13.074
vrataniyamaphalam
the fruit of vow and discipline
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca॥
Yudhiṣṭhira said.
visrambhito'ham bhavatā dharmān pravadatā vibho। pravakṣyāmi tu saṃdehaṃ tan me brūhi pitāmaha॥13-74-1॥
O lord, having become confident by your explaining the dharmas, I will state a doubt; please tell me that, O grandfather. (13-74-1)
vratānāṃ kiṃ phalaṃ proktaṃ kīdr̥śaṃ vā mahādyute। niyamānāṃ phalaṃ kiṃ ca svadhītasya ca kiṃ phalam॥13-74-2॥
O greatly radiant one, what is said to be the fruit of vows, and of what kind is it? And what is the fruit of restraints, and what is the fruit of self-study? (13-74-2)
damasyeha phalaṃ kiṃ ca vedānāṃ dhāraṇe ca kim। adhyāpane phalaṃ kiṃ ca sarvam icchāmi veditum॥13-74-3॥
I wish to know all: what is the fruit of self-restraint here, what is the fruit of the retention of the Vedas, and what is the fruit of teaching. (13-74-3)
apratigrahake kiṃ ca phalaṃ loke pitāmaha। tasya kiṃ ca phalaṃ dṛṣṭaṃ śrutaṃ yaḥ samprayacchati॥13-74-4॥
O grandsire, in the case of one who does not accept gifts, what fruit (result) is there in this world? And what fruit is seen or heard for the one who gives to such a person? (13-74-4)
svakarmaniratānāṃ ca śūrāṇāṃ cāpi kiṃ phalam। satye ca kiṃ phalaṃ proktaṃ brahmacarye ca kiṃ phalam॥13-74-5॥
What is the fruit of those devoted to their own duties and of heroes? What fruit is said to result from truth and from celibacy? (13-74-5)
pitṛśuśrūṣaṇe kiṁ ca mātṛśuśrūṣaṇe tathā। ācāryaguruśuśrūṣāsvanukrośānukampane ॥13-74-6॥
What (is) in service to father, likewise also in service to mother, in service to teachers and preceptors, in compassion, in pity. (13-74-6)
etatsarvamaśeṣeṇa pitāmaha yathātatham। vettumicchāmi dharmajña paraṃ kautūhalaṃ hi me ॥13-74-7॥
Grandfather, I wish to know all this completely, just as it is. Knower of dharma, for I indeed have great curiosity. (13-74-7)
bhīṣma uvāca॥
Bhīṣma said.
yo vrataṃ vai yathoddiṣṭaṃ tathā sampratipadyate। akhaṇḍaṃ samyagārabdhaṃ tasya lokāḥ sanātanāḥ॥13-74-8॥
Whoever undertakes this vow exactly as prescribed, in an unbroken and proper manner, attains eternal worlds. (13-74-8)
niyamānāṃ phalaṃ rājan pratyakṣam iha dṛśyate। niyamānāṃ kratūnāṃ ca tvayā āptam idaṃ phalam॥13-74-9॥
O king, the fruit of observances is visibly seen here. And this fruit of observances and sacrifices has been obtained by you. (13-74-9)
svadhītasya api ca phalaṁ dṛśyate amutra ca iha ca | iha-loke arthavān nityaṁ brahma-loke ca modate ॥13-74-10॥
The results of diligent study appear both in this world and the next; here, one is always prosperous, and in Brahmaloka, one delights. (13-74-10)
damasya tu phalaṁ rājañśṛṇu tvaṁ vistareṇa me। dāntāḥ sarvatra sukhino dāntāḥ sarvatra nirvṛtāḥ ॥13-74-11॥
But, O king, listen from me in detail to the fruit of self-restraint: the self-restrained are happy everywhere, the self-restrained are content everywhere. (13-74-11)
yatrecchāgāmino dāntāḥ sarvaśatruniṣūdanāḥ। prārthayanti ca yaddāntā labhante tanna saṁśayaḥ॥13-74-12॥
Where self-controlled persons, who are destroyers of all enemies and act according to their desires, pray, whatever those self-controlled attain, that is surely without doubt. (13-74-12)
yujyante sarvakāmair hi dāntāḥ sarvatra pāṇḍava। svarge tathā pramodante tapasā vikrameṇa ca ॥13-74-13॥
O son of Pandu, those who are self-controlled indeed obtain all desired objects everywhere. Likewise, in heaven they rejoice through austerity and heroic effort. (13-74-13)
dānair yajñaiś ca vividhair yathā dāntāḥ kṣamānvitāḥ। dātā kupyati no dāntas tasmād dānāt paro damaḥ॥ 13-74-14॥
