Critical Edition
युधिष्ठिर उवाच मुहूर्तं तावदेकाग्रो मनःश्रोत्रेऽन्तरात्मनि धारयित्वापि ते श्रुत्वा रोचतां वचनं मम
M. N. Dutt: Yudhishthira said For a little while, O Arjuna, concentrate your attention, thought and hearing on the inner self. If you hear my words in such a state of mind, you will like them!
सार्थगम्यमहं मार्गं न जातु त्वत्कृते पुनः गच्छेयं तद्गमिष्यामि हित्वा ग्राम्यसुखान्युत
M. N. Dutt: Abandoning all earthly pleasure, I shall follow that path which is trod by the righteous! [ shall not, for your sake, follow the path pointed out by you.
क्षेम्यश्चैकाकिना गम्यः पन्थाः कोऽस्तीति पृच्छ माम् अथ वा नेच्छसि प्रष्टुमपृच्छन्नपि मे शृणु
M. N. Dutt: If you ask me what path is auspicious which only one should follow, I shall tell you! If you are not inclined to ask me, I shall yet, unasked by you, tell you of it.
हित्वा ग्राम्यसुखाचारं तप्यमानो महत्तपः अरण्ये फलमूलाशी चरिष्यामि मृगैः सह
M. N. Dutt: Abandoning the pleasures and what men do in this world, and practising the austerity of penances, I shall wander in the forest, with the animals dwelling there, living on fruits and roots!
जुह्वानोऽग्निं यथाकालमुभौ कालावुपस्पृशन् कृशः परिमिताहारश्चर्मचीरजटाधरः
M. N. Dutt: Pouring libations on the fire at the appointed time and performing ablutions at morning, and evening I shall reduce myself by restricted diet. and clad in skins, bear matted locks on my head.
शीतवातातपसहः क्षुत्पिपासाश्रमक्षमः तपसा विधिदृष्टेन शरीरमुपशोषयन्
AI Translation: able to withstand cold, wind, and heat, able to endure hunger, thirst, and fatigue, through austerities seen in the scriptures, drying up the body,
मनःकर्णसुखा नित्यं शृण्वन्नुच्चावचा गिरः मुदितानामरण्येषु वसतां मृगपक्षिणाम्
AI Translation: Always hearing the high and low sounds that are pleasing to the mind and ears, of the joyful deer and birds dwelling in the forests,
आजिघ्रन्पेशलान्गन्धान्फुल्लानां वृक्षवीरुधाम् नानारूपान्वने पश्यन्रमणीयान्वनौकसः
M. N. Dutt: I shall enjoy the fragrance of trees and creepers, covered with flowers and see various kinds of charining products that grow in the forest.
वानप्रस्थजनस्यापि दर्शनं कुलवासिनः नाप्रियाण्याचरिष्यामि किं पुनर्ग्रामवासिनाम्
M. N. Dutt: I shall also see many recluses there. I shall not do the slightest harm to any creature, what to speak of those who live in villages and towns?
एकान्तशीली विमृशन्पक्वापक्वेन वर्तयन् पितॄन्देवांश्च वन्येन वाग्भिरद्भिश्च तर्पयन्
M. N. Dutt: Leading a retired life and engaged in contemplation, I shall live upon ripe and unripe fruits and propitiate the departed manes and the gods with offerings of forest fruits and spring water and beautiful hymns.
एवमारण्यशास्त्राणामुग्रमुग्रतरं विधिम् सेवमानः प्रतीक्षिष्ये देहस्यास्य समापनम्
M. N. Dutt: Thus leading an austere forest-life, I shall live on, calmly awaiting the dissolution of my body.
अथ वैकोऽहमेकाहमेकैकस्मिन्वनस्पतौ चरन्भैक्ष्यं मुनिर्मुण्डः क्षपयिष्ये कलेवरम्
M. N. Dutt: Or, living alone and observing the vow of silence, with iny head shaved clean, I shall live by begging each day of only one trees.
पांसुभिः समवच्छन्नः शून्यागारप्रतिश्रयः वृक्षमूलनिकेतो वा त्यक्तसर्वप्रियाप्रियः
M. N. Dutt: Smearing my body with ashes, and living in forsaken houses, or lying at the foot of trees, I shall live, forsaking all things dear or hateful.
