12.260
युधिष्ठिर उवाच॥
Yudhiṣṭhira said.
अविरोधेन भूतानां त्यागः षाड्गुण्यकारकः। यः स्यादुभयभाग्धर्मस्तन्मे ब्रूहि पितामह ॥१२-२६०-१॥
O grandsire, tell me that dharma which, by non-opposition of beings and renunciation, becomes the cause of the sixfold policy and possesses the qualities of both sides.
गार्हस्थ्यस्य च धर्मस्य त्यागधर्मस्य चोभयोः। अदूरसम्प्रस्थितयोः किं स्विच्छ्रेयः पितामह ॥१२-२६०-२॥
O grandsire, of householdership and its dharma, and of the dharma of renunciation, for those who have not advanced far on either path, which is truly better?
भीष्म उवाच॥
Bhīṣma said.
उभौ धर्मौ महाभागावुभौ परमदुश्चरौ। उभौ महाफलौ तात सद्भिराचरितावुभौ ॥१२-२६०-३॥
Both of these dharmas, O greatly fortunate one, are extremely difficult to practice. Both yield great results, dear one, and both have been followed by the virtuous.
अत्र ते वर्तयिष्यामि प्रामाण्यमुभयोस्तयोः। शृणुष्वैकमनाः पार्थ छिन्नधर्मार्थसंशयम् ॥१२-२६०-४॥
Here, I will explain to you the validity of both; listen attentively, O Pārtha, with your doubts about righteousness and purpose dispelled.
अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम्। कपिलस्य गोश्च संवादं तन्निबोध युधिष्ठिर ॥१२-२६०-५॥
Here too, an ancient story is told: the conversation between Kapila and the cow. Listen to that, O Yudhiṣṭhira.
आम्नायमनुपश्यन्हि पुराणं शाश्वतं ध्रुवम्। नहुषः पूर्वमालेभे त्वष्टुर्गामिति नः श्रुतम् ॥१२-२६०-६॥
Indeed, observing the sacred, ancient, eternal, and unchanging tradition, it is heard by us that Nahuṣa formerly obtained the cow of Tvaṣṭṛ.
तां नियुक्तामदीनात्मा सत्त्वस्थः समये रतः। ज्ञानवान्नियताहारो ददर्श कपिलस्तदा ॥१२-२६०-७॥
Then, Kapila, wise and of regulated diet, established in purity, whose spirit was not dejected, engaged at the proper time, saw her who had been appointed.
स बुद्धिमुत्तमां प्राप्तो नैष्ठिकीमकुतोभयाम्। स्मरामि शिथिलं सत्यं वेदा इत्यब्रवीत्सकृत् ॥१२-२६०-८॥
Having attained the highest intellect, steadfast and fearless, he once said, "The Vedas are relaxed truth," I remember.
तां गामृषिः स्यूमरश्मिः प्रविश्य यतिमब्रवीत्। हंहो वेदा यदि मता धर्माः केनापरे मताः ॥१२-२६०-९॥
The sage Syūmaraśmi, having entered the earth, said to the ascetic: "O! If the Vedas are regarded as dharmas, by whom are the others regarded as such?"
तपस्विनो धृतिमतः श्रुतिविज्ञानचक्षुषः। सर्वमार्षं हि मन्यन्ते व्याहृतं विदितात्मनः ॥१२-२६०-१०॥
Ascetics who are steadfast and whose vision is knowledge and revelation, consider all that is spoken by those who know the self to be of the ṛṣis.
तस्यैवं गततृष्णस्य विज्वरस्य निराशिषः। का विवक्षास्ति वेदेषु निरारम्भस्य सर्वशः ॥१२-२६०-११॥
For one whose desires have ceased, who is free from affliction and without wishes, what desire to speak remains in the Vedas for one who has renounced all undertakings in every way?
कपिल उवाच॥
Kapila said.
नाहं वेदान्विनिन्दामि न विवक्षामि कर्हिचित्। पृथगाश्रमिणां कर्माण्येकार्थानीति नः श्रुतम् ॥१२-२६०-१२॥
I do not criticize the Vedas, nor do I ever intend to speak against them; we have heard that the actions of the different āśrama-dwellers all have a single purpose.
गच्छत्येव परित्यागी वानप्रस्थश्च गच्छति। गृहस्थो ब्रह्मचारी च उभौ तावपि गच्छतः ॥१२-२६०-१३॥
Indeed, the renouncer departs, and so does the forest-dweller. The householder and the celibate student, both of them also depart.
