Mahābhārata · Adhyāya 12.266
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12.266.1
सूक्ष्मं साधु समादिष्टं भवता धर्मलक्षणम् ।
प्रतिभा त्यस्ति मे काचित्तां ब्रूयामनुमानतः ॥ १२.२६६.१ ॥
You have taught the marks of dharma subtly and well. I have some insight arising from inference; I will speak it.
12.266.2
भूयांसो हृदये ये मे प्रश्नास्ते व्याहृतास्त्वया ।
इदं त्वन्यत्प्रवक्ष्यामि न राजन्निग्रहादिव ॥ १२.२६६.२ ॥
O king, the many questions in my heart have been answered by you. I will speak one more thing, not as if under compulsion.
12.266.3
इमानि हि प्राणयन्ति सृदन्त्युत्तारयन्ति च ।
न धर्मः परिपाठेन शक्यो भारत वेदितुम् ॥ १२.२६६.३ ॥
These sustain life, destroy, and also carry across. O Bhārata, dharma cannot be known by a fixed rule.
12.266.4
अन्यो धर्मः समस्थस्य विषमस्थस्य चापरः ।
आपदस्तु कथं शक्याः परिपाठेन वेदितुम् ॥ १२.२६६.४ ॥
For one in an even state, dharma is one thing; for one in a difficult state, it is another. How can calamities be known by a fixed rule?
12.266.5
सदाचारो मचो धर्मः संतस्त्वाचारलक्षणाः ।
साध्यासाध्यं कथं शक्यं सदाचारो ह्यलक्षणः ॥ १२.२६६.५ ॥
Good conduct is dharma, and the good are marked by their conduct. When good conduct itself has no mark, how can the attainable and the unattainable be known?
12.266.6
दृश्यते धर्मरूपेण ह्यधर्मं प्राकृतश्चरन् ।
धर्मं चाधर्मरूपेण कश्चिदप्राकृतश्चरन् ॥ १२.२६६.६ ॥
An ordinary person is seen practising adharma in the form of dharma, while someone extraordinary practises dharma in the form of adharma.
12.266.7
पुनरस्य प्रमाणं हि निर्दिष्टं शास्त्रकोविदैः ।
वेदवादाश्चानुयुगं ह्रसन्तीतीह नः श्रुतम् ॥ १२.२६६.७ ॥
Again, the authority of this has been declared by scholars of the scriptures. Here we have heard that the statements of the Vedas decline age after age.
12.266.8
अन्ये कृतयुगे धर्मास्त्रेतायां द्वापरे परे ।
अन्ये कलियुगे धर्मा यथाशक्ति कृता इव ॥ १२.२६६.८ ॥
In the Kṛta age there were some duties, and in Tretā and Dvāpara others, and in the later Kali age other duties, performed as far as one's strength allows.
12.266.9
आम्नायवचनं सत्यमित्ययं लोकसंग्रहः ।
आम्नायेभ्यः पुनर्वेदाः प्रसृताः सर्वतोमुखाः ॥ १२.२६६.९ ॥
The words of tradition are true—this is the gathering of the world. From the traditions the Vedas were again spread in all directions.
12.266.10
ते चेत्सर्वप्रमाणं वै प्रमाणं ह्यत्र विद्यते ।
प्रमाणं च प्रमाणेन विरुद्ध्येच्छास्त्रता कुतः ॥ १२.२६६.१० ॥
If they are all authority, then authority does exist here. But when authority contradicts authority, how can scriptural character stand?
12.266.11
धर्मस्य क्रियमाणस्य बलवद्भिर्दुरात्मभिः ।
यदा विक्रियते संस्था ततः साऽपि प्रणश्यति ॥ १२.२६६.११ ॥
When dharma being practiced is distorted by the powerful and evil-minded, then its established order too perishes.
12.266.12
विद्मश्चैनं न वा विद्मः शक्यं वा वेदितुं न वा ।
अणीयान्क्षुरधाराया गरीयानपि पर्वतात् ॥ १२.२६६.१२ ॥
Whether we know it or not, whether it is possible to know it or not—it is subtler than the edge of a razor and heavier than a mountain.
12.266.13
गन्धर्वनगराकारः प्रथमं संप्रदृश्यते ।
अन्वीक्ष्यमाणः कविभिः पुनर्गच्छत्यदर्शनम् ॥ १२.२६६.१३ ॥
Like a city of the Gandharvas it first appears clearly; when wise men look closely at it, it vanishes again out of sight.
12.266.14
निपानानीव गोभ्याशे क्षेत्रे कुल्ये च भारत ।
स्मृतो हि शाश्वतो धर्मो विप्रहीणो न दृश्यते ॥ १२.२६६.१४ ॥
O Bhārata, like the watering places near the cattle and the channels in a field, the eternal dharma is remembered; when the wise are absent it is not seen.
12.266.15
कामादन्ये भयादन्ये कारणैरपरैस्तथा ।
असन्तोऽपि वृथाचारं भजन्ते बहवोऽपरे ॥ १२.२६६.१५ ॥
Some, from desire, some from fear, and others from other causes, though not good men, follow empty conduct; many others do likewise.
12.266.16
धर्मो भवति स क्षिप्रं विलोमस्तेष्वसाधुषु ।
अथैतानाहुरुन्मत्तानपि चावहसन्त्युत ॥ १२.२६६.१६ ॥
That dharma quickly turns against those wicked men; then people call them madmen and indeed ridicule them.
12.266.17
महाजना ह्युपावृत्ता राजधर्मं समाश्रिताः ।
न हि सर्वहितः कश्चिदाचारः संप्रवर्तते ॥ १२.२६६.१७ ॥
Great men too have turned away, having taken refuge in the duty of kings; no conduct that benefits all comes into practice.
12.266.18
तेनैवान्यः प्रभवति सोऽपरं बाधते पुनः ।
दृश्यते चैव स पुनस्तुल्यरूपो यदृच्छया ॥ १२.२६६.१८ ॥
From that very thing another arises, and it oppresses yet another; and the same figure is seen again, of the same form, by chance.
12.266.19
येनैवान्यः प्रभवति सोऽपरानपि बाधते ।
आचाराणामनैकाग्र्यं सर्वेषामेव लक्षयेत् ॥ १२.२६६.१९ ॥
By whatever means another gains power, he oppresses others as well; one should observe the lack of steadiness in the conduct of all.
12.266.20
चिराभिपन्नः कविभिः पूर्वं धर्म उदाहृतः ।
तेनाचारेण पूर्वेण संस्था भवति शाश्वती ॥ १२.२६६.२० ॥
Dharma, long established, was declared of old by the wise; by that ancient conduct a lasting foundation comes to be.