Those who become self-restrained and endowed with forbearance by various gifts and sacrifices, yet the giver may still become angry, but the self-restrained does not. Therefore, self-restraint is superior to giving. (13-74-14)
yastu dadyād akupyān hi tasya lokāḥ sanātanāḥ। krodho hanti hi yad dānaṃ tasmād dānāt paro damaḥ ॥13-74-15॥
But he who gives without anger—his worlds are eternal. Anger indeed destroys the merit of gifts; therefore, self-control is superior to giving. (13-74-15)
adṛśyāni mahārāja sthānānyayutaśo divi। ṛṣīṇāṃ sarvalokeṣu yāni ito yānti devatāḥ॥13-74-16॥
O great king, there are unseen places by tens of thousands in the sky—those to which the gods depart from here in all the worlds of the seers. (13-74-16)
damena yāni nṛpate gacchanti paramarṣayaḥ| kāmayānā mahatsthānaṃ tasmāddānāt paro damaḥ ॥13-74-17॥
O king, by self-restraint, the supreme sages attain that great state which they desire; therefore, self-restraint is greater than charity. (13-74-17)
adhyāpakaḥ parikleśādakṣayaṃ phalamaśnute। vidhivatpāvakaṃ hutvā brahmaloke narādhipa ॥13-74-18॥
The teacher obtains imperishable fruit from effort. Having properly offered fire, he, O king, attains the world of Brahma. (13-74-18)
adhītyāpi hi yo vedān nyāyavidbhyaḥ prayacchati। gurukarmapraśaṁsī ca so'pi svarge mahīyate ॥13-74-19॥
Even one who, having studied, gives the Vedas to those versed in the law, and who praises the acts of the teacher, he too is honored in heaven. (13-74-19)
kṣatriyo'dhyayane yukto yajane dānakarmaṇi। yuddhe yaś ca paritrātā so'pi svarge mahīyate ॥13-74-20॥
A Kṣatriya who is devoted to study, sacrifice, charity, and acts as a protector in battle is also honored in heaven. (13-74-20)
vaiśyaḥ svakarmanirataḥ pradānāllabhate mahat। śūdraḥ svakarmanirataḥ svargaṃ śuśrūṣayārcchati ॥13-74-21॥
The Vaiśya, devoted to his own duty, obtains great (reward) through giving. The Śūdra, devoted to his own duty, attains heaven through service. (13-74-21)
śūrā bahuvidhāḥ proktās teṣām arthāṃś ca me śṛṇu। śūrān vayānāṃ nirdiṣṭaṃ phalaṃ śūrasya caiva ha ॥13-74-22॥
Heroes are of many kinds as said; hear from me their meanings. The prescribed result for the kinds of heroes and also for the hero himself. (13-74-22)
yajñaśūrā dame śūrāḥ satyaśūrās tathāpare | yuddhaśūrās tathaiva uktā dānaśūrāś ca mānavāḥ ॥13-74-23॥
There are men who are heroes in sacrifice, heroes in self-control, heroes in truth, and others; in the same way, men are said to be heroes in battle and heroes in generosity. (13-74-23)
buddhiśūrās tathai vānye kṣamāśūrās tathāpare। ārjave ca tathā śūrāḥ śame vartanti mānavāḥ॥13-74-24॥
Some humans are brave in intellect, others are brave in forbearance; still others are brave in straightforwardness; and there are brave ones who abide in tranquility. (13-74-24)
taistais tu niyamaiḥ śūrā bahavaḥ santi cāpare। vedādhyayanaśūrāś ca śūrāś cādhyāpane ratāḥ॥13-74-25॥
But by those various rules, there are many heroes, and others too; some are heroes in the study of the Vedas, and some are heroes devoted to teaching. (13-74-25)
guruśuśrūṣayā śūrāḥ pitṛśuśrūṣayāpare। mātṛśuśrūṣayā śūrā bhaikṣyaśūrās tathāpare ॥13-74-26॥
Some are heroes by serving the teacher, others by serving the father; some are heroes by serving the mother, and others likewise are heroes in accepting alms. (13-74-26)
sāṅkhyaśūrāś ca bahavo yogaśūrās tathāpare. araṇye gṛhavāse ca śūrāś cātithipūjane ॥ sarve yānti parāṁl lokān svakarmaphalanirjitān ॥ 13-74-27॥
