Critical Edition
वैशंपायन उवाच अर्जुनस्य वचः श्रुत्वा नकुलो वाक्यमब्रवीत् राजानमभिसंप्रेक्ष्य सर्वधर्मभृतां वरम्
AI Translation: Vaishampayana said Having heard Arjuna's words, Nakula spoke these words Looking at the king, the best among the upholders of all virtues,
अनुरुध्य महाप्राज्ञो भ्रातुश्चित्तमरिंदमः व्यूढोरस्को महाबाहुस्ताम्रास्यो मितभाषिता
AI Translation: The very wise one, the conqueror of enemies, was pleased with his brother's mind. The one with a broad chest, long arms, copper-colored chest, and measured speech,
विशाखयूपे देवानां सर्वेषामग्नयश्चिताः तस्माद्विद्धि महाराज देवान्कर्मपथि स्थितान्
M. N. Dutt: Nakula said Even the gods had placed their fires in the reign called Vishakha-yupa, Know, therefore, O king, that the gods themselves depend upon the fruits of action!
अनास्तिकानास्तिकानां प्राणदाः पितरश्च ये तेऽपि कर्मैव कुर्वन्ति विधिं पश्यस्व पार्थिव वेदवादापविद्धांस्तु तान्विद्धि भृशनास्तिकान्
AI Translation: Those who give life to the non-believers and the believers, and those who are their fathers, they too perform actions. See the law, O king. Know those who are completely non-believers to be those who have abandoned the Vedic teachings.
न हि वेदोक्तमुत्सृज्य विप्रः सर्वेषु कर्मसु देवयानेन नाकस्य पृष्ठमाप्नोति भारत
AI Translation: For a brahmin who abandons what is prescribed in the Veda in all his actions does not attain the back of the sky by the heavenly path, O descendant of Bharata.
अत्याश्रमानयं सर्वानित्याहुर्वेदनिश्चयाः ब्राह्मणाः श्रुतिसंपन्नास्तान्निबोध जनाधिप
AI Translation: The knowers of the Vedas say that this is the highest of all the orders. O Lord of men, listen to the Brahmanas who are endowed with the Vedas.
वित्तानि धर्मलब्धानि क्रतुमुख्येष्ववासृजन् कृतात्मसु महाराज स वै त्यागी स्मृतो नरः
M. N. Dutt: O king, the person who in sacrifices give away his fairly acquired wealth to these Brahmanas who are well conversant with the Vedas, and contracts his soul, is, O monarch, regarded as the true Renouncer.
अनवेक्ष्य सुखादानं तथैवोर्ध्वं प्रतिष्ठितः आत्मत्यागी महाराज स त्यागी तामसः प्रभो
M. N. Dutt: He, however, who, disregarding the life of a householder, the source of much happiness, adopts the next mode of life,-Renunciation, O monarch, is Renouncer possessed by the quality of darkness.
अनिकेतः परिपतन्वृक्षमूलाश्रयो मुनिः अपाचकः सदा योगी स त्यागी पार्थ भिक्षुकः
M. N. Dutt: That man who is houseless, who roves over the world like a mendicant who has the foot of a tree for his refuge, who observes the vow of silence, never cooks for himself, and tries to control his senses, is, O Partha, a Renouncer observing the vow of mendicancy.
क्रोधहर्षावनादृत्य पैशुन्यं च विशां पते विप्रो वेदानधीते यः स त्यागी गुरुपूजकः
M. N. Dutt: That Brahmana who, disregarding anger and joy, and especially deceitfulness, always devotes his time to the study of the Vedas, is a Renouncer observing the vow of mendicancy.
आश्रमांस्तुलया सर्वान्धृतानाहुर्मनीषिणः एकतस्ते त्रयो राजन्गृहस्थाश्रम एकतः
M. N. Dutt: The four different modes of life were at one time weighed in the balance. The wise have said, O king, that when the life of a householder was placed on one scale, it required the three others to balance it.
समीक्षते तु योऽर्थं वै कामं स्वर्गं च भारत अयं पन्था महर्षीणामियं लोकविदां गतिः
M. N. Dutt: Marking the result of this examination by scales, O Partha, and seeing further, O Bharata, that the life of a householder alone contained both heaven and pleasure, the great Rishis and the persons conversant with the ways of the world followed it.
