Mahābhārata · Adhyāya 3.212
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3.212.1
स तु विप्रमथोवाच धर्मव्याधो युधिष्ठिर ।
यदहं ह्याचरे कर्म घोरमेतदसंशयम् ॥ ३.२१२.१ ॥
Then Dharmavyādha said to that brahmin, O Yudhiṣṭhira, that I indeed perform this terrible deed, without doubt.
3.212.2
विधिस्तु बलवान्ब्रह्मन्दुस्तरं हि पुरा कृतम् ।
पुरा कृतस् पापस्य कर्मदोषो भवत्ययम् ॥ ३.२१२.२ ॥
Fate is powerful, O brahmin; an action done long ago is hard to overcome. From a sin committed earlier, this fault of action arises.
3.212.3
दोपस्यैतस्य वै ब्रह्मन्विघाते यत्नवानहम् ।
विधिना हि हते पूर्वं निमित्तं घातको भवेत् ॥ ३.२१२.३ ॥
O brahmin, I strive to remove this fault; but when one is already slain by fate, the killer becomes merely the instrument.
3.212.4
निमित्तभूता हि वयं कर्मणोऽस्य द्विजोत्तम ॥ ३.२१२.४ ॥
We become the instruments of this action, O best of the twice-born.
3.212.5
येषां हतानां मांसानि विक्रीणीमो वयं द्विज ।
तेषामपि भवेद्धर्म उपयोगेन भक्षणात्।
देवतातिथिभृत्यानां पितृणां चापि पूजनात् ॥ ३.२१२.५ ॥
O twice-born, the flesh of those that are slain, which we sell, may also yield merit through its use and eating, and through honouring the gods, guests, servants and ancestors.
3.212.6
ओषध्यो वीरुधश्चैव पशवो मृगपक्षिणः ।
अन्नाद्यभूता लोकस्य इत्यपि श्रूयते श्रुतिः ॥ ३.२१२.६ ॥
Herbs, creepers, animals, deer and birds are food for the world — so it is also heard in scripture.
3.212.7
आत्ममांसप्रसादेन शिबिरौशीनरो नृपः ।
स्वर्गं सुदुर्लभं प्राप्तः क्षमावान्द्विजसत्तम ॥ ३.२१२.७ ॥
By the grace of giving his own flesh, King Śibi, son of Uśīnara, attained heaven, very hard to win; he was patient, best of the twice-born.
3.212.8
राज्ञो महानसे पूर्वं रन्तिदेवस्य वै द्विज ।
द्वे सहस्रे तु पच्छेते पशूनामन्वहं तदा।
अहन्यहनि पच्येते द्वे सहस्रे गवां तथा ॥ ३.२१२.८ ॥
O twice-born, long ago in the great kitchen of King Rantideva, two thousand animals were cooked each day; likewise two thousand cows were cooked day by day.
3.212.9
स मासं ददतो ह्यन्नं रन्तिदेवस्य नित्यशः ।
अतुला कीर्तिरभवन्नृपस्य द्विजसत्तम ॥ ३.२१२.९ ॥
As King Rantideva kept giving food each day for a month, his incomparable fame spread, O best of the twice-born.
3.212.10
चातुर्मास्ये च पशवो वध्यन्त इति नित्यशः ।
अग्नयो मांसकामाश्चइत्यपि श्रूयते श्रुतिः ॥ ३.२१२.१० ॥
In the cāturmāsya rites animals are slain regularly, and a revealed scripture is also heard saying that the fires desire flesh.
3.212.11
यज्ञेषु पशवो ब्रह्मन्वध्यन्ते सततं द्विजैः ।
संस्कृताः किल मन्त्रैश्च तेऽपि स्वर्गमवाप्नुवन् ॥ ३.२१२.११ ॥
In sacrifices, O brahmin, animals are constantly slain by the twice-born; consecrated with mantras, they too attain heaven.
3.212.12
यदि नैवाग्नयो ब्रह्मन्मांसकामाऽभवन्पुरा ।
भक्ष्यं नैवाभवन्मांसं कस्यचिद्द्विजसत्तम ॥ ३.२१२.१२ ॥
O brahmin, if in former times the fires had not desired flesh, then, O best of the twice-born, flesh would never have been food for anyone.
3.212.13
अत्रापि विधिरुक्तश् मुनिभिर्मांसभक्षणे ॥ ३.२१२.१३ ॥
Here too the rule about eating meat was declared by the sages.
