13.037
पात्रपरीक्षा
Examination of the worthy;
युधिष्ठिर उवाच॥
Yudhiṣṭhira said.
अपूर्वं वा भवेत्पात्रमथ वापि चिरोषितम्। दूरादभ्यागतं वापि किं पात्रं स्यात्पितामह ॥१३-३७-१॥
O grandsire, what may be considered worthy: something unprecedented, or one who has long resided, or one who has come from afar—what is worthy, O grandsire? (13-37-1)
भीष्म उवाच॥
Bhishma said.
क्रिया भवति केषाञ्चिदुपांशुव्रतमुत्तमम्। यो यो याचेत यत्किञ्चित्सर्वं दद्याम इत्युत ॥१३-३७-२॥
For some, the act of the highest silent vow is this: "Whatever anyone may ask for, I would give everything," thus indeed. (13-37-2)
अपीडयन्भृत्यवर्गमित्येवमनुशुश्रुम। पीडयन्भृत्यवर्गं हि आत्मानमपकर्षति ॥१३-३७-३॥
We have heard thus: 'Not oppressing the group of servants.' For one who oppresses the group of servants indeed brings himself down. (13-37-3)
अपूर्वं वापि यत्पात्रं यच्चापि स्याच्चिरोषितम्। दूरादभ्यागतं चापि तत्पात्रं च विदुर्बुधाः ॥१३-३७-४॥
The wise know as worthy that which is unprecedented, or which has long resided, or which has come from afar; they consider all these as worthy. (13-37-4)
युधिष्ठिर उवाच॥
Yudhiṣṭhira said.
अपीडया च भृत्यानां धर्मस्याहिंसया तथा। पात्रं विद्याम तत्त्वेन यस्मै दत्तं न सन्तपेत् ॥१३-३७-५॥
One should not regret knowledge truly given to a worthy person, just as one should not regret non-oppression and non-violence towards servants. (13-37-5)
भीष्म उवाच॥
Bhishma said.
ऋत्विक्पुरोहिताचार्याः शिष्याः सम्बन्धिबान्धवाः। सर्वे पूज्याश्च मान्याश्च श्रुतवृत्तोपसंहिताः ॥१३-३७-६॥
Sacrificial priests, family priests, teachers, disciples, relatives, and kinsmen—all are to be respected and honored, and are united by their well-known conduct. (13-37-6)
अतोऽन्यथा वर्तमानाः सर्वे नार्हन्ति सत्क्रियाम्। तस्मान्नित्यं परीक्षेत पुरुषान्प्रणिधाय वै ॥१३-३७-७॥
Therefore, all those who exist otherwise are not worthy of proper conduct. Hence, one should always examine men carefully indeed. (13-37-7)
अक्रोधः सत्यवचनमहिंसा दम आर्जवम्। अद्रोहो नातिमानश्च ह्रीस्तितिक्षा तपः शमः ॥१३-३७-८॥
Absence of anger, truthful speech, non-injury, self-restraint, straightforwardness, absence of malice, lack of excessive pride, modesty, forbearance, austerity, and tranquility. (13-37-8)
यस्मिन्नेतानि दृश्यन्ते न चाकार्याणि भारत। भावतो विनिविष्टानि तत्पात्रं मानमर्हति ॥१३-३७-९॥
O Bhārata, that person in whom these qualities are seen and not improper acts, and in whom they are firmly established by nature, deserves honor. (13-37-9)
तथा चिरोषितं चापि सम्प्रत्यागतमेव च। अपूर्वं चैव पूर्वं च तत्पात्रं मानमर्हति ॥१३-३७-१०॥
Thus, both one who has resided long and one who has just arrived, the unprecedented and the former, all such are worthy of honor. (13-37-10)
अप्रामाण्यं च वेदानां शास्त्राणां चातिलङ्घनम्। सर्वत्र चानवस्थानमेतन्नाशनमात्मनः ॥१३-३७-११॥
Non-authoritativeness of the Vedas and śāstras, excessive transgression, and instability everywhere—this is the destruction of oneself. (13-37-11)
भवेत्पण्डितमानी यो ब्राह्मणो वेदनिन्दकः। आन्वीक्षिकीं तर्कविद्यामनुरक्तो निरर्थिकाम् ॥१३-३७-१२॥
A brāhmaṇa who considers himself a scholar, criticizes the Veda, and is attached to the sciences of inquiry and logic, is useless. (13-37-12)
हेतुवादान्ब्रुवन्सत्सु विजेताहेतुवादिकः। आक्रोष्टा चातिवक्ता च ब्राह्मणानां सदैव हि ॥१३-३७-१३॥
He who speaks among the good, conquering those who argue logically, is skilled in reasoning; he is always, indeed, a reviler and one who speaks excessively among the brāhmaṇas. (13-37-13)
सर्वाभिशङ्की मूढश्च बालः कटुकवागपि। बोद्धव्यस्तादृशस्तात नरश्वानं हि तं विदुः ॥१३-३७-१४॥
Dear one, know that a person who suspects everyone, is deluded, childish, and harsh in speech, is to be regarded as a man-dog; indeed, such a person is recognized as such. (13-37-14)
यथा श्वा भषितुं चैव हन्तुं चैवावसृज्यते। एवं सम्भाषणार्थाय सर्वशास्त्रवधाय च ॥ अल्पश्रुताः कुतर्काश्च दृष्टाः स्पृष्टाः कुपण्डिताः ॥१३-३७-१५॥
Just as a dog is set loose to bark and bite, so too, for the sake of argument and the destruction of all śāstras, those with little learning and false logic—bad scholars—are seen and encountered. (13-37-15)
श्रुतिस्मृतीतिहासादिपुराणारण्यवेदिनः। अनुरुन्ध्याद्बहुज्ञांश्च सारज्ञांश्चैव पण्डितान् ॥१३-३७-१६॥
One should seek out those who are knowers of the Veda, tradition, epics, Purāṇas, forest texts, as well as those who are very knowledgeable, those who know the essence, and indeed, the learned ones. (13-37-16)
लोकयात्रा च द्रष्टव्या धर्मश्चात्महितानि च। एवं नरो वर्तमानः शाश्वतीरेधते समाः ॥१३-३७-१७॥
A man who observes worldly conduct, righteousness, and acts beneficial to himself in this way prospers for eternal years. (13-37-17)
ऋणमुन्मुच्य देवानामृषीणां च तथैव च। पितॄणामथ विप्राणामतिथीनां च पञ्चमम् ॥१३-३७-१८॥
Having discharged the debts to the gods, sages, ancestors, brāhmaṇas, and guests, which are the five (debts). (13-37-18)
पर्यायेण विशुद्धेन सुनिर्णिक्तेन कर्मणा। एवं गृहस्थः कर्माणि कुर्वन्धर्मान्न हीयते ॥१३-३७-१९॥
Thus, when a householder performs actions in succession, with purity and thorough determination, he is not deprived of righteousness. (13-37-19)
