Mahābhārata · Adhyāya 12.18
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12.18.1
तूष्णींभूतं तु राजानं पुनरेवार्जुनोऽब्रवीत् ।
संतप्तः शोकदुःखाभ्यां राजवाक्शल्यपीडितः ॥ १२.१८.१ ॥
Seeing the king fallen silent, Arjuna spoke again, tormented by sorrow and grief, pained by the arrow of the king's words.
12.18.2
कथयन्ति पुरावृत्तमितिहासमिमं जनाः ।
विदेहराज्ञः संवादं भार्यया सह भारत ॥ १२.१८.२ ॥
People tell this ancient account, this legend: the dialogue of the king of Videha with his wife, O Bhārata.
12.18.3
उत्सृज्य राज्यं भिक्षार्थं कृतबुद्धिं नरेश्वरम् ।
विदेहराजमहीषी दुःखिता प्रत्यभाषत ॥ १२.१८.३ ॥
The chief queen of the king of Videha, sorrowful, answered the lord of men who had abandoned the kingdom and resolved to live by alms.
12.18.4
धनान्यपत्यं मित्राणि रत्नानि विविधानि च ।
पन्थानं पावनं हित्वा जनको मौढ्यमास्थितः ॥ १२.१८.४ ॥
Having abandoned wealth, offspring, friends, and many kinds of jewels, and the pure path, Janaka has taken up folly.
12.18.5
तं ददर्श प्रिया भार्या भैक्षवृत्तिमकिंचनम् ।
धानामुष्टिमुपासीनं निरीहं गतमत्सरम् ॥ १२.१८.५ ॥
His beloved wife saw him: living on alms, without possessions, sitting by a handful of parched grain, free from desire and free from envy.
12.18.6
तमुवाच समामत्य भर्तारमकुतोभयम् ।
क्रुद्धा मनस्विनी भार्या विविक्ते हेतुमद्वचः ॥ १२.१८.६ ॥
Approaching her fearless husband, the angry and high-minded wife spoke reasoned words to him in private.
12.18.7
कथमुत्सृज्य राज्यं स्वं धनधान्यसमन्वितम् ।
कापालीं वृत्तिमास्थाय धान्यमुष्टिमुपाससे ॥ १२.१८.७ ॥
How, having abandoned your own kingdom, rich in wealth and grain, have you taken up the livelihood of a skull-bearer and live on a handful of grain?
12.18.8
प्रतिज्ञा तेऽन्यथा राजन्विचेष्टा चान्यथा तव ।
यद्राज्यं महदुत्सृज्य स्वल्पे लुभ्यसि पार्थिव ॥ १२.१८.८ ॥
Your vow, O king, is one thing, and your conduct is another. O ruler of the earth, having abandoned a great kingdom, you are greedy for a small thing.
12.18.9
नैतेनातिथयो राजन्देवर्षिपितरस्तथा ।
अद्य शक्यास्त्वया भर्तुं मोघस्तेऽयं परिश्रमः ॥ १२.१८.९ ॥
By this, O king, you are not able today to sustain the guests, the gods, the sages and the ancestors. Your effort is futile.
12.18.10
देवतातिथिभिश्चैव पितृभिश्चैव पार्थिव ।
सर्वैरेतैः परित्यक्तः परिव्रजसि निष्क्रियः ॥ १२.१८.१० ॥
O ruler of the earth, you have been abandoned by all of these: the gods, the guests and the ancestors. Inactive, you wander as a renunciant.
12.18.11
यस्त्वं त्रैविद्यवृद्धानां ब्राह्मणानां सहस्रशः ।
भर्ता भूत्वा च लोकस्य सोऽद्यान्यैर्भूतिमिच्छसि ॥ १२.१८.११ ॥
You, who were the supporter of thousands of elderly brahmins learned in the three Vedas, and the protector of the world, today desire prosperity from others.
12.18.12
श्रियं हित्वा प्रदीप्तां त्वं श्ववत्संप्रति वीक्ष्यसे ।
अपुत्रा जननी तेऽद्य कौसल्या चापतिस्त्वया ॥ १२.१८.१२ ॥
Having abandoned blazing royal glory, you now look about like a dog. Today your mother Kauśalyā is without a son, and through you she is without a husband.
12.18.13
आश्रिता धर्मकामास्त्वां क्षत्रियाः पर्युपासते ।
त्वदाशामभिकाङ्क्षन्तः कृपणाः फलहेतुकाः ॥ १२.१८.१३ ॥
Kṣatriyas who desire dharma depend on you and attend upon you. Those wretched ones who hope in you and seek their reward are waiting for you.
