13.033
ब्राह्मणप्रशंसा
Praise of the brāhmaṇa.
युधिष्ठिर उवाच॥
Yudhiṣṭhira said.
किं राज्ञः सर्वकृत्यानां गरीयः स्यात्पितामह। किं कुर्वन्कर्म नृपतिरुभौ लोकौ समश्नुते ॥१३-३३-१॥
O grandsire, what is the most important of all the king's actions? By performing what action does the king attain both worlds? (13-33-1)
भीष्म उवाच॥
Bhishma said.
एतद्राज्ञः कृत्यतममभिषिक्तस्य भारत। ब्राह्मणानामनुष्ठानमत्यन्तं सुखमिच्छता ॥ श्रोत्रियान्ब्राह्मणान्वृद्धान्नित्यमेवाभिपूजयेत् ॥१३-३३-२॥
O Bhārata, this is the highest duty of a king who has been anointed: one who desires the greatest happiness should ensure the performance of Brāhmaṇas. One should always honor learned Brāhmaṇas and elders. (13-33-2)
पौरजानपदांश्चापि ब्राह्मणांश्च बहुश्रुतान्। सान्त्वेन भोगदानेन नमस्कारैस्तथार्चयेत् ॥१३-३३-३॥
He should honor the townsmen, country people, brāhmaṇas, and the well-learned with conciliation, gifts of enjoyments, and salutations in this manner. (13-33-3)
एतत्कृत्यतमं राज्ञो नित्यमेवेति लक्षयेत्। यथात्मानं यथा पुत्रांस्तथैतान्परिपालयेत् ॥१३-३३-४॥
He should always consider this as the foremost duty of a king; just as he protects himself and his sons, so should he protect these (subjects). (13-33-4)
ये चाप्येषां पूज्यतमास्तान्दृढं प्रतिपूजयेत्। तेषु शान्तेषु तद्राष्ट्रं सर्वमेव विराजते ॥१३-३३-५॥
And among these, those who are the most venerable should be firmly honored in return. In those peaceful ones, that kingdom indeed entirely prospers. (13-33-5)
ते पूज्यास्ते नमस्कार्यास्ते रक्ष्याः पितरो यथा। तेष्वेव यात्रा लोकस्य भूतानामिव वासवे ॥१३-३३-६॥
They are worthy of worship, salutation, and protection, just as fathers; in them alone is the existence of the world, just as all beings exist in Indra. (13-33-6)
अभिचारैरुपायैश्च दहेयुरपि तेजसा। निःशेषं कुपिताः कुर्युरुग्राः सत्यपराक्रमाः ॥१३-३३-७॥
The truly powerful and fierce, when angered, might completely destroy by magical rites, by various means, or even by their own energy. (13-33-7)
नान्तमेषां प्रपश्यामि न दिशश्चाप्यपावृताः। कुपिताः समुदीक्षन्ते दावेष्वग्निशिखा इव ॥१३-३३-८॥
I do not see the end of these, nor are any directions open; angrily they look on, like flames of fire in a forest fire. (13-33-8)
विद्यन्तेषां साहसिका गुणास्तेषामतीव हि। कूपा इव तृणच्छन्ना विशुद्धा द्यौरिवापरे ॥१३-३३-९॥
Among them, bold qualities are indeed found in great measure. Some are like wells covered with grass, while others are pure like the sky. (13-33-9)
प्रसह्यकारिणः केचित्कार्पासमृदवोऽपरे। सन्ति चैषामतिशठास्तथान्येऽतितपस्विनः ॥१३-३३-१०॥
Some act forcibly, others are as soft as cotton; among these, some are very deceitful, and likewise, others are extremely austere. (13-33-10)
कृषिगोरक्ष्यमप्यन्ये भैक्षमन्येऽप्यनुष्ठिताः। चोराश्चान्येऽनृताश्चान्ये तथान्ये नटनर्तकाः ॥१३-३३-११॥
Some others engaged in agriculture and cow-protection, others in alms; some others were thieves, others liars, and likewise others were actors and dancers. (13-33-11)
सर्वकर्मसु दृश्यन्ते प्रशान्तेष्वितरेषु च। विविधाचारयुक्ताश्च ब्राह्मणा भरतर्षभ ॥१३-३३-१२॥
O best of the Bharatas, Brāhmaṇas are seen in all actions, among the tranquil and among others, and also engaged in various practices. (13-33-12)
नानाकर्मसु युक्तानां बहुकर्मोपजीविनाम्। धर्मज्ञानां सतां तेषां नित्यमेवानुकीर्तयेत् ॥१३-३३-१३॥