इति यः कुरुते भावं स त्यागी भरतर्षभ न यः परित्यज्य गृहान्वनमेति विमूढवत्
M. N. Dutt: He, therefore,O foremost of Bharata's race, who follows this mode of life, thinking it to be his duty and abandoning all desire for fruit, is a true Renouncer, and not that man who having clouded understanding goes to the forest abandoning home.
यदा कामान्समीक्षेत धर्मवैतंसिकोऽनृजुः अथैनं मृत्युपाशेन कण्ठे बध्नाति मृत्युराट्
M. N. Dutt: A person, again, who, putting on the external marks of righteousness, fails to conquer his desires even while living in the forest, is bound by Death with his deadly fetters round the neck.
अभिमानकृतं कर्म नैतत्फलवदुच्यते त्यागयुक्तं महाराज सर्वमेव महाफलम्
M. N. Dutt: Acts which are the outcome of vanity product no fruit. Those acts however, O monarch, which are the outcome of the spirit of Renunciation, always bear abundant fruits.
शमो दमस्तपो दानं सत्यं शौचमथार्जवम् यज्ञो धृतिश्च धर्मश्च नित्यमार्षो विधिः स्मृतः
M. N. Dutt: Tranquillity, self-restraint, fortitude, truth, purity, simplicity, sacrifices, perseverance, and righteousness,-these are always the virtues recommended by the Rishis.
पितृदेवातिथिकृते समारम्भोऽत्र शस्यते अत्रैव हि महाराज त्रिवर्गः केवलं फलम्
M. N. Dutt: The householder performs acts intended for Pitris, gods, and guests, this mode of life alone, O monarch, contains the threefold objects.
एतस्मिन्वर्तमानस्य विधौ विप्रनिषेविते त्यागिनः प्रसृतस्येह नोच्छित्तिर्विद्यते क्वचित्
M. N. Dutt: The Renouncer that rigidly follows this mode of life, in which one is free to do all acts, has not to meet ruin either here or hereafter.
असृजद्धि प्रजा राजन्प्रजापतिरकल्मषः मां यक्ष्यन्तीति शान्तात्मा यज्ञैर्विविधदक्षिणैः
M. N. Dutt: The holy Lord of all creatures, of righteous soul, created creatures with the purpose that they would worship him by sacrifices with profuse presents.
वीरुधश्चैव वृक्षांश्च यज्ञार्थं च तथौषधीः पशूंश्चैव तथा मेध्यान्यज्ञार्थानि हवींषि च
M. N. Dutt: Creepers, trees, deciduous herbs, and clean animals, and clarified butter, were created as materials of sacrifice.
गृहस्थाश्रमिणस्तच्च यज्ञकर्म विरोधकम् तस्माद्गार्हस्थ्यमेवेह दुष्करं दुर्लभं तथा
M. N. Dutt: To a householder the performance of sacrifice is fraught with impediments. For this, that mode of life is described as exceedingly difficult and unattainable.
तत्संप्राप्य गृहस्था ये पशुधान्यसमन्विताः न यजन्ते महाराज शाश्वतं तेषु किल्बिषम्
M. N. Dutt: The householders, who, possessed of wealth and corn and animals, do not perform sacrifices commit, o king, eternal sin.
स्वाध्याययज्ञा ऋषयो ज्ञानयज्ञास्तथापरे अथापरे महायज्ञान्मनसैव वितन्वते
M. N. Dutt: Amongst Rishis, there are some who consider the study of the Vedas to be a some sacrifice; and who consider contemplation to be a great sacrifice which they perform in their minds.
एवं दानसमाधानं मार्गमातिष्ठतो नृप द्विजातेर्ब्रह्मभूतस्य स्पृहयन्ति दिवौकसः
M. N. Dutt: The very gods, O king, seek the companionship of such a holy person, who on account of his following such a way which consists in the concentration of the mind, has become equal to Brahma.