Many are heroes in Sāṅkhya, and also others are heroes in Yoga; others are heroes residing in the forest or in the home, and some are heroes in honoring guests. All of them go to the highest worlds attained by the fruit of their own actions. (13-74-27)
dhāraṇaṃ sarvavedānāṃ sarvatīrthāvgāhanam। satyaṃ ca bruvato nityaṃ samaṃ vā syān na vā samam ॥13-74-28॥
Bearing all the Vedas, bathing in all holy places—truth spoken always by one may be equal to this or may not be equal. (13-74-28)
aśvamedhasahasraṃ ca satyaṃ ca tulayā dhṛtam। aśvamedhasahasrāddhi satyameva viśiṣyate ॥13-74-29॥
When a thousand horse sacrifices and truth are weighed in a balance, truth alone excels even a thousand horse sacrifices. (13-74-29)
satyena sūryaḥ tapati satyenāgniḥ pradīpyate। satyena māruto vāti sarvaṃ satye pratiṣṭhitam ॥13-74-30॥
The sun shines by truth, the fire is kindled by truth, the wind blows by truth; everything is established in truth. (13-74-30)
satyena devān prīṇāti pitṝn vai brāhmaṇāṃs tathā। satyam āhuḥ paraṃ dharmaṃ tasmāt satyaṃ na laṅghayet ॥13-74-31॥
By truth, one pleases the gods, ancestors, and Brāhmaṇas; truth is declared to be the highest duty, therefore, one should not violate the truth. (13-74-31)
munayaḥ satyaniratā munayaḥ satyavikramāḥ। munayaḥ satyaśapathās tasmāt satyaṃ viśiṣyate ॥ satyavantaḥ svargaloke modante bharatarṣabha ॥13-74-32॥
Sages devoted to truth, sages whose power is truth, and those who take truth as their vow—for this reason, truth is supreme. Men of truth rejoice in the heavenly realm, O foremost of the Bharatas. (13-74-32)
damaḥ satya-phalāvāptiruktā sarvātmanā mayā। asaṁśayaṁ vinītātmā sarvaḥ svarge mahīyate॥13-74-33॥
I have declared by all means that self-restraint and the attainment of the fruit of truth are important; without doubt, every humble-minded person is honored in heaven. (13-74-33)
brahmacaryasya tu guṇāñ śṛṇu me vasudhādhipa। ā janma-maraṇāt yaḥ tu brahmacārī bhavet iha ॥ na tasya kiñcid aprāpyam iti viddhi janādhipa ॥13-74-34॥
O lord of the earth, hear from me the qualities of celibacy. Whoever practices celibacy here from birth to death, know, O lord of people, that for him nothing is unattainable. (13-74-34)
bahvyaḥ koṭyastu vṛṣīṇāṃ tu brahmaloke vasantyuta। satye ratānāṃ satataṃ dāntānām ūrdhvaretasām ॥13-74-35॥
Many crores of ṛṣis indeed dwell in Brahmaloka—those ever devoted to truth, self-controlled, and with their vital energy directed upward. (13-74-35)
brahmacaryaṃ dahed rājan sarvapāpāny upāsitam. brāhmaṇena viśeṣeṇa brāhmaṇo hy agnir ucyate ॥13-74-36॥
O king, brahmacarya should burn all sins that have been committed; especially by the brāhmaṇa, for the brāhmaṇa is indeed said to be fire. (13-74-36)
pratyakṣaṃ ca tavāpy etad brāhmaṇeṣu tapasviṣu। bibheti hi yathā śakro brahmacāri-pradharṣitaḥ ॥ tad brahmacaryasya phalam ṛṣīṇām iha dṛśyate ॥13-74-37॥
This is directly evident to you also: among the ascetic brāhmaṇas, even Śakra is afraid after being overpowered by brahmacārins. Thus, the fruit of brahmacarya among the ṛṣis is seen here. (13-74-37)
mātāp itroḥ pūjane yo dharmas tam api me śṛṇu। śuśrūṣate yaḥ pitaraṃ na cāsūyet-kathañcana॥ mātaraṃ vā anahaṃvādī gurum ācāryam eva ca॥13-74-38॥
Now hear from me about the duty that lies in honoring mother and father. Whoever serves the father and does not envy in any way, likewise the mother, and speaks without pride to the teacher and to the preceptor—such is the way. (13-74-38)
tasya rājan phalaṁ viddhi svarloke sthānam uttamam। na ca paśyet narakaṁ guruśuśrūṣur ātmavān॥13-74-39॥
Know, O king, that the fruit for such a one is an excellent place in heaven; moreover, the self-controlled one who serves his guru does not see hell. (13-74-39)
