Critical Edition
युधिष्ठिर उवाच व्याख्याता क्षत्रधर्मेण वृत्तिरापत्सु भारत कथंचिद्वैश्यधर्मेण जीवेद्वा ब्राह्मणो न वा
M. N. Dutt: Yudhishthira said "It is said that in seasons of distress a Brahmana may support himself by following Kshatriya duties. But can be, however, at any time, maintain himself by following the duties of the Vaishyas?”
भीष्म उवाच अशक्तः क्षत्रधर्मेण वैश्यधर्मेण वर्तयेत् कृषिगोरक्षमास्थाय व्यसने वृत्तिसंक्षये
M. N. Dutt: "When a Brahmana loses his means of livelihood and is visited by distress, he may certainly act like a Vaishya and derive his support by agriculture and tending cattle, if, of course, he is not capable to perform Kshatriya duties.'
युधिष्ठिर उवाच कानि पण्यानि विक्रीणन्स्वर्गलोकान्न हीयते ब्राह्मणो वैश्यधर्मेण वर्तयन्भरतर्षभ
M. N. Dutt: Yudhishthira said "If a Brahmana, O foremost of Bharata's race, follows the duties of a Vaishya, what articles may he sell without losing his chance of attaining heaven?"
भीष्म उवाच सुरा लवणमित्येव तिलान्केसरिणः पशून् ऋषभान्मधु मांसं च कृतान्नं च युधिष्ठिर
AI Translation: Bhishma said: The gods are said to be the salt, sesame seeds, bulls, meat, and cooked food.
सर्वास्ववस्थास्वेतानि ब्राह्मणः परिवर्जयेत् एतेषां विक्रयात्तात ब्राह्मणो नरकं व्रजेत्
AI Translation: In all situations, a brahmin should avoid these. O son, by selling these, a brahmin goes to hell.
अजोऽग्निर्वरुणो मेषः सूर्योऽश्वः पृथिवी विराट् धेनुर्यज्ञश्च सोमश्च न विक्रेयाः कथंचन
M. N. Dutt: A Brahmana, by selling a goat, commits the sin of selling the god of fire; by selling a sheep, the sin of selling the god of water; by selling a horse, the sin of selling the sun-god; by selling cooked food, the sin of selling land; and by selling a cow, the sin of selling Sacrifices and the Soma juice. A Brahmana, therefore, must not sell these.
पक्वेनामस्य निमयं न प्रशंसन्ति साधवः निमयेत्पक्वमामेन भोजनार्थाय भारत
M. N. Dutt: The good do not speak highly of the purchase of uncooked food by giving cooked food in return. Uncooked food, however, may be given for procuring cooked food, O Bharata!
वयं सिद्धमशिष्यामो भवान्साधयतामिदम् एवं समीक्ष्य निमयन्नाधर्मोऽस्ति कदाचन
M. N. Dutt: We will eat this cooked food of you. You may cook these raw things (that we give in return). In such an agreement there is no sin.
अत्र ते वर्तयिष्यामि यथा धर्मः पुरातनः व्यवहारप्रवृत्तानां तन्निबोध युधिष्ठिर
M. N. Dutt: Listen, O Yudhishthira, I shall describe to you the eternal practice, obtaining from days of yore, of persons conducting themselves according to approved usages.
भवतेऽहं ददानीदं भवानेतत्प्रयच्छतु रुचिते वर्तते धर्मो न बलात्संप्रवर्तते
M. N. Dutt: I give you this. Give me this other thing in exchange. Such an exchange is righteous. To take things by force, is sinful.
इत्येवं संप्रवर्तन्त व्यवहाराः पुरातनाः ऋषीणामितरेषां च साधु चेदमसंशयम्
M. N. Dutt: Such is the old practice followed by the Rishis and others. Forsooth, this is righteous.' Yudhishthira said
युधिष्ठिर उवाच अथ तात यदा सर्वाः शस्त्रमाददते प्रजाः व्युत्क्रामन्ति स्वधर्मेभ्यः क्षत्रस्य क्षीयते बलम्
M. N. Dutt: “When, O sire, giving up their respective duties, all the castes take up arms against the king, then, of course, the power of the king suffers decrease. How would the king then become the protector and refuge of the people? Remove this doubt of mine, O king, by speaking to me fully." Bhishma said
राजा त्राता न लोके स्यात्किं तदा स्यात्परायणम् एतन्मे संशयं ब्रूहि विस्तरेण पितामह
AI Translation: If the king is not the protector in the world, what would be the refuge then? Please tell me this doubt in detail, O Grandfather.
भीष्म उवाच दानेन तपसा यज्ञैरद्रोहेण दमेन च ब्राह्मणप्रमुखा वर्णाः क्षेममिच्छेयुरात्मनः
M. N. Dutt: “By gifts, by penances, by sacrifices, by peacefulness, and by self-control, all the castes led by the Brahmanas should, on such occasions, seek their own behoof.
तेषां ये वेदबलिनस्त उत्थाय समन्ततः राज्ञो बलं वर्धयेयुर्महेन्द्रस्येव देवताः
M. N. Dutt: Those amongst them who are gifted with Vedic strength, should rise up on all sides and like the celestial empowering Indra contribute (by Vedic rites) to increase the strength of the king.
राज्ञो हि क्षीयमाणस्य ब्रह्मैवाहुः परायणम् तस्माद्ब्रह्मबलेनैव समुत्थेयं विजानता
M. N. Dutt: Brahmanas are said to be the refuge of the king while his power is gone. A wise king seeks the increase of his power by means of the power of the Brahmanas.