देवयाना हि पन्थानश्चत्वारः शाश्वता मताः। तेषां ज्यायःकनीयस्त्वं फलेषूक्तं बलाबलम् ॥१२-२६०-१४॥
Indeed, four divine paths are considered eternal; among them, the superiority and inferiority in results, and their respective strengths and weaknesses, are described.
एवं विदित्वा सर्वार्थानारभेदिति वैदिकम्। नारभेदिति चान्यत्र नैष्ठिकी श्रूयते श्रुतिः ॥१२-२६०-१५॥
Thus, knowing all purposes, the Vedic view is 'not to be commenced.' The same 'not to be commenced' is also heard elsewhere as relating to the final stage, according to scripture.
अनारम्भे ह्यदोषः स्यादारम्भेऽदोष उत्तमः। एवं स्थितस्य शास्त्रस्य दुर्विज्ञेयं बलाबलम् ॥१२-२६०-१६॥
Indeed, there is no fault in non-commencement; in commencement, absence of fault is best. Thus, for an established śāstra, it is difficult to determine its strengths and weaknesses.
यद्यत्र किञ्चित्प्रत्यक्षमहिंसायाः परं मतम्। ऋते त्वागमशास्त्रेभ्यो ब्रूहि तद्यदि पश्यसि ॥१२-२६०-१७॥
If you see any supreme opinion of direct non-violence anywhere, apart from the scriptural texts, tell that, if you see it.
स्यूमरश्मिरुवाच॥
Syumarashmi said.
स्वर्गकामो यजेतेति सततं श्रूयते श्रुतिः। फलं प्रकल्प्य पूर्वं हि ततो यज्ञः प्रतायते ॥१२-२६०-१८॥
It is always heard from the Veda that "one who desires heaven should perform sacrifice." The sacrifice is performed only after first establishing the desired result.
अजश्चाश्वश्च मेषश्च गौश्च पक्षिगणाश्च ये। ग्राम्यारण्या ओषधयः प्राणस्यान्नमिति श्रुतिः ॥१२-२६०-१९॥
Goats, horses, sheep, cows, birds, and all such creatures, both domestic and wild, as well as herbs, are declared by the Veda to be the food of living beings.
तथैवान्नं ह्यहरहः सायं प्रातर्निरुप्यते। पशवश्चाथ धान्यं च यज्ञस्याङ्गमिति श्रुतिः ॥१२-२६०-२०॥
In the same way, food is indeed offered every day, both in the evening and morning. Animals and grain are also considered components of the sacrifice, as stated by the Veda.
एतानि सह यज्ञेन प्रजापतिरकल्पयत्। तेन प्रजापतिर्देवान्यज्ञेनायजत प्रभुः ॥१२-२६०-२१॥
Prajāpati arranged these things together with sacrifice. Thereby, Prajāpati, the lord, worshipped the gods through sacrifice.
ते स्मान्योन्यञ्चराः सर्वे प्राणिनः सप्त सप्त च। यज्ञेषूपाकृतं विश्वं प्राहुरुत्तमसञ्ज्ञितम् ॥१२-२६०-२२॥
They say that all living beings, moving among each other in groups of seven, and the universe prepared in sacrifices, are called the highest.
एतच्चैवाभ्यनुज्ञातं पूर्वैः पूर्वतरैस्तथा। को जातु न विचिन्वीत विद्वान्स्वां शक्तिमात्मनः ॥१२-२६०-२३॥
This too has been approved in the same way by those who came before and by their predecessors. What wise person would not examine his own abilities?
पशवश्च मनुष्याश्च द्रुमाश्चौषधिभिः सह। स्वर्गमेवाभिकाङ्क्षन्ते न च स्वर्गस्त्वृते मखम् ॥१२-२६०-२४॥
Animals, humans, trees, and medicinal plants all desire heaven; but heaven cannot be attained without sacrifice.
ओषध्यः पशवो वृक्षा वीरुदाज्यं पयो दधि। हविर्भूमिर्दिशः श्रद्धा कालश्चैतानि द्वादश ॥१२-२६०-२५॥
These are the twelve: medicinal plants, animals, trees, creepers, clarified butter, milk, curd, offering, earth, directions, faith, and time.
ऋचो यजूंषि सामानि यजमानश्च षोडशः। अग्निर्ज्ञेयो गृहपतिः स सप्तदश उच्यते ॥ अङ्गान्येतानि यज्ञस्य यज्ञो मूलमिति श्रुतिः ॥१२-२६०-२६॥
The Rigvedic hymns, Yajurvedic formulas, Samavedic chants, and the sacrificer are counted as the sixteenth part. Agni, the householder, is regarded as the seventeenth. These are considered the limbs of the sacrifice, and the sacrifice itself is said to be the root, according to the Vedic text.