One should always recite the deeds of those good people who are engaged in various actions, who subsist by many kinds of work, and who possess knowledge of dharma. (13-33-13)
पितॄणां देवतानां च मनुष्योरगरक्षसाम्। पुरोहिता महाभागा ब्राह्मणा वै नराधिप ॥१३-३३-१४॥
O king, the brāhmaṇas, who are greatly fortunate, are indeed the priests of the ancestors, the deities, men, serpents, and rākṣasas. (13-33-14)
नैते देवैर्न पितृभिर्न गन्धर्वैर्न राक्षसैः। नासुरैर्न पिशाचैश्च शक्या जेतुं द्विजातयः ॥१३-३३-१५॥
These twice-born cannot be conquered by gods, ancestors, gandharvas, rākṣasas, asuras, or piśācas. (13-33-15)
अदैवं दैवतं कुर्युर्दैवतं चाप्यदैवतम्। यमिच्छेयुः स राजा स्याद्यं द्विष्युः स पराभवेत् ॥१३-३३-१६॥
They would make the undivine into the divine, and the divine also into the undivine. Whoever they desire, he becomes king; whoever they hate, he is defeated. (13-33-16)
परिवादं च ये कुर्युर्ब्राह्मणानामचेतसः। निन्दाप्रशंसाकुशलाः कीर्त्यकीर्तिपरावराः ॥ परिकुप्यन्ति ते राजन्सततं द्विषतां द्विजाः ॥१३-३३-१७॥
O king, those unwise people who slander brāhmaṇas, who are skilled in blame and praise, and who distinguish between fame and infamy, the twice-born always become very angry with their enemies. (13-33-17)
ब्राह्मणा यं प्रशंसन्ति पुरुषः स प्रवर्धते। ब्राह्मणैर्यः पराक्रुष्टः पराभूयात्क्षणाद्धि सः ॥१३-३३-१८॥
A man whom the Brāhmaṇas praise prospers; but he who is reviled by the Brāhmaṇas should be defeated immediately. (13-33-18)
शका यवनकाम्बोजास्तास्ताः क्षत्रियजातयः। वृषलत्वं परिगता ब्राह्मणानामदर्शनात् ॥१३-३३-१९॥
The Śakas, Yavanas, and Kāmbojas—those Kṣatriya castes—have become outcastes due to the absence of association with Brāhmaṇas. (13-33-19)
द्रमिळाश्च कलिङ्गाश्च पुलिन्दाश्चाप्युशीनराः। कौलाः सर्पा माहिषकास्तास्ताः क्षत्रियजातयः ॥१३-३३-२०॥
The Dravidians, Kalingas, Pulindas, and also the Ushinaras, as well as the Kaulas, Sarpas, and Mahishakas—these are all Kshatriya lineages. (13-33-20)
वृषलत्वं परिगता ब्राह्मणानामदर्शनात्। श्रेयान्पराजयस्तेभ्यो न जयो जयतां वर ॥१३-३३-२१॥
Because of the absence of brāhmaṇas, the state of being a śūdra has come upon them; O best of the victorious, it is better to be defeated by them than to gain victory over them. (13-33-21)
यस्तु सर्वमिदं हन्याद्ब्राह्मणं च न तत्समम्। ब्रह्मवध्या महान्दोष इत्याहुः परमर्षयः ॥१३-३३-२२॥
But if someone were to kill all this world and a brāhmaṇa, that is not equal; the killing of a brāhmaṇa is considered a great fault, thus say the supreme sages. (13-33-22)
परिवादो द्विजातीनां न श्रोतव्यः कथञ्चन। आसीताधोमुखस्तूष्णीं समुत्थाय व्रजेत वा ॥१३-३३-२३॥
One should never listen to slander of the twice-born in any way; instead, one should either sit silently with face down or get up and leave. (13-33-23)
न स जातो जनिष्यो वा पृथिव्यामिह कश्चन। यो ब्राह्मणविरोधेन सुखं जीवितुमुत्सहेत् ॥१३-३३-२४॥
There is no one born, nor will there ever be anyone born on this earth, who could live happily by opposing a brāhmaṇa. (13-33-24)
दुर्ग्रहो मुष्टिना वायुर्दुःस्पर्शः पाणिना शशी। दुर्धरा पृथिवी मूर्ध्ना दुर्जया ब्राह्मणा भुवि ॥१३-३३-२५॥
The wind cannot be grasped with the fist; the moon cannot be touched with the hand; the earth cannot be borne on the head; brāhmaṇas cannot be conquered on the earth. (13-33-25)
