones, having reached that state where there is no grief, no fall, and no disturbance, attain here the abode of Brahman.
नैव ते स्वर्गमिच्छन्ति न यजन्ति यशोधनैः। सतां वर्त्मानुवर्तन्ते यथाबलमहिंसया ॥१२-२५५-२४॥
They neither desire heaven nor perform sacrifices for fame and wealth; instead, they follow the path of the virtuous as best as they can, practicing non-violence.
वनस्पतीनोषधीश्च फलमूलं च ते विदुः। न चैतानृत्विजो लुब्धा याजयन्ति धनार्थिनः ॥१२-२५५-२५॥
They know the forest plants, herbs, fruits, and roots; and the priests, not greedy for wealth, do not make these people perform sacrifices for the sake of money.
स्वमेव चार्थं कुर्वाणा यज्ञं चक्रुः पुनर्द्विजाः। परिनिष्ठितकर्माणः प्रजानुग्रहकाम्यया ॥१२-२५५-२६॥
The twice-born, whose actions were accomplished, again performed sacrifices for their own purpose, wishing to benefit the people.
प्रापयेयुः प्रजाः स्वर्गं स्वधर्मचरणेन वै। इति मे वर्तते बुद्धिः समा सर्वत्र जाजले ॥१२-२५५-२७॥
My conviction is this: everywhere in Jājala, I hold the view that subjects may indeed attain heaven by practicing their own dharma.
प्रयुञ्जते यानि यज्ञे सदा प्राज्ञा द्विजर्षभ। तेन ते देवयानेन पथा यान्ति महामुने ॥१२-२५५-२८॥
O best of the twice-born, the wise always perform those rites in the sacrifice; by that, they travel the path of the gods, O great sage.
आवृत्तिस्तत्र चैकस्य नास्त्यावृत्तिर्मनीषिणाम्। उभौ तौ देवयानेन गच्छतो जाजले पथा ॥१२-२५५-२९॥
There, for one, there is return; for the wise, there is no return. Both of them proceed by the divine path, by the Jājala path.
स्वयं चैषामनडुहो युज्यन्ति च वहन्ति च। स्वयमुस्राश्च दुह्यन्ते मनःसङ्कल्पसिद्धिभिः ॥१२-२५५-३०॥
Their bulls are yoked and draw the ploughs by themselves; their cows are milked by themselves, through the accomplishment of mental resolve.
स्वयं यूपानुपादाय यजन्ते स्वाप्तदक्षिणैः। यस्तथाभावितात्मा स्यात्स गामालब्धुमर्हति ॥१२-२५५-३१॥
Those who themselves take up the sacrificial post and perform sacrifices with gifts acquired by their own means—he who is thus purified in mind is worthy to obtain the earth (or cow as reward).
ओषधीभिस्तथा ब्रह्मन्यजेरंस्ते नतादृशाः। बुद्धित्यागं पुरस्कृत्य तादृशं प्रब्रवीमि ते ॥१२-२५५-३२॥
O Brahman, in those days, people would perform sacrifices using herbs; they were not like those of today. Now, having placed the abandonment of intellect foremost, I declare such to you.
निराशिषमनारम्भं निर्नमस्कारमस्तुतिम्। अक्षीणं क्षीणकर्माणं तं देवा ब्राह्मणं विदुः ॥१२-२५५-३३॥
The gods recognize as a brāhmaṇa that person who is free from desire for blessings, does not undertake actions, offers no salutations or praise, is undiminished, and whose actions are exhausted.
नाश्रावयन्न च यजन्न ददद्ब्राह्मणेषु च। ग्राम्यां वृत्तिं लिप्समानः कां गतिं याति जाजले ॥ इदं तु दैवतं कृत्वा यथा यज्ञमवाप्नुयात् ॥१२-२५५-३४॥
If one does not cause to be heard, does not sacrifice, does not give to Brāhmaṇas, and desires a worldly livelihood, what state does he attain in impurity? But if this is made divine, one may obtain the fruit of sacrifice.
जाजलिरुवाच॥
Jājali said.
न वै मुनीनां शृणुमः स्म तत्त्वं; पृच्छामि त्वा वाणिज कष्टमेतत्। पूर्वे पूर्वे चास्य नावेक्षमाणा; नातः परं तमृषयः स्थापयन्ति ॥१२-२५५-३५॥
We have not heard the truth from the sages; I ask you, O merchant, about this difficulty. The sages of old, having not observed this, do not establish anything beyond this.
अस्मिन्नेवात्मतीर्थे न पशवः प्राप्नुयुः सुखम्। अथ स्वकर्मणा केन वाणिज प्राप्नुयात्सुखम् ॥ शंस मे तन्महाप्राज्ञ भृशं वै श्रद्दधामि ते ॥१२-२५५-३६॥
In this very sacred place of the self, animals do not attain happiness. So, by what action can a merchant attain happiness? Please tell me that, O greatly wise one; I have great faith in you.
तुलाधार उवाच॥
Tulādhāra said.
उत यज्ञा उतायज्ञा मखं नार्हन्ति ते क्वचित्। आज्येन पयसा दध्ना पूर्णाहुत्या विशेषतः ॥ वालैः शृङ्गेण पादेन सम्भवत्येव गौर्मखम् ॥१२-२५५-३७॥
Neither sacrifices nor non-sacrifices are ever worthy of the ritual; it is especially with clarified butter, milk, curds, and full oblation; with her hair, horn, and foot, indeed the cow herself becomes the ritual.
पत्नीं चानेन विधिना प्रकरोति नियोजयन्। पुरोडाशो हि सर्वेषां पशूनां मेध्य उच्यते ॥१२-२५५-३८॥
By this procedure, engaging the wife, one performs (the rite); the sacrificial cake is indeed called the fit-for-sacrifice among all animals.
सर्वा नद्यः सरस्वत्यः सर्वे पुण्याः शिलोच्चयाः। जाजले तीर्थमात्मैव मा स्म देशातिथिर्भव ॥१२-२५५-३९॥
All rivers, all Sarasvatis, and all holy stone mounds— in Jājala, the true sacred place is the self alone; never become a guest in another land.
एतानीदृशकान्धर्मानाचरन्निह जाजले। कारणैर्धर्ममन्विच्छन्न लोकानाप्नुते शुभान् ॥१२-२५५-४०॥
By practising such kinds of dharmas here in this world, and seeking dharma by proper means, one attains auspicious worlds.
भीष्म उवाच॥
Bhīṣma said.
एतानीदृशकान्धर्मांस्तुलाधारः प्रशंसति। उपपत्त्या हि सम्पन्नान्नित्यं सद्भिर्निषेवितान् ॥१२-२५५-४१॥
Tuladhara praises these kinds of dharmas. For, by reasoning, those dharmas which are always practiced by the virtuous are indeed accomplished.