12.18.14
तांश्च त्वं विफलान्कृत्वा कं नु लोकं गमिष्यसि ।
राजन्संशयिते मोक्षे परतन्त्रेषु देहिषु ॥ १२.१८.१४ ॥
And having made them fruitless, to what world will you go? O king, liberation is doubtful, and embodied beings are subject to others.
12.18.15
नैव तेऽस्ति परो लोको नापरः पापकर्मणः ।
धर्म्यान्दारान्परित्यज्य यस्त्वमिच्छसि जीवितुम् ॥ १२.१८.१५ ॥
For you, who do evil deeds, there is neither a higher world nor a lower one. Having abandoned your dharma-bound wives, you wish to live.
12.18.16
स्रजो गन्धानलंकारान्वासांसि विविधानि च ।
किमर्थमभिसंत्यज्य परिव्रजसि निष्क्रियः ॥ १२.१८.१६ ॥
Having entirely abandoned garlands, perfumes, ornaments and garments of many kinds, for what purpose do you wander inactive as a renunciant?
12.18.17
निपानं सर्वभूतानां भूत्वा त्वं पावनं महत ।
आढ्यो वनस्पतिर्भूत्वा सोन्यांस्त्वं पर्युपाससे ॥ १२.१८.१७ ॥
Having become a watering-place for all beings, a great purifier, and a rich tree, you attend upon others.
12.18.18
खादन्ति हस्तिनं न्यासे क्रव्यादा बहवोऽप्युत ।
बहवः कृमयश्चैव किं पुनस्त्वामनर्थकम् ॥ १२.१८.१८ ॥
Many flesh-eating creatures devour even an elephant in the body, and many worms as well. How much more, then, will they devour you, who are useless?
12.18.19
य इमां कुण्डिकां भिन्द्यान्त्रिविष्टब्धं च यो हरेत् ।
वासश्चापि हरेत्तस्मिन्कथं ते मानसं भवेत् ॥ १२.१८.१९ ॥
Whoever breaks this water-pot, steals what was kept hidden, and takes away even his cloth — how would your mind be toward him?
12.18.20
यस्त्वं सर्वं समुत्सृज्य धानामुष्टिमनुग्रहः ।
यदनेन कृतं सर्वं किमिदं मम दीयते ॥ १२.१८.२० ॥
You, having let go of everything, showed favour toward a handful of grain. Along with everything this man has done, why is this being given to me?
12.18.21
धानामुष्टेरिहार्थश्चेत्प्रतिज्ञा ते विनश्यति ।
का वाऽहं तव को मे त्वं कश्च ते मय्यनुग्रहः ॥ १२.१८.२१ ॥
If there is a purpose here in a handful of grain, your vow is destroyed. Who am I to you, who are you to me, and what is your favour toward me?
12.18.22
प्रशाधि पृथिवीं राजन्यत्र तेऽनुग्रहो भवेत् ।
प्रासादे शयनं यानं वासांस्याभरणानि च ॥ १२.१८.२२ ॥
O king, rule the earth, wherever your pleasure lies — a bed in a palace, vehicles, garments and ornaments.
12.18.23
श्रियां निराशैरधनेस्त्यक्तमित्रैरकिंचनैः ।
सौखिकैः संभृतो योऽर्थः स संत्यजति किंनु तं ॥ १२.१८.२३ ॥
Wealth gathered by the pleasure-seekers is abandoned even by those free of desire for prosperity, the poor, those who have given up their friends, and those who own nothing — so who would not abandon it?
12.18.24
योऽत्यन्तं प्रतिगृह्णीयाद्यश्च दद्यात्सदैव हि ।
तयोस्त्वमन्तरं विद्धि श्रेयांस्ताभ्यां क उच्यते ॥ १२.१८.२४ ॥
Know the difference between him who ceaselessly receives in excess and him who always gives — which of these two is said to be the better?
12.18.25
सदैव याचमानेषु तथा दम्भान्वितेषु च ।
एतेषु दक्षिणा दत्ता दावाग्राविव दुर्हुतम् ॥ १२.१८.२५ ॥
A sacrificial gift given always to beggars, and likewise to those full of pretence, is like an ill-offered oblation poured into a forest fire.
12.18.26
जातवेदा यथा राजन्नादग्ध्वैवोपशाम्यति ।
सदैव याचमानो वै तथा शाम्यति न द्विजः ॥ १२.१८.२६ ॥
O king, just as fire is quenched without burning, so the twice-born who begs always is never quieted.
12.18.27
सतां वै ददतोऽन्नं च लोकेऽस्मिन्प्रकृतिर्ध्रुवा ।
न चेद्राजा भवेद्दाता कुतः स्युर्मोक्षकाङ्क्षिणः ॥ १२.१८.२७ ॥
In this world, the natural and fixed way of good people is to give food. If the king were not a giver, where would those seeking liberation come from?