3.212.14
देवतानां पितृणां च शुङ्क्ते दत्त्वाऽपियः सदा ।
यथाविधि यथाश्रद्धं न स दुष्येत भक्षणात् ॥ ३.२१२.१४ ॥
He who always eats, having first offered to the gods and the ancestors, according to rule and faith, is not defiled by the eating.
3.212.15
अमांसाशी भवत्येवमित्यपि श्रूयते श्रुतिः ।
भार्यां गच्छन्ब्रह्मचारी ऋतौ भवति ब्राह्मणः ॥ ३.२१२.१५ ॥
Thus it is also heard in scripture: one becomes a non-eater of meat. He who approaches his wife in her fertile season is a celibate and a brahmin.
3.212.16
सत्यानृते विनिश्चित्य अत्रापि विधिरुच्यते ।
सौदासेन तदा राज्ञा मानुषा भक्षिता द्विज।
शापाभिभूतेन भृशमत्र किं प्रतिभाति ते ॥ ३.२१२.१६ ॥
Having ascertained truth and untruth, a rule is stated here as well. O twice-born, King Saudāsa, overcome greatly by a curse, then devoured human beings. What does this seem to you here?
3.212.17
स्वधर्म इतिकृत्वा तु न त्यजामि द्विजोत्तम ।
पुरा कृतमिति ज्ञात्वा रजीवाम्येतेन कर्मणा ॥ ३.२१२.१७ ॥
O best of the twice-born, considering it my own duty I do not abandon it. Knowing that it was done before, I live by this very action.
3.212.18
स्वधर्मं त्यजतो ब्रह्मन्नधर्म इह दृश्यते ।
स्वकर्मनिरतो यस्तु धर्मः स इति निश्चयः ॥ ३.२१२.१८ ॥
O brahmin, in one who abandons his own duty unrighteousness is seen here; he who is devoted to his own action, that is righteousness, this is the certainty.
3.212.19
कुले हि विहितं कर्म देही तं न विमुञ्चति ।
धात्रा विधिरयं दृष्टो बहुधा कर्मनिर्मये ॥ ३.२१२.१९ ॥
The embodied one does not abandon the action prescribed in his family. The Creator has seen this ordinance in many ways in the creation of actions.
3.212.20
द्रष्टव्यस्तु भवेद्ब्रह्मन्धर्मो धर्मविनिश्चये ।
कथं कर्म शुभं कुर्यां कथं मुच्ये पराभवात् ॥ ३.२१२.२० ॥
O brahmin, in determining dharma, dharma itself should be examined. How shall I perform good action, and how shall I be freed from disgrace?
3.212.21
कर्मणस्तस्य घोरस् वसुधा निर्णयो भवेत् ।
दाने च सत्यवाक्ये च गुरुशुश्रूणे तथा।
द्विजातिपूजने चाहं धर्मे च निरतः सदा ॥ ३.२१२.२१ ॥
Let the judgment of that terrible action be made upon the earth. In giving, in truthful speech, in service to the teacher, and in honouring the twice-born, I have always been devoted to dharma.
3.212.22
अतिमानातिवादाभ्यां निवृत्तोस्मि द्विजोत्तम ।
कृषिं साध्वीति मन्यन्ते तत्र हिंसा परा स्मृता ॥ ३.२१२.२२ ॥
O best of the twice-born, I have turned away from excessive pride and excessive speech. Agriculture is considered proper, but in it great violence is declared.
3.212.23
कर्षन्तो लाङ्गलैरुर्वीं घ्नन्ति भूमिशयान्बहून् ।
जीवानन्यांश्च बहुशस्तत्रकिं प्रतिभाति ते ॥ ३.२१२.२३ ॥
Ploughing the earth with their ploughs, they strike down many creatures that dwell in the ground, and many other living beings in various ways. What does this appear to you?
3.212.24
धान्यबीजानि यान्याहुर्व्रीह्यादीनि द्विजोत्तम ।
सर्वाण्येतानि जीवा हि तत्र किं प्रतिभाति ते ॥ ३.२१२.२४ ॥
O best of the twice-born, all those grain seeds called rice and the like are indeed living beings. What does this appear to you?
3.212.25
अध्याक्रम् पशूंश्चापि घ्नन्ति वै भक्षयन्ति च ।
वृक्षांस्तथौषधीश्चापि छिन्दन्ति पुरुषा द्विज ॥ ३.२१२.२५ ॥
Men trample and kill animals and eat them, and they also cut down trees and herbs, O twice-born one.
3.212.26
जीवा हि बहवो ब्रह्मन्वृक्षेषु च फलेषु च ।
उदके बहवश्चापि तत्रकिं प्रतिभाति ते ॥ ३.२१२.२६ ॥
O brahmin, indeed many living beings are in trees, in fruits, and also in water. What does it seem to you?