न शोचन्न प्रहृष्यंश्च तुल्यनिन्दात्मसंस्तुतिः निराशीर्निर्ममो भूत्वा निर्द्वंद्वो निष्परिग्रहः
M. N. Dutt: Without being over-grieved, or over-joyed, and considering censure and applause, hope and affection, in the same light and conquering the pairs of opposites, I shall live, casting off all the things of the world.
आत्मारामः प्रसन्नात्मा जडान्धबधिराकृतिः अकुर्वाणः परैः कांचित्संविदं जातु केनचित्
M. N. Dutt: Without talking with anybody, I shall outwardly appear as a blind and deaf idiot, while living in contentment and deriving liappiness from my innerself.
जङ्गमाजङ्गमान्सर्वान्नविहिंसंश्चतुर्विधान् प्रजाः सर्वाः स्वधर्मस्थाः समः प्राणभृतः प्रति
M. N. Dutt: Without doing the least harm to the four kinds of movable and immovable creatures, I shall deal with all creatures equally whether fulfilling their duties, or guided entirely by the Senses.
न चाप्यवहसन्कंचिन्न कुर्वन्भ्रुकुटीं क्वचित् प्रसन्नवदनो नित्यं सर्वेन्द्रियसुसंयतः
M. N. Dutt: I shall not inock at any one, nor shall I frown at any body. governing all my senses, I shall always put on a cheerful face.
अपृच्छन्कस्यचिन्मार्गं व्रजन्येनैव केनचित् न देशं न दिशं कांचिद्गन्तुमिच्छन्विशेषतः
M. N. Dutt: Without asking anybody about the way, proceeding along any way that I may happen to see, I shall go on, without caring for the country or the point of the compass to which or towards which I may go.
गमने निरपेक्षश्च पश्चादनवलोकयन् ऋजुः प्रणिहितो गच्छंस्त्रसस्थावरवर्जकः
M. N. Dutt: Not caring where I may go, I shall not look behind. Divesting myself of desire and anger, and concentrating my look inwards, I shall go on forsaking pride of soul and body.
स्वभावस्तु प्रयात्यग्रे प्रभवन्त्यशनान्यपि द्वंद्वानि च विरुद्धानि तानि सर्वाण्यचिन्तयन्
M. N. Dutt: Nature always walks before : hence, food and drink will somehow come. I shall not think of those pairs of opposites that are inimical to such a life.
अल्पं वास्वादु वा भोज्यं पूर्वालाभेन जातु चित् अन्येष्वपि चरँल्लाभमलाभे सप्त पूरयन्
M. N. Dutt: If even a small quantity of pure food be not available in the first house (where I may go) I shall secure it by going to other houses. If I cannot procure it by even such around, I shall go to seven houses successively and fill my cravings.
विधूमे न्यस्तमुसले व्यङ्गारे भुक्तवज्जने अतीतपात्रसंचारे काले विगतभिक्षुके
AI Translation: When the fire is extinguished, the pestle is put away, the pot is washed, and the meal is finished, when the bowls have been collected and the time for alms-begging has passed,
एककालं चरन्भैक्ष्यं गृहे द्वे चैव पञ्च च स्पृहापाशान्विमुच्याहं चरिष्यामि महीमिमाम्
AI Translation: Wandering for alms at one time, in two or five houses, I shall wander over this earth, having freed myself from the noose of desire.
Supplementary Passages:
12.9.23 After 23, N (except D7; Ś1 K1 D1 missing) ins.: *10 अलाभे सति वा लाभे समदर्शी महातपाः
न जिजीविषुवत्किंचिन्न मुमूर्षुवदाचरन् जीवितं मरणं चैव नाभिनन्दन्न च द्विषन्
AI Translation: Not desiring to live, not acting like one who desires to die, Not rejoicing in life or death, not hating either,
वास्यैकं तक्षतो बाहुं चन्दनेनैकमुक्षतः नाकल्याणं न कल्याणं चिन्तयन्नुभयोस्तयोः
AI Translation: One of them was shaving his arm, the other was anointing it with sandal paste. Neither of them was thinking of good or bad.