स रत्नानि विचित्राणि संभृतानि ततस्ततः मखेष्वनभिसंत्यज्य नास्तिक्यमभिजल्पसि कुटुम्बमास्थिते त्यागं न पश्यामि नराधिप
M. N. Dutt: By refusing to spend in Sacrifice the various kinds of wealth which you have collected from your enemies, you are only displaying your want of faith!
राजसूयाश्वमेधेषु सर्वमेधेषु वा पुनः य चान्ये क्रतवस्तात ब्राह्मणैरभिपूजिताः तैर्यजस्व महाराज शक्रो देवपतिर्यथा
M. N. Dutt: Like Shakra, the king of gods, O sire, perform those other sacrifices that are lauded by the Brahmanas!
राज्ञः प्रमाददोषेण दस्युभिः परिमुष्यताम् अशरण्यः प्रजानां यः स राजा कलिरुच्यते
M. N. Dutt: The king, through whose negligence the subjects are plundered by robbers, and who does not offer protection to those whom he is called upon to rule is said to be the personated Kali.
अश्वान्गाश्चैव दासीश्च करेणूश्च स्वलंकृताः ग्रामाञ्जनपदांश्चैव क्षेत्राणि च गृहाणि च
AI Translation: Horses, chariots, female slaves, and well-adorned female elephants, Villages, provinces, fields, and houses,
अप्रदाय द्विजातिभ्यो मात्सर्याविष्टचेतसः वयं ते राजकलयो भविष्यामो विशां पते
AI Translation: O lord of the people, we shall be your royal servants, with minds possessed by greed, not giving to the twice-born.
अदातारोऽशरण्याश्च राजकिल्बिषभागिनः दुःखानामेव भोक्तारो न सुखानां कदाचन
M. N. Dutt: Kshatriyas who do not practise charity and give protection (to others), commit sin. Woe to thein hereafter and not bliss.
अनिष्ट्वा च महायज्ञैरकृत्वा च पितृस्वधाम् तीर्थेष्वनभिसंत्यज्य प्रव्रजिष्यसि चेदथ
AI Translation: If you go forth without performing the great sacrifices, without offering the water libations to the ancestors, without visiting the sacred places,
छिन्नाभ्रमिव गन्तासि विलयं मारुतेरितम् लोकयोरुभयोर्भ्रष्टो ह्यन्तराले व्यवस्थितः
AI Translation: You will be destroyed like a cloud cut by the wind, fallen between the two worlds, situated in the interval.
अन्तर्बहिश्च यत्किंचिन्मनोव्यासङ्गकारकम् परित्यज्य भवेत्त्यागी न यो हित्वा प्रतिष्ठते
M. N. Dutt: A person becomes a true Renouncer by casting off internal and external attachments, and not simply by leaving home for dwelling in the forest,
एतस्मिन्वर्तमानस्य विधौ विप्रनिषेविते ब्राह्मणस्य महाराज नोच्छित्तिर्विद्यते क्वचित्
M. N. Dutt: A Brahmana who follows all the ordinances in which there are no obstacles, does not fall off from this or the other world.
निहत्य शत्रूंस्तरसा समृद्धा;न्शक्रो यथा दैत्यबलानि संख्ये कः पार्थ शोचेन्निरतः स्वधर्मे; पूर्वैः स्मृते पार्थिव शिष्टजुष्टे
M. N. Dutt: Observing the duties of one's own order, respected by the ancients and practised by the best of men,-who is there, ( Partha, that would grieve, o king, for having killed in battle his enemies elated with prosperity, like Shakra killing the forces of the Daityas?
Supplementary Passages:
12.12.35 After 35, Da ins.: *12 न चापि शोचिति हताः स्वधर्मे पूर्वैः कृते पार्थिवमुख्यमुख्यैः
क्षात्रेण धर्मेण पराक्रमेण; जित्वा महीं मन्त्रविद्भ्यः प्रदाय नाकस्य पृष्ठेऽसि नरेन्द्र गन्ता; न शोचितव्यं भवताद्य पार्थ
M. N. Dutt: Having, while observing Kshatriya duties, subjugated the world by the help of your prowess, and having made presents unto persons conversant with the Vedas, you can, O king, go to regions higher than heaven itself. You should not, O Partha, indulge in grief.'