Mahābhārata · Adhyāya 12.79
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12.79.1
क्व समर्थाः कथंशीला ऋत्विजः स्युः पितामह ।
कथंविधाश्च राजेन्द्र तद्ब्रूहि वदतां वर ॥ १२.७९.१ ॥
Where are priests capable, and of what disposition are they? Tell me, O grandsire, of what kind they are, O lord of kings, best of speakers.
12.79.2
प्रतिकर्मपरा राजन्वृत्तिरस्य विधीयते ।
छन्दः सामादि विज्ञाय द्विजानां श्रुतमेवच ॥ १२.७९.२ ॥
O king, their conduct is prescribed as being devoted to their duties, having known the metres, the Sāma and the other Vedas, and the learning of the twice-born.
12.79.3
ये त्वेकरतयो नित्यं धीराश्च प्रियवादिनः ।
परस्परस्य सुहृदः समन्तात्समदर्शिनः ॥ १२.७९.३ ॥
Those who are always single-minded in their delight, steadfast, speaking pleasantly, friends of one another, and seeing equally on all sides.
12.79.4
आनृशंस्यं सत्यवाक्यमहिंसा दम आर्जवम् ।
अद्रोहोऽनभिमानश्च ह्रीस्तितिक्षा दमः शमः ॥ १२.७९.४ ॥
Non-cruelty, truthful speech, non-violence, self-restraint, uprightness, freedom from malice, absence of pride, modesty, forbearance, restraint of the senses, and calm.
12.79.5
यस्मिन्नेतानि दृश्यन्ते स पुरोहित उच्यते ।
धीमान्सत्यधृतिर्दान्तो भूतानामविहिंसकः।
अकामद्वेषसंयुक्तस्त्रिभिः शुक्लैः समन्वितः ॥ १२.७९.५ ॥
He in whom these are seen is called a domestic priest: wise, firm in truth, self-controlled, harmless to beings, free from desire and hatred, and endowed with the three pure qualities.
12.79.6
अहिंसको ज्ञानतृप्तः स ब्रह्मासनमर्हति ।
एते महर्त्विजस्तात सर्वे मान्या यथार्हतः ॥ १२.७९.६ ॥
He who is harmless and content with knowledge deserves the seat of Brahmā. These are all great priests, dear son, all to be honoured according to their worth.
12.79.7
यदिदं वेदवचनं दक्षिणासु विधीयते ।
इदं देयमिदं देयं न क्वचिव्द्यवतिष्ठते ॥ १२.७९.७ ॥
This Vedic injunction prescribing dakṣiṇā — 'this must be given, this must be given' — nowhere holds firm.
12.79.8
देयं प्रतिधनं शास्त्रमापद्धर्मा न शास्त्रतः ।
आज्ञा शास्त्रस्य घोरे यं न शक्तिं समवेक्षते ॥ १२.७९.८ ॥
What is to be given is given in return for wealth; emergency duties do not come from scripture. That fearful command of the scripture does not take into account a man's capacity.
12.79.9
श्रद्धामालम्ब्य यष्टव्यमित्येषा वैदिकी श्रुतिः ।
मिथ्योपेतस्य यज्ञस्य किमु श्रद्धा करिष्यति ॥ १२.७९.९ ॥
'One should perform sacrifice relying on faith' — this is the Vedic revelation. But what will faith do for a sacrifice performed falsely?
12.79.10
न वेदानां परिभवान्न शाठ्येन न मायया ।
कश्चिन्महदवाप्नोति मा ते भूद्बुद्धिरीदृशी ॥ १२.७९.१० ॥
Through disdain for the Vedas, nor through deceit, nor through trickery, does anyone obtain great fruit. May your intellect never be such.
12.79.11
यज्ञाङ्गं दक्षिणा तात मन्त्राणां परिबृंहणम् ।
न मन्त्रा दक्षिणाहीनास्तारयन्ति कथंचन ॥ १२.७९.११ ॥
Dear son, dakṣiṇā is a limb of the sacrifice, and it is also what enlarges the mantras. Mantras without dakṣiṇā never carry anyone across.
