Mahābhārata · Adhyāya 13.54
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13.54.1
पुत्रैः कथं महाराज पुरुषस्तारितो भवेत् ।
यावन्न लब्धवान्पुत्रमफलः पुरुषो नृप ॥ १३.५४.१ ॥
Great king, how can a man be saved by sons? As long as a man has not obtained a son, O king, he remains fruitless.
13.54.2
अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम् ।
नारदेन पुरा गीतं मार्कण्डेयाय पृच्छते ॥ १३.५४.२ ॥
On this matter people also cite this ancient story, which Nārada formerly sang when Mārkaṇḍeya asked him.
13.54.3
पर्वतं नारदं चैव असितं देवलं च तम् ।
आरुणेयं च रैभ्यं च एतानत्रागतान्पुरा ॥ १३.५४.३ ॥
Parvata, Nārada, Asita, Devala, Āruṇeya and Raibhya — these had come here formerly.
13.54.4
गङ्गायमुनयोर्मध्ये भोगवत्याः समागमे ।
दृष्ट्वा पूर्वं समासीनान्मार्कण्डेयोऽभ्यगच्छत ॥ १३.५४.४ ॥
Between the Gaṅgā and the Yamunā, at the confluence of the Bhogavatī, Mārkaṇḍeya, having seen those sitting there before, approached them.
13.54.5
ऋषयस्तु मुनिं दृष्ट्वा समुत्थायोन्मुखाः स्थिताः ।
अर्चयित्वाऽर्हतो विप्रं किं कुर्म इति चाब्रुवन् ॥ १३.५४.५ ॥
The sages, seeing the sage, rose up and stood facing him; having honored the worthy brahmin, they said, "What shall we do?"
13.54.6
अयं समागमः सद्भिर्यत्नेनासादितो मया ।
अत्र प्राप्स्यामि धर्माणामाचारस्य च निश्चयम् ॥ १३.५४.६ ॥
This gathering of good men I have obtained with effort; here I shall obtain certainty about the duties and about right conduct.
13.54.7
ऋजुः कृतयुगे धर्मस्तस्मिन्क्षीणे विमुह्यति ।
युगेयुगे महर्षिभ्यो धर्ममिच्छामि वेदितुम् ॥ १३.५४.७ ॥
In the Kṛta age dharma is straight and clear; when it wanes, it becomes confused. In every age I wish to learn dharma from the great sages.
13.54.8
ऋषिभिर्नारदः प्रोक्तो ब्रूहि यत्रास्य संशयः ।
धर्माधर्मेषु तत्वज्ञ त्वं हि च्छेत्ता हि संशयान् ॥ १३.५४.८ ॥
The sages named Nārada. Knower of truth, tell where this doubt lies; you indeed are the one who dispels doubts about dharma and adharma.
13.54.9
ऋषिभ्योऽनुमतं वाक्यं नियोगान्नारदस्तदा ।
सर्वधर्मार्थतत्वज्ञं मार्कण्डेयं ततोऽब्रवीत् ॥ १३.५४.९ ॥
With the sages' approval and at their bidding, Nārada then spoke to Mārkaṇḍeya, knower of the truth of all dharma and artha.
13.54.10
दीर्घायो तपसा दीप्त वदेवदाङ्गतत्ववित् ।
यत्र ते संशयो ब्रह्मन्समुत्पन्नः स उच्यताम् ॥ १३.५४.१० ॥
Long-lived one, radiant through austerity, knower of the truth of the Vedas and their limbs! Brahmin, tell the doubt that has arisen in you.
13.54.11
धर्मं लोकोपकारं वा यच्चान्यच्छ्रोतुमिच्छसि ।
तदहं कथयिष्यामि ब्रूहि त्वं सुमहातपाः ॥ १३.५४.११ ॥
Dharma, or the welfare of the world, or whatever else you wish to hear, I shall tell you. Speak, O mighty ascetic.
13.54.12
युगेयुगे व्यतीतेऽस्मिन्धर्मसेतुः प्रणश्यति ।
कथं धर्मच्छलेनाहं प्राप्नुयामिति मे मतिः ॥ १३.५४.१२ ॥
As each age passes in this world, the bridge of dharma is destroyed. My thought is: how may I attain it through the pretext of dharma?
13.54.13
आसीद्धर्मः पुरा विप्र चतुष्पादः कृते युगे ।
ततो ह्यधर्मः कालेन प्रसूतः किञ्चिदूनतः ॥ १३.५४.१३ ॥
Once, O brahmin, in the Kṛta age, dharma had four feet. Then, in time, adharma arose a little, and dharma was somewhat diminished.
