13.117
युधिष्ठिर उवाच॥
Yudhiṣṭhira said;
इमे वै मानवा लोके भृशं मांसस्य गृद्धिनः। विसृज्य भक्षान्विविधान्यथा रक्षोगणास्तथा ॥१३-११७-१॥
These humans in this world are exceedingly greedy for flesh, having abandoned various kinds of other foods, just like the groups of rākṣasas (demons). (13-117-1)
नापूपान्विविधाकाराञ्शाकानि विविधानि च। षाडवान्रसयोगांश्च तथेच्छन्ति यथामिषम् ॥१३-११७-२॥
They do not desire cakes of various kinds, nor various vegetables, nor sours, nor mixed flavors, but desire all these things according as they desire meat. (13-117-2)
तत्र मे बुद्धिरत्रैव विसर्गे परिमुह्यते। न मन्ये रसतः किञ्चिन्मांसतोऽस्तीह किञ्चन ॥१३-११७-३॥
There, my understanding, here itself at the moment of release, becomes completely bewildered. I do not think there is anything from taste or from flesh here at all. (13-117-3)
तदिच्छामि गुणाञ्श्रोतुं मांसस्याभक्षणेऽपि वा। भक्षणे चैव ये दोषास्तांश्चैव पुरुषर्षभ ॥१३-११७-४॥
O best of men, I desire to hear those qualities of abstaining from meat, or even (if you wish) (the qualities) and also those very faults associated with eating it. (13-117-4)
सर्वं तत्त्वेन धर्मज्ञ यथावदिह धर्मतः। किं वा भक्ष्यमभक्ष्यं वा सर्वमेतद्वदस्व मे ॥१३-११७-५॥
O knower of dharma, please tell me everything truly and properly here, according to dharma: what is edible or inedible—tell me all this. (13-117-5)
भीष्म उवाच॥
Bhīṣma said.
एवमेतन्महाबाहो यथा वदसि भारत। न मांसात्परमत्रान्यद्रसतो विद्यते भुवि ॥१३-११७-६॥
It is indeed so, O mighty-armed one, just as you say, O Bharata. On earth, nothing else surpasses meat in taste. (13-117-6)
क्षतक्षीणाभितप्तानां ग्राम्यधर्मरताश्च ये। अध्वना कर्शितानां च न मांसाद्विद्यते परम् ॥१३-११७-७॥
For those who are wounded, exhausted, greatly afflicted, devoted to worldly duties, and for those emaciated by travel, there is nothing superior to meat. (13-117-7)
सद्यो वर्धयति प्राणान्पुष्टिमग्र्यां ददाति च। न भक्षोऽभ्यधिकः कश्चिन्मांसादस्ति परन्तप ॥१३-११७-८॥
It immediately increases vitality, gives excellent nourishment, and, O scorcher of foes, there is no food superior to flesh. (13-117-8)
विवर्जने तु बहवो गुणाः कौरवनन्दन। ये भवन्ति मनुष्याणां तान्मे निगदतः शृणु ॥१३-११७-९॥
O joy of the Kauravas, hear from me the many qualities of men that arise from avoidance. (13-117-9)
स्वमांसं परमांसैर्यो विवर्धयितुमिच्छति। नास्ति क्षुद्रतरस्तस्मान्न नृशंसतरो नरः ॥१३-११७-१०॥
There is no man more wretched or more cruel than the one who desires to increase his own flesh by the flesh of others. (13-117-10)
न हि प्राणात्प्रियतरं लोके किञ्चन विद्यते। तस्माद्दयां नरः कुर्याद्यथात्मनि तथा परे ॥१३-११७-११॥
There is nothing in the world dearer than life itself; therefore, one should show compassion to others just as to oneself. (13-117-11)
शुक्राच्च तात सम्भूतिर्मांसस्येह न संशयः। भक्षणे तु महान्दोषो वधेन सह कल्पते ॥१३-११७-१२॥
Dear one, flesh undoubtedly originates from semen here. But in eating it, a great fault arises together with killing. (13-117-12)
अहिंसालक्षणो धर्म इति वेदविदो विदुः। यदहिंस्रं भवेत्कर्म तत्कुर्यादात्मवान्नरः ॥१३-११७-१३॥
Those who know the Veda declare that non-injury is the characteristic of dharma; a self-controlled man should perform only those actions which are free from injury. (13-117-13)
पितृदैवतयज्ञेषु प्रोक्षितं हविरुच्यते। विधिना वेददृष्टेन तद्भुक्त्वेह न दुष्यति ॥१३-११७-१४॥