3.212.27
सर्वं व्याप्तमिदं ब्रह्मन्प्राणिभिः प्राणिजीवनैः ।
मत्स्यान्ग्रसन्ते मत्स्याश्च तत्रकिं प्रतिभाति ते ॥ ३.२१२.२७ ॥
O brahmin, all this is pervaded by living beings, which are sustained by one another; fish swallow fish. What does this seem to you?
3.212.28
सत्वैः सत्वानि जीवन्ति बहुधा द्विजसत्तम ।
प्राणिनोऽन्योन्यभक्षाश्च तत्रकिं प्रतिभाति ते ॥ ३.२१२.२८ ॥
O best of the twice-born, living beings live in many ways by means of other living beings; creatures eat one another. What does this seem to you?
3.212.29
चङ्क्रम्यमाणा जीवांश्च धरणीसंश्रितान्बहून् ।
पद्भ्यां घ्नन्ति नरा विप्र तत्र किं प्रतिभाति ते ॥ ३.२१२.२९ ॥
O brahmin, men walking about strike down with their feet many living beings that dwell upon the earth. What does this seem to you?
3.212.30
उपविष्टाः शयानाश्च घ्नन्ति जीवाननेकशः ।
अज्ञानादथवा ज्ञानात्तत्रकिं प्रतिभाति ते ॥ ३.२१२.३० ॥
Men sitting and lying down also kill living beings in many ways, out of ignorance or out of knowledge. What does this seem to you?
3.212.31
जीवैर्ग्रस्तमिदं सर्वमाकाशं पृथिवी तथा ।
अविज्ञानाच्च हिंसन्ति तत्र किं प्रतिभाति ते ॥ ३.२१२.३१ ॥
This whole sky and earth are filled with living beings. Through ignorance people harm them; what does it seem to you in this matter?
3.212.32
अहिंसेति यदुक्तं हि पुरुषैर्विस्मितैः पुरा ।
के न हिंसन्ति जीवान्वै लोकेऽस्मिन्द्विजसत्तम् ॥ ३.२१२.३२ ॥
Those men, astonished in former times, said 'non-violence'; but in this world, who indeed does not harm living beings, best of the twice-born?
3.212.33
बहु संचिन्त्य इह वै नास्ति कश्चिदहिंसकः ॥ ३.२१२.३३ ॥
Having considered it much, there is indeed no one here who is non-violent.
3.212.34
अहिंयासां तु निरता यतयो द्विजसत्तम ।
कुर्वन्त्येव हि हिंसां ते यत्नादल्पतरा भवेत् ॥ ३.२१२.३४ ॥
Best of the twice-born, even ascetics devoted to non-violence do commit violence; through effort it may become less.
3.212.35
आलक्ष्याश्चैव पुरुषाः कुले जाता महागुणाः ।
महाघोराणि कर्माणि कृत्वा लज्जन्ति वै न च ॥ ३.२१२.३५ ॥
Men of great virtue born in noble families are hard to discern; having done very terrible deeds, they do not feel shame at all.
3.212.36
सुहृदः सुहृदोऽन्यांस्च दुर्हृदश्चापि दुर्हृदः ।
सम्यक्प्रवृत्तान्पुरुषानन सम्यगनुपश्यति ॥ ३.२१२.३६ ॥
Friends recognize friends and others, and enemies recognize enemies; but they do not rightly see men who rightly conduct themselves.
3.212.37
समृद्धैश्चन नन्दन्ति बान्धवा बान्धवैरपि ।
गुरूंश्चैव विनिदन्ति मूढा निश्चितमानिनः ॥ ३.२१२.३७ ॥
Kinsmen do not rejoice at the prosperous, nor even at their own kinsmen. Fools who think their resolve is certain revile their elders.
3.212.38
बहु लोके विपर्यस्तं दृश्यते द्विजसत्तम ।
धर्मयुक्तमधर्मं च तत्र किं प्रतिभाति ते ॥ ३.२१२.३८ ॥
O best of the twice-born, much in the world is seen turned upside down — even adharma joined with dharma. What does it seem to you in this matter?
3.212.39
वक्तुं बहुविधं शक्यं धर्माधर्मेषु कर्मसु ।
स्वकर्मनिरतो यो हि स यशः प्राप्नुयान्महत् ॥ ३.२१२.३९ ॥
Concerning actions bound up with dharma and adharma, much can be said in many ways. Let the one who is intent upon his own duty obtain great fame.