Mahābhārata · Adhyāya 12.278
हिन्दी · தமிழ் · తెలుగు · ಕನ್ನಡ · മലയാളം · বাংলা · मराठी · ગુજરાતી · ਪੰਜਾਬੀ · ଓଡ଼ିଆ · اردو · English · Español · Français · Deutsch · Português · Русский · 中文 · 日本語 · العربية · Bahasa Indonesia · ไทย
12.278.1
बहूनां यज्ञतपसामेकार्थानां पितामह ।
धर्मार्थं न सुखार्थार्थं कथं यज्ञः समाहितः ॥ १२.२७८.१ ॥
Grandfather, when many sacrifices and austerities share one aim, how is a sacrifice fixed for the sake of dharma, not for the sake of pleasure?
12.278.2
अत्र ते वर्तयिष्यामि नारदेनानुकीर्तितम् ।
उञ्छवृत्तेः पुरावृत्तं यज्ञार्थे ब्राह्मणस्य च ॥ १२.२७८.२ ॥
Here I will relate to you the ancient account, recounted by Nārada, of a brahmin who lived by gleaning and took up a sacrifice.
12.278.3
राष्ट्रे धर्मोत्तरे श्रेष्ठे विदर्भेष्वभवद्द्विजः ।
उञ्छवृत्तिर्ऋषिः कश्चिद्यज्ञं यष्टुं समादधे ॥ १२.२७८.३ ॥
In the excellent Vidarbha realm, where dharma prevailed, there was a twice-born man who lived by gleaning; this sage resolved to perform a sacrifice.
12.278.4
श्यामाकमशनं तत्र सूर्यपर्णी सुवर्चला ।
तिक्तं च विरसं शाकं तपसा स्वादुतां गतम् ॥ १२.२७८.४ ॥
There his food was millet, and the bitter, tasteless greens sūryaparṇī and suvarcalā, which through austerity had become sweet.
12.278.5
उपगम्य वने पृथ्वीं सर्वभूताविहिंसया ।
अपि मूलफलैरिष्टो यज्ञः स्वर्ग्यः परंतप ॥ १२.२७८.५ ॥
Going to the forest and harming no creature, a sacrifice performed even with roots and fruits leads to heaven, O scorcher of foes.
12.278.6
तस्य भार्या व्रतकृशा शुचिः पुष्करमालिनी ।
यज्ञपत्नी समानीता सत्येनानुविधीयते ॥ १२.२७८.६ ॥
His wife, lean from her vows, pure Puṣkaramālinī, was brought as the sacrificial wife and follows him through truthfulness.
12.278.7
सा तु शापपरित्रस्ता तत्स्वभावानुर्तिनी ।
मायूरजीर्णपर्णानां वस्त्रं तस्याश्च वर्णितम् ॥ १२.२७८.७ ॥
Terrified by the curse, she followed her own nature; a garment of worn peacock-feathers is described as hers.
12.278.8
अकामया कृतस्तत्र यज्ञो होत्रनुमार्गतः ।
शुकस्य पुनराजातिरवध्यानादधर्मवत् ॥ १२.२७८.८ ॥
There, following the path of the hotṛ, the sacrifice was performed unwillingly; through contempt came Śuka's rebirth, as through unrighteousness.
12.278.9
तस्मिन्वने समीपस्थो मृगोऽभूत्सहचारिकः ।
वचोभिरब्रवीत्सत्यं त्वयेदं दुष्कृतं कृतम् ॥ १२.२७८.९ ॥
In that forest a deer standing nearby became a companion, and it spoke the truth in words: "You have done this wrong deed."
12.278.10
यदि मन्त्राङ्गहीनोऽयं यज्ञो भवति वैकृतः ।
मा भोःप्रक्षिप होत्रे त्वं गच्छ स्वर्गमतन्द्रितः ॥ १२.२७८.१० ॥
If this sacrifice has become deformed for lack of the limbs of the mantra, O friend, do not cast it into the hotṛ's fire; go tirelessly to heaven.
12.278.11
ततस्तु यज्ञे सावित्री साक्षात्तं संन्यमन्त्रयत् ।
निमन्त्रयन्ती प्रत्युक्ता न हन्यां सहवासिनम् ॥ १२.२७८.११ ॥
Then at the sacrifice Sāvitrī herself restrained him and addressed him; in inviting him she was answered: "I shall not slay my companion."
12.278.12
एवमुक्त्वा निवृत्ता सा प्रवृत्ता यज्ञपावकात् ।
किंनु दुश्चरितं यज्ञे दिदृक्षुः सा रसातलम् ॥ १२.२७८.१२ ॥
Having said this she withdrew, rising up from the sacrificial fire; wishing to see what misdeed lay in the sacrifice, she went down to the netherworld.
12.278.13
स तु बद्धाञ्जलिं सत्यमयाचद्धरिणः पुनः ।
सत्येन स परिष्वज्य संदिष्टो गम्यतामिति ॥ १२.२७८.१३ ॥
But with folded hands Satya again begged the deer. Embracing him, Satya instructed, "Go."
12.278.14
ततः स हरिणो गत्वा पदान्यष्टौ न्यवर्तत ।
साधु हिंसय मां सत्य हतो यास्यामि सद्गदितम् ॥ १२.२७८.१४ ॥
Then the deer, having gone eight steps, turned back. "O Satya, strike me well; slain, I shall go to the blessed state."
12.278.15
पश्य ह्यप्सरसो दिव्या मया दत्तेन चक्षुषा ।
विमानानि विचित्राणि गन्धर्वाणां महात्मनाम् ॥ १२.२७८.१५ ॥
Behold, through the divine eye I gave you, the divine apsarases and the wondrous celestial chariots of the great-souled gandharvas.
12.278.16
ततः स सुचिरं दृष्ट्वा स्पृहालग्नेन चक्षुषा ।
मृगमालोक्य हिंसायां स्वर्गवासं समर्थयत् ॥ १२.२७८.१६ ॥
Then, having gazed for a long time with an eye fixed in desire, he looked at the deer and justified the abode of heaven through violence.
12.278.17
स तु धर्मो मृगो भूत्वा बहुवर्षोषितो वने ।
तस्य निष्कृतिमाधत्त न त्वसौ यज्ञसंविधिः ॥ १२.२७८.१७ ॥
That very Dharma, having become a deer, dwelt in the forest for many years. He undertook expiation for it, but that was not the sacrificial rule.
12.278.18
तस्य तेनानुभावेन मृगहिंसात्मनस्तदा ।
तपो महत्समुच्छिन्नं तस्माद्धिंसा न यज्ञिया ॥ १२.२७८.१८ ॥
By that power of his, while his mind was bent on killing the deer, his great austerity was destroyed. Therefore violence is not fit for sacrifice.
12.278.19
ततस्तं भगवान्धर्मो यज्ञं याजयत स्वयम् ।
समाधानं च भार्याया लेभे स तपसा परम् ॥ १२.२७८.१९ ॥
Then the blessed Dharma himself had him perform the sacrifice, and through his penance he obtained the supreme restoration of peace for his wife.
12.278.20
अहिंसा परो धर्मो हिंसाधर्मस्तथा हितः ।
सत्यं तेऽहं प्रवक्ष्यामि नो धर्मः सत्यवादिनाम् ॥ १२.२७८.२० ॥
Non-violence is the supreme dharma; likewise the dharma of violence is said to be beneficial. I will tell you the truth: this is not the dharma of those who speak the truth.