13.115
ahiṁsāphalam
The fruit of non-violence.
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaiśampāyana said.
tato yudhiṣṭhiro rājā śaratalpe pitāmaham। punareva mahātejāḥ papraccha vadatāṃ varam॥13-115-1॥
Then King Yudhishthira, on the bed of arrows, again asked the grandsire of great brilliance, the best among speakers. (13-115-1)
ṛṣayo brāhmaṇā devāḥ praśaṃsanti mahāmate। ahiṃsālakṣaṇaṃ dharmaṃ vedaprāmāṇyadarśanāt ॥13-115-2॥
O great-minded one, seers, Brāhmaṇas, and gods praise the dharma characterized by non-violence, based on the authority of the Vedas. (13-115-2)
karmaṇā manujaḥ kurvan hiṁsāṁ pārthivasattama। vācā ca manasā caiva kathaṁ duḥkhāt pramucyate ॥13-115-3॥
O best of kings, by action, speech, or mind, when a man causes injury, how can he be released from suffering? (13-115-3)
bhīṣma uvāca॥
Bhishma said;
caturvidheyaṃ nirdiṣṭā ahiṃsā brahmavādibhiḥ. eṣaikatopi vibhraṣṭā na bhavatyarīsūdana ॥13-115-4॥
Non-injury, which is declared to be fourfold by the Vedic teachers— if even one aspect of this is abandoned, O slayer of enemies, it does not exist at all. (13-115-4)
yathā sarvaś catuṣpādas tribhiḥ pādair na tiṣṭhati। tathaiveyaṃ mahīpāla procyate kāraṇais tribhiḥ ॥13-115-5॥
Just as no four-footed animal can stand on three feet, in the same way, O king, it is said that this earth stands by three causes. (13-115-5)
yathā nāgapade'nyāni padāni padagāminām। sarvāṇyevāpidhīyante padajātāni kauñjare॥ evaṃ lokeṣvahiṃsā tu nirdiṣṭā dharmataḥ parā ॥13-115-6॥
Just as all the footprints of other walking creatures are encompassed within the elephant’s footprint, so in the world, non-violence is declared by righteousness to be the highest (virtue). (13-115-6)
karmaṇā lipyate jantur vācā ca manasaiva ca। pūrvaṃ tu manasā tyaktvā tathā vācātha karmaṇā। trikāraṇaṃ tu nirdiṣṭaṃ śrūyate brahmavādibhiḥ॥13-115-8॥
A living being is tainted by action, and also by word and indeed by mind. But first, having renounced by mind, then by speech, and afterwards by action: this threefold cause is declared, as heard from those who teach Brahman. (13-115-8)
manovāci tathāsvāde doṣā hyeṣu pratiṣṭhitāḥ। na bhakṣayantyato māṃsaṃ tapoyuktā manīṣiṇaḥ॥13-115-9॥
Faults are established in the mind, speech, and taste. Therefore, the wise who are endowed with austerity do not eat meat. (13-115-9)
doṣāṃstu bhakṣaṇe rājan māṃsasyeha nibodha me। putramaṃsopamaṃ jānan khādate yo vicetanaḥ॥13-115-10॥
O king, know from me the faults that pertain to eating flesh here. He who, knowing it to be like eating his own son's flesh, nevertheless eats, is unwise. (13-115-10)
mātāpitṛsamāyoge putratvaṃ jāyate yathā. rasaṃ ca prati jihvāyāḥ prajñānaṃ jāyate tathā ॥ tathā śāstreṣu niyataṃ rāgo hyāsvāditādbhavet ॥13-115-11॥
Just as sonship arises from the union of mother and father, and perception of taste arises in the tongue towards a flavor, so too, fixed attachment to the scriptures arises only after they are experienced. (13-115-11)
asaṁskṛtāḥ saṁskṛtāś ca lavaṇālavaṇās tathā। prajñāyante yathā bhāvās tathā cittaṁ nirudhyate॥13-115-12॥
Just as unrefined, refined, salty, and not salty are recognized as different states, so too is the mind restrained. (13-115-12)
bherīśaṅkhamṛdaṅgādyāṃstantrīśabdāṃśca puṣkalān। niṣeviṣyanti vai mandā māṃsabhakṣāḥ kathaṃ narāḥ॥13-115-13॥
How can foolish meat-eating men truly enjoy the abundance of sounds from drums, conches, mṛdaṅgas, and stringed instruments? (13-115-13)
acintitamanuddiṣṭamasaṅkalpitameva ca। rasaṃ gṛddhyābhibhūtā vai praśaṃsanti phalārthinaḥ ॥ praśaṃsā hyeva māṃsasya doṣakarmaphalānvitā ॥13-115-14॥
What is neither considered, nor prescribed, nor even conceived, yet the taste of it, overpowered by greed, is praised by those who desire results. But the praise of meat is indeed only attended by sin, action, and its fruit. (13-115-14)
jīvitaṃ hi parityajya bahavaḥ sādhavo janāḥ। svamāṃsaiḥ paramāṃsāni paripālya divaṃ gatāḥ ॥13-115-15॥
Indeed, many virtuous people, having abandoned their own lives, protected others' bodies with their own flesh and have gone to heaven. (13-115-15)
evameṣā mahārāja caturbhiḥ kāraṇairvṛtā। ahiṃsā tava nirdiṣṭā sarvadharmārthasaṃhitā ॥13-115-16॥
O great king, thus, this non-violence, encompassed by four causes, has been explained to you as comprising all the aims of righteousness. (13-115-16)