याः काश्चिज्जीवता शक्याः कर्तुमभ्युदयक्रियाः सर्वास्ताः समभित्यज्य निमेषादिव्यवस्थितः
M. N. Dutt: Abandoning all those acts which lead to prosperity and which one can do in life, the only acts I shall perform will be to open and shut my eyes and take as much food and drink as will barely keep up of my existence.
तेषु नित्यमसक्तश्च त्यक्तसर्वेन्द्रियक्रियः सुपरित्यक्तसंकल्पः सुनिर्णिक्तात्मकल्मषः
M. N. Dutt: Without ever being attached to action, and always restraining the senses, I shall abandon all desire and free the soul of all impurities.
विमुक्तः सर्वसङ्गेभ्यो व्यतीतः सर्ववागुराः न वशे कस्यचित्तिष्ठन्सधर्मा मातरिश्वनः
M. N. Dutt: Freed from all attachments and snapping all fetters, I shall live free as the wind.
वीतरागश्चरन्नेवं तुष्टिं प्राप्स्यामि शाश्वतीम् तृष्णया हि महत्पापमज्ञानादस्मि कारितः
M. N. Dutt: Being frced from affections, I shall enjoy everlasting contentment. Through desire, and ignorance, I have committed great sins.
कुशलाकुशलान्येके कृत्वा कर्माणि मानवाः कार्यकारणसंश्लिष्टं स्वजनं नाम बिभ्रति
M. N. Dutt: Doing both auspicious and inauspicious acts here, a class of men maintain their wives, children, and kinsmen, all bound to them in relations of cause and effect.
आयुषोऽन्ते प्रहायेदं क्षीणप्रायं कलेवरम् प्रतिगृह्णाति तत्पापं कर्तुः कर्मफलं हि तत्
M. N. Dutt: When the lease of their life expires, abandoning their weakened bodies, they take upon themselves all the effects of their sinful acts, for none but the actor is laden with the consequences of his own acts.
एवं संसारचक्रेऽस्मिन्व्याविद्धे रथचक्रवत् समेति भूतग्रामोऽयं भूतग्रामेण कार्यवान्
M. N. Dutt: Thus, endued with actions, creatures come into this wheel of life that is continually turning like the wheel of a car, and coming there, they meet with their fellow-creatures.
जन्ममृत्युजराव्याधिवेदनाभिरुपद्रुतम् असारमिममस्वन्तं संसारं त्यजतः सुखम्
M. N. Dutt: He, however, who gives up his worldly concern, which is really a passing illusion although it looks permanent, and which is afflicted by birth, death, decrepitude, disease, and pain, is sure to enjoy happiness.
दिवः पतत्सु देवेषु स्थानेभ्यश्च महर्षिषु को हि नाम भवेनार्थी भवेत्कारणतत्त्ववित्
M. N. Dutt: Again, when the very gods drop down from heaven and great Rishis from their high positions, who that knows truths of causes (and effects) would wish to have even heavenly prosperity?
कृत्वा हि विविधं कर्म तत्तद्विविधलक्षणम् पार्थिवैर्नृपतिः स्वल्पैः कारणैरेव बध्यते
M. N. Dutt: Having performed various acts according to the diverse means of royal policy, insignificant kings, often destroy a great king through some contrivance.
तस्मात्प्रज्ञामृतमिदं चिरान्मां प्रत्युपस्थितम् तत्प्राप्य प्रार्थये स्थानमव्ययं शाश्वतं ध्रुवम्
M. N. Dutt: Meditating on these circumstances, this nectar of wisdom has come to me. Having attained it, I desire to get a permanent, eternal, and ever-abiding place (for myself).
एतया सततं वृत्त्या चरन्नेवंप्रकारया देहं संस्थापयिष्यामि निर्भयं मार्गमास्थितः
M. N. Dutt: Always (behaving) with such wisdom and acting in this wise, I shall, by following that fearless path of life, and this body that is subject to birth, death, decrepitude, disease, and pain.