The oblation sprinkled with water in sacrifices to ancestors and gods is called 'havis'. When this is eaten according to the rule enjoined by the Veda, it does not cause impurity here. (13-117-14)
यज्ञार्थे पशवः सृष्टा इत्यपि श्रूयते श्रुतिः। अतोऽन्यथा प्रवृत्तानां राक्षसो विधिरुच्यते ॥१३-११७-१५॥
It is heard in the Veda that animals were created for sacrifice. Therefore, any other use (of animals) is said to be a demonic practice. (13-117-15)
क्षत्रियाणां तु यो दृष्टो विधिस्तमपि मे शृणु। वीर्येणोपार्जितं मांसं यथा खादन्न दुष्यति ॥१३-११७-१६॥
But the rule prescribed for kṣatriyas, hear that also from me. How one eating meat acquired by prowess does not become tainted. (13-117-16)
आरण्याः सर्वदैवत्याः प्रोक्षिताः सर्वशो मृगाः। अगस्त्येन पुरा राजन्मृगया येन पूज्यते ॥१३-११७-१७॥
O King, all the animals of the forest, possessed by every deity, were once completely consecrated by Agastya; for this reason, hunting is honored. (13-117-17)
नात्मानमपरित्यज्य मृगया नाम विद्यते। समतामुपसङ्गम्य रूपं हन्यान्न वा नृप ॥१३-११७-१८॥
Without abandoning oneself, there is no such thing as hunting. Whether or not one kills the prey after coming to level ground is up to the king. (13-117-18)
अतो राजर्षयः सर्वे मृगयां यान्ति भारत। लिप्यन्ते न हि दोषेण न चैतत्पातकं विदुः ॥१३-११७-१९॥
Therefore, O Bhārata, all the royal sages go hunting; they are not tainted by any fault, nor do they regard this as a sin. (13-117-19)
न हि तत्परमं किञ्चिदिह लोके परत्र च। यत्सर्वेष्विह लोकेषु दया कौरवनन्दन ॥१३-११७-२०॥
There is certainly nothing higher here in this world or the next, O joy of the Kauravas, than compassion in all worlds. (13-117-20)
न भयं विद्यते जातु नरस्येह दयावतः। दयावतामिमे लोकाः परे चापि तपस्विनाम् ॥१३-११७-२१॥
There is never any fear here for a compassionate man; all these worlds belong to the compassionate, and the next to the ascetics as well. (13-117-21)
अभयं सर्वभूतेभ्यो यो ददाति दयापरः। अभयं तस्य भूतानि ददतीत्यनुशुश्रुमः ॥१३-११७-२२॥
He who, full of compassion, grants fearlessness to all beings—fearlessness is granted to him by beings, thus we have heard. (13-117-22)
क्षतं च स्खलितं चैव पतितं क्लिष्टमाहतम्। सर्वभूतानि रक्षन्ति समेषु विषमेषु च ॥१३-११७-२३॥
All beings protect the wounded, the fallen, the stumbled, the afflicted, and the struck—both in times of ease and adversity. (13-117-23)
नैनं व्यालमृगा घ्नन्ति न पिशाचा न राक्षसाः। मुच्यन्ते भयकालेषु मोक्षयन्ति च ये परान् ॥१३-११७-२४॥
Serpents and wild beasts do not kill him, nor do piśācas, nor rākṣasas. In times of danger he is released and he also liberates others. (13-117-24)
प्राणदानात्परं दानं न भूतं न भविष्यति। न ह्यात्मनः प्रियतरः कश्चिदस्तीति निश्चितम् ॥१३-११७-२५॥
There has never been, nor will there be, a gift greater than the gift of life. Indeed, it is certain that no one is dearer to oneself than oneself. (13-117-25)
अनिष्टं सर्वभूतानां मरणं नाम भारत। मृत्युकाले हि भूतानां सद्यो जायति वेपथुः ॥१३-११७-२६॥
Death is called undesirable for all beings, O Bhārata. At the time of death, trembling immediately arises in beings. (13-117-26)
जातिजन्मजरादुःखे नित्यं संसारसागरे। जन्तवः परिवर्तन्ते मरणादुद्विजन्ति च ॥१३-११७-२७॥
In the perpetual ocean of saṃsāra, living beings continually revolve in the suffering of birth, origin, and old age, and are distressed by death. (13-117-27)
गर्भवासेषु पच्यन्ते क्षाराम्लकटुकै रसैः। मूत्रश्लेष्मपुरीषाणां स्पर्शैश्च भृशदारुणैः ॥१३-११७-२८॥
In the womb, beings are cooked by salty, sour, and pungent juices, and by the extremely harsh contact with urine, phlegm, and feces. (13-117-28)