आज्येन पयसा दध्ना शकृतामिक्षया त्वचा। वालैः शृङ्गेण पादेन सम्भवत्येव गौर्मखम् ॥ एवं प्रत्येकशः सर्वं यद्यदस्य विधीयते ॥१२-२६०-२७॥
The face of the cow is formed by clarified butter, milk, curd, dung mixture, skin, hairs, horn, and foot. In this way, whatever is prescribed for each part, all is so.
यज्ञं वहन्ति सम्भूय सहर्त्विग्भिः सदक्षिणैः। संहत्यैतानि सर्वाणि यज्ञं निर्वर्तयन्त्युत ॥१२-२६०-२८॥
The sacrifice is carried out collectively by all, together with the priests and proper gifts. United, all these indeed accomplish the sacrifice.
यज्ञार्थानि हि सृष्टानि यथा वै श्रूयते श्रुतिः। एवं पूर्वे पूर्वतराः प्रवृत्ताश्चैव मानवाः ॥१२-२६०-२९॥
It is indeed heard from the Veda that all things were created for the sake of sacrifice. In this way, men of former and still earlier times engaged themselves accordingly.
न हिनस्ति ह्यारभते नाभिद्रुह्यति किञ्चन। यज्ञो यष्टव्य इत्येव यो यजत्यफलेप्सया ॥१२-२६०-३०॥
He who undertakes sacrifice without desire for its fruit neither destroys nor harms anything. The sacrifice should be performed only with this attitude.
यज्ञाङ्गान्यपि चैतानि यथोक्तानि नसंशयः। विधिना विधियुक्तानि तारयन्ति परस्परम् ॥१२-२६०-३१॥
There is no doubt that these sacrificial components, as stated, when performed according to the prescribed procedure, mutually uplift each other.
आम्नायमार्षं पश्यामि यस्मिन्वेदाः प्रतिष्ठिताः। तं विद्वांसोऽनुपश्यन्ति ब्राह्मणस्यानुदर्शनात् ॥१२-२६०-३२॥
I perceive the ṛṣi-originated tradition in which the Vedas are established; this is realized by the learned through following the Brāhmaṇa.
ब्राह्मणप्रभवो यज्ञो ब्राह्मणार्पण एव च। अनु यज्ञं जगत्सर्वं यज्ञश्चानु जगत्सदा ॥१२-२६०-३३॥
Sacrifice originates from the brāhmaṇa, and is truly an offering by the brāhmaṇa. The entire world follows sacrifice, and sacrifice always follows the world.
ओमिति ब्रह्मणो योनिर्नमः स्वाहा स्वधा वषट्। यस्यैतानि प्रयुज्यन्ते यथाशक्ति कृतान्यपि ॥१२-२६०-३४॥
"Om" is the source of Brahman; salutation, svāhā, svadhā, vaṣaṭ—whoever employs these, even those performed according to one's ability.
न तस्य त्रिषु लोकेषु परलोकभयं विदुः। इति वेदा वदन्तीह सिद्धाश्च परमर्षयः ॥१२-२६०-३५॥
The Vedas, as well as the perfected beings and supreme sages here, declare that he has no fear of the other world in all the three worlds.
ऋचो यजूंषि सामानि स्तोभाश्च विधिचोदिताः। यस्मिन्नेतानि सर्वाणि बहिरेव स वै द्विजः ॥१२-२६०-३६॥
He in whom all the Rigvedic hymns, Yajurvedic formulas, Samavedic chants, and ritual musical syllables exist only externally—he indeed is a twice-born.
अग्न्याधेये यद्भवति यच्च सोमे सुते द्विज। यच्चेतरैर्महायज्ञैर्वेद तद्भगवान्स्वतः ॥१२-२६०-३७॥
O twice-born, whatever arises in the fire-sacrifice, whatever (arises) in the Soma pressing, and whatever is known by others through great sacrifices, all that the Lord knows by Himself.
तस्माद्ब्रह्मन्यजेतैव याजयेच्चाविचारयन्। यजतः स्वर्गविधिना प्रेत्य स्वर्गफलं महत् ॥१२-२६०-३८॥
Therefore, O Brāhmaṇa, one should perform sacrifices and cause others to perform them without hesitation; for one who sacrifices according to the rules for attaining heaven, after death, attains the great fruit of heaven.
नायं लोकोऽस्त्ययज्ञानां परश्चेति विनिश्चयः। वेदवादविदश्चैव प्रमाणमुभयं तदा ॥१२-२६०-३९॥
It is determined that for the ignorant, neither this world nor the next exists. At that time, the knowers of Vedic doctrine accept both as authoritative.