12.18.28
अन्नाद्गृहस्था लोकेऽस्मिन्भिक्षवस्तत एव च ।
अन्नात्प्राणः प्रभवति अन्नदः प्राणदो भवेत् ॥ १२.१८.२८ ॥
In this world householders live from food, and mendicants likewise. Life-breath arises from food; the giver of food becomes the giver of life.
12.18.29
गृहस्थेभ्योऽपि निर्मुक्ता गृहस्थानेव संश्रिताः ।
प्रभवं च प्रतिष्ठां च दान्ता विन्दन्त आसते ॥ १२.१८.२९ ॥
Though freed from householders, they still depend upon householders; the self-controlled obtain their origin and support from them and so they abide.
12.18.30
त्यागान्न भिक्षुकं विन्द्यान्न मौढ्यान्न च याचनात् ।
ऋजुस्तु योऽर्थं त्यजति तं मुक्तं विद्धि भिक्षुकम् ॥ १२.१८.३० ॥
One should not recognize a mendicant by renunciation, nor by delusion, nor by begging; know him as the liberated mendicant who straightforwardly gives up wealth.
12.18.31
असक्तः शक्तवद्गच्छन्निः सङ्गो मुक्तबन्धनः ।
समः शत्रौ च मित्रे च स वै मुक्तो महीपते ॥ १२.१८.३१ ॥
He who, unattached, walks as his strength allows, free of companionship and released from bonds, even-minded toward enemy and friend alike, he indeed is liberated, O lord of the earth.
12.18.32
परिव्रजन्ति दानार्थं मुण्डाः काषायवाससः ।
सिता बहुविधैः पाशैः संचिन्वन्तो वृथामिषम् ॥ १२.१८.३२ ॥
Shaven-headed men clad in ochre robes wander about for alms; bound by many kinds of snares, they gather useless prey.
12.18.33
त्रयीं च नामवार्तां च त्यक्त्वा पुत्रान्व्रजन्ति ये ।
त्रिविष्टब्धं च वासश्च प्रतिगृह्णन्त्यबुद्धयः ॥ १२.१८.३३ ॥
Those who, abandoning the three Vedas and talk of name and lineage, go forth leaving their sons, and the unwise who accept a garment sustained in three ways.
12.18.34
अनिष्कषाये काषायमीहार्थमिति विद्धि तम् ।
धर्मध्वजानां मुण्डानां वृत्त्यर्थमिति मे मतिः ॥ १२.१८.३४ ॥
Know that the ochre robe of one whose mind is not purified is for the sake of gain; for the shaven-headed who fly the banner of dharma it is, in my view, for livelihood.
12.18.35
काषायैरजिनैश्चीरैर्नग्नान्मुण्डाञ्जटाधरान् ।
बिभ्रत्साधून्महाराज जय लोकाञ्जितेन्द्रियः ॥ १२.१८.३५ ॥
Supporting the naked, shaven-headed and matted-haired holy men clad in ochre robes, antelope skins and bark garments, O great king, with senses conquered, conquer the worlds.
12.18.36
अग्न्याधेयानि गुर्वर्थं क्रतूनपि सुदक्षिणान् ।
ददात्यहरहः पूर्वं को नु धर्मरतस्ततः ॥ १२.१८.३६ ॥
Who, delighting in dharma, gives day by day, first, for the sake of the teacher, the fire-establishments and the sacrifices with generous fees?
12.18.37
तत्त्वज्ञो जनको राजा लोकेऽस्मिन्निति गीयते ।
सोऽप्यासीन्मोहसंपन्नो मा मोहवशमन्वगाः ॥ १२.१८.३७ ॥
King Janaka, who knows the truth, is sung of in this world. Yet he too was endowed with delusion; do not fall under the power of delusion.
12.18.38
एवं धर्ममनुक्रान्ता सदा दानतपः पराः ।
आनृशंस्यगुणोपेताः कामक्रोधविवर्जिताः ॥ १२.१८.३८ ॥
Those who have thus followed dharma, always devoted to giving and austerity, endowed with the quality of non-cruelty, and free from desire and anger.
12.18.39
प्रजानां पालने युक्ता दममुत्तममास्थिताः ।
इष्ट्वा लोकानवाप्स्यामो गुरुवृद्धोपचायिनः ॥ १२.१८.३९ ॥
Engaged in protecting the subjects, holding to supreme self-restraint, and serving teachers and elders, we shall obtain the worlds by sacrificing.
12.18.40
देवतातिथिभूतानां निर्वपन्तो यथाविधि ।
स्थानमिष्टमवाप्स्यामो ब्रह्मण्याः सत्यवादिनः ॥ १२.१८.४० ॥
Offering to gods, guests and all beings as prescribed, devoted to brahmins and speaking the truth, we shall obtain the desired place.