12.79.12
शक्तिस्तु पूर्णपात्रेण संमिता नावमा भवेत् ।
अवश्यं तात यष्टव्यं त्रिभिर्वर्णैर्थथाबलम् ॥ १२.७९.१२ ॥
But capacity should be measured by a full vessel, and never fall short. Dear son, all three classes must surely sacrifice according to their strength.
12.79.13
सोमो राजा ब्राह्मणानामित्येषा वैदिकी श्रुतिः ।
तं च विक्रेतुमिच्छन्ति न तथा वृत्तिरिष्यते ॥ १२.७९.१३ ॥
Soma is the king of the brahmins — this is the Vedic revelation. Yet men wish to sell it, and such conduct is not approved.
12.79.14
तेन क्रीतेन धर्मेण ततो यज्ञः प्रतायते ।
इत्येवं धर्ममाख्यातमृषिभिर्धर्मकोविदैः ॥ १२.७९.१४ ॥
By that bought soma, in accordance with dharma, the sacrifice is extended. Thus has dharma been declared by the sages who know dharma.
12.79.15
पुमान्यज्ञश्च सोमश्च न्यायवृत्तो यदा भवेत् ।
अन्यायवृत्तः पुरुषो न परस्य न चात्मनः ॥ १२.७९.१५ ॥
When the man, the sacrifice and the soma all follow righteous conduct, they bear fruit. A man of unrighteous conduct benefits neither another nor himself.
12.79.16
शरीरं यज्ञपात्राणि इत्येषा श्रूयते श्रुतिः ।
तानि सम्यक्प्रणीतानि ब्राह्मणानां महात्मनाम् ॥ १२.७९.१६ ॥
The body is the sacrificial vessels — so this revelation is heard. They are properly prepared by the great-souled brahmins.
12.79.17
तपो यज्ञादपि श्रेष्ठमित्येषा परमा श्रुतिः ।
तत्ते तपः प्रवक्ष्यामि विद्वंस्तदपि मे शृणु ॥ १२.७९.१७ ॥
Austerity is superior even to sacrifice — this is the supreme revelation. Therefore, learned one, I will declare austerity to you; hear it from me as well.
12.79.18
अहिंसा सत्यवचनमानृशंस्यं दमो घृणा ।
एतत्तपो विदुर्धीरा न शरीरस्य शोषणम् ॥ १२.७९.१८ ॥
Non-violence, truthful speech, kindness, self-restraint and compassion — this the steadfast regard as austerity, not the drying up of the body.
12.79.19
अप्रामाण्यं च वेदानां शास्त्राणां चातिलङ्घनम् ।
अव्यवस्था च सर्वत्र तद्वै नाशनमात्मनः ॥ १२.७९.१९ ॥
To deny the authority of the Vedas, to transgress the treatises, and disorder everywhere — these indeed are the ruin of the self.
12.79.20
निबोध दशहोतॄणां विधानं पार्थ यादृशम् ।
चित्तिः स्रुक् चित्तमाज्यं च पवित्रं ज्ञानमुत्तमम्।
न शाठ्यं न च जिह्यत्वं कालो देशश्च ते दश ॥ १२.७९.२० ॥
Understand, O son of Pṛthā, the rule of the ten priests: the mind is the ladle, the mind is the clarified butter, supreme knowledge is the purifier. Neither deceit nor crookedness; time and place — these are the ten.
12.79.21
सर्वं दिह्नं मृत्युपदमार्जवं ब्रह्मणः पदम् ।
एतावाञ्ज्ञानविषयः किं प्रलापः करिष्यति ॥ १२.७९.२१ ॥
All deceit is the abode of death; straightforwardness is the abode of Brahman. So far extends the domain of knowledge — what can idle talk accomplish?