13.54.14
ततस्त्रेतायुगं नाम प्रवृत्तं धर्मदूषणम् ॥ १३.५४.१४ ॥
Then the age named Tretā began, in which dharma came to be defiled.
13.54.15
तस्मिन्नतीते सम्प्राप्तं तृतीयं द्वापरं युगम् ।
तदा धर्मस्य द्वौ पादावधर्मो नाशयिष्यति ॥ १३.५४.१५ ॥
When that had passed, the third age, Dvāpara, arrived. Then adharma will destroy two of dharma's feet.
13.54.16
द्वापरे तु परिक्षीणे नन्दिके समुपस्थिते ।
लोकवृत्तं च धर्मं च उच्यमानं निबोध मे ॥ १३.५४.१६ ॥
When the Dvāpara age has declined and the Nandika age has come, understand from me the conduct of the world and the dharma as I speak it.
13.54.17
चतुर्थं नन्दिकं नाम धर्मः पादावशेषितः ।
ततः प्रभृति जायन्ते क्षीणप्रज्ञायुपो नराः।
क्षीणप्राणधना लोके धर्माचारबहिष्कृताः ॥ १३.५४.१७ ॥
The fourth is named the Nandika age, in which only two feet of dharma remain. From then on men are born with diminished wisdom and lifespan; in the world, diminished in vitality and wealth, they are cast out from the practice of dharma.
13.54.18
एवं विलुलिते धर्मे लोके चाधर्मसंयुते ।
चातुर्वर्ण्यस्य नियतं हव्यं कव्यं नियच्छति ॥ १३.५४.१८ ॥
When dharma is thus shaken and the world is joined with adharma, the oblations (havya) and offerings to the ancestors (kavya) of the four social orders are surely withheld.
13.54.19
मन्त्रपूतं सदा हव्यं कव्यं चैव न नश्यति ।
प्रतिगृह्णन्ति तद्देवा दातुर्न्यायात्प्रयच्छतः ॥ १३.५४.१९ ॥
Offering to the gods and to the ancestors, purified by mantras, never perishes; the gods accept it when the giver offers it rightly.
13.54.20
सत्वयुक्तं च दाता च सर्वान्कामानवाप्नुयात् ।
अवाप्तकामः स्वर्गे च महीयेत यथेप्सितम् ॥ १३.५४.२० ॥
A giver endowed with good intention obtains all his desires; his desires fulfilled, he is honored in heaven as he wishes.
13.54.21
चत्वारो ह्यथ ये वर्णा हव्यं कव्यं प्रदास्यति ।
मन्त्रहीनमपन्यायं तेषां दत्तं क्व गच्छति ॥ १३.५४.२१ ॥
Of the four social classes, whoever offers havya and kavya without mantra and unrighteously, where does what they have given go?
13.54.22
असुरान्गच्छते दत्तं विप्रै रक्षांसि क्षत्रियैः ।
वैश्यैः प्रेतानि वै दत्तं शूद्रैर्भूतानि गच्छति ॥ १३.५४.२२ ॥
What brahmins give goes to the asuras, what kṣatriyas give to the rākṣasas; what vaiśyas give goes to the pretas, and what śūdras give goes to the bhūtas.
13.54.23
अथ वर्णावरे जाताश्चातुर्वर्ण्योपदेशिनः ।
दास्यन्ति हव्यकव्यानि तेषां दत्तं क्व गच्छति ॥ १३.५४.२३ ॥
Then, those born of lower classes who teach the fourfold order and who will offer havya and kavya — where does what they have given go?
13.54.24
वर्णावराणां भूतानां हव्यकव्यप्रदातृणाम् ।
नैव देवा न पितरः प्रतिगृह्णन्ति तत्स्वयम् ॥ १३.५४.२४ ॥
The gods themselves do not accept, nor do the ancestors, what is offered by beings of lower class who give havya and kavya.
13.54.25
यातुधानाः पिशाचाश्च भूता ये चापि नैर्ऋताः ।
तेषां सा विहिता वृत्तिः पितृदैवतनिर्गताः ॥ १३.५४.२५ ॥
For the yātudhānas, piśācas, bhūtas, and the nairṛtas, that livelihood is prescribed which has been cast out from the ancestors and the gods.
13.54.26
तेषां सर्वप्रदातॄणां हव्यकव्यं समाहिताः ।
यत्प्रयच्छन्ति विधइवत्तद्वै भुञ्जन्ति देवताः ॥ १३.५४.२६ ॥
Whatever oblation of offerings to gods and ancestors all the givers present with attentive minds, according to rule, that the gods indeed consume.