जाताश्चाप्यवशास्तत्र भिद्यमानाः पुनः पुनः। पाट्यमानाश्च दृश्यन्ते विवशा मांसगृद्धिनः ॥१३-११७-२९॥
There, beings are born helpless and are seen being shattered and torn apart again and again, powerless and greedy for flesh. (13-117-29)
कुम्भीपाके च पच्यन्ते तां तां योनिमुपागताः। आक्रम्य मार्यमाणाश्च भ्राम्यन्ते वै पुनः पुनः ॥१३-११७-३०॥
Those who have attained various different wombs are cooked in Kumbhīpāka (hell); having entered them, being tortured, they are made to wander again and again indeed. (13-117-30)
नात्मनोऽस्ति प्रियतरः पृथिव्यामनुसृत्य ह। तस्मात्प्राणिषु सर्वेषु दयावानात्मवान्भवेत् ॥१३-११७-३१॥
There is no one dearer than oneself to be found on earth. Therefore, one should be compassionate and self-possessed toward all living beings. (13-117-31)
सर्वमांसानि यो राजन्यावज्जीवं न भक्षयेत्। स्वर्गे स विपुलं स्थानं प्राप्नुयान्नात्र संशयः ॥१३-११७-३२॥
O king, whoever does not eat any kind of flesh throughout his entire life would attain a great abode in heaven; there is no doubt about this. (13-117-32)
ये भक्षयन्ति मांसानि भूतानां जीवितैषिणाम्। भक्ष्यन्ते तेऽपि तैर्भूतैरिति मे नास्ति संशयः ॥१३-११७-३३॥
Those who eat the flesh of living beings that desire life, they also will be eaten by those very beings; of this I have no doubt. (13-117-33)
मां स भक्षयते यस्माद्भक्षयिष्ये तमप्यहम्। एतन्मांसस्य मांसत्वमतो बुध्यस्व भारत ॥१३-११७-३४॥
He eats me, therefore I will eat him also. This is the reason why it is called 'flesh'; know this, O Bhārata. (13-117-34)
घातको वध्यते नित्यं तथा वध्येत बन्धकः। आक्रोष्टाक्रुश्यते राजन्द्वेष्टा द्वेष्यत्वमाप्नुते ॥१३-११७-३५॥
The killer is always killed, and in the same way, the captor is also slain; the reviler is reproached in return, O king, and the one who hates becomes the object of hatred. (13-117-35)
येन येन शरीरेण यद्यत्कर्म करोति यः। तेन तेन शरीरेण तत्तत्फलमुपाश्नुते ॥१३-११७-३६॥
Whatever action a person performs with whichever body, with that very body he experiences the respective results. (13-117-36)
अहिंसा परमो धर्मस्तथाहिंसा परो दमः। अहिंसा परमं दानमहिंसा परमं तपः ॥१३-११७-३७॥
Non-injury is the highest duty; likewise, non-injury is the highest restraint. Non-injury is the highest gift, and non-injury is the highest austerity. (13-117-37)
अहिंसा परमो यज्ञस्तथाहिंसा परं बलम्। अहिंसा परमं मित्रमहिंसा परमं सुखम् ॥ अहिंसा परमं सत्यमहिंसा परमं श्रुतम् ॥१३-११७-३८॥
Non-injury is the highest sacrifice; likewise, non-injury is the highest strength. Non-injury is the greatest friend and the highest happiness. Non-injury is the highest truth and the highest knowledge. (13-117-38)
सर्वयज्ञेषु वा दानं सर्वतीर्थेषु चाप्लुतम्। सर्वदानफलं वापि नैतत्तुल्यमहिंसया ॥१३-११७-३९॥
Even a gift offered in all sacrifices, or after bathing at all sacred places, and the fruit of all gifts—even this does not equal non-violence. (13-117-39)
अहिंस्रस्य तपोऽक्षय्यमहिंस्रो यजते सदा। अहिंस्रः सर्वभूतानां यथा माता यथा पिता ॥१३-११७-४०॥
For the non-violent person, austerity is inexhaustible; the non-violent one always performs sacrifice. The non-violent one is to all beings as a mother and a father. (13-117-40)
एतत्फलमहिंसाया भूयश्च कुरुपुङ्गव। न हि शक्या गुणा वक्तुमिह वर्षशतैरपि ॥१३-११७-४१॥
O best of the Kurus, the benefits of non-violence are even greater; indeed, it is not possible to describe its qualities here even in hundreds of years. (13-117-41)