यदा तु विजयी राजा क्षेमं राष्ट्रेऽभिसंदधेत् तदा वर्णा यथाधर्ममाविशेयुः स्वकर्मसु
M. N. Dutt: When the king, after acquiring victory, tries to re-establish peace, all the castes then follow their respective duties.
उन्मर्यादे प्रवृत्ते तु दस्युभिः संकरे कृते सर्वे वर्णा न दुष्येयुः शस्त्रवन्तो युधिष्ठिर
M. N. Dutt: When robbers overcoming all restraints, lay waste the country, all the orders may take up arms. By doing so, they commit no sin, O Yudhishthira!'
युधिष्ठिर उवाच अथ चेत्सर्वतः क्षत्रं प्रदुष्येद्ब्राह्मणान्प्रति कस्तस्य ब्राह्मणस्त्राता को धर्मः किं परायणम्
M. N. Dutt: Yudhishthira said “If all the Kshatriyas stand against the Brahmanas, who then will protect the Brahmanas and their Vedas? What then should be the duty of the Brahmanas and who will be their shelter?"
भीष्म उवाच तपसा ब्रह्मचर्येण शस्त्रेण च बलेन च अमायया मायया च नियन्तव्यं तदा भवेत्
M. N. Dutt: Bhishma said By penances, by Brahmacharya, by weapons, and by (physical) power, applied with or without the help of deceit, the Kshatriyas should be vanquished.
क्षत्रस्याभिप्रवृद्धस्य ब्राह्मणेषु विशेषतः ब्रह्मैव संनियन्तृ स्यात्क्षत्रं हि ब्रह्मसंभवम्
M. N. Dutt: If the Kshatriya misbehaves himself, especially towards Brahmanas, the Vedas themselves will put them down. The Kshatriyas have originated from the Brahmanas.
अद्भ्योऽग्निर्ब्रह्मतः क्षत्रमश्मनो लोहमुत्थितम् तेषां सर्वत्रगं तेजः स्वासु योनिषु शाम्यति
M. N. Dutt: Fire has originated water; the Kshatriya, from the Brahmana; and iron, from stone. The power of fire, the Kshatriya, and iron, are irresistible. But when these conflict with their sources, their force becomes neutralised.
यदा छिनत्त्ययोऽश्मानमग्निश्चापोऽभिपद्यते क्षत्रं च ब्राह्मणं द्वेष्टि तदा शाम्यन्ति ते त्रयः
M. N. Dutt: When iron strikes against stone, or fire fights with water, or the Kshatriya stands against the Brahmana, then the strength of each of those three is destroyed.
तस्माद्ब्रह्मणि शाम्यन्ति क्षत्रियाणां युधिष्ठिर समुदीर्णान्यजेयानि तेजांसि च बलानि च
AI Translation: Therefore, in the case of Brahma, the Kshatriyas, O Yudhishthira, The arisen forces of energy and strength should be worshipped.
ब्रह्मवीर्ये मृदूभूते क्षत्रवीर्ये च दुर्बले दुष्टेषु सर्ववर्णेषु ब्राह्मणान्प्रति सर्वशः
AI Translation: When the power of the Brahmanas has become weak and the power of the Kshatriyas has become feeble, and when all the castes have become wicked, then the Brahmanas should be protected by all means.
ये तत्र युद्धं कुर्वन्ति त्यक्त्वा जीवितमात्मनः ब्राह्मणान्परिरक्षन्तो धर्ममात्मानमेव च
AI Translation: Those who fight there, having given up their own lives, Protecting the Brahmanas, the Dharma, and their own selves,
Supplementary Passages:
12.79.26 After 26ab, D7 T G2-4 ins.: *195 ब्राह्मणान्परिरक्षन्ति तेषां लोका भवन्ति के
मनस्विनो मन्युमन्तः पुण्यलोका भवन्ति ते ब्राह्मणार्थं हि सर्वेषां शस्त्रग्रहणमिष्यते
AI Translation: Those who are wise, angry, and of meritorious worlds become so. For the sake of the Brahmanas, the taking up of weapons is considered desirable for all.
अति स्विष्टस्वधीतानां लोकानति तपस्विनाम् अनाशकाग्न्योर्विशतां शूरा यान्ति परां गतिम् एवमेवात्मनस्त्यागान्नान्यं धर्मं विदुर्जनाः
M. N. Dutt: Those brave, persons who fight for Brahmanas, acquire those happy regions in heaven which are reserved for persons who have always studied the Vedas with attention, who have practised the austerest of penances, and that have, after fasting, cast off their bodies into burning fires.
तेभ्यो नमश्च भद्रं च ये शरीराणि जुह्वति ब्रह्मद्विषो नियच्छन्तस्तेषां नोऽस्तु सलोकता ब्रह्मलोकजितः स्वर्ग्यान्वीरांस्तान्मनुरब्रवीत्
M. N. Dutt: I bow to them and blessed be they who thus renounce their lives while trying to punish the enemies of Brahmanas. Let us attain to that region which is reserved for them. Manu himself has said that those heroes go to the region of Brahman.
यथाश्वमेधावभृथे स्नाताः पूता भवन्त्युत दुष्कृतः सुकृतश्चैव तथा शस्त्रहता रणे
M. N. Dutt: As persons become freed off of all their sins by taking the final bath in a horse-sacrifice, so those who die by weapons while fighting wicked people are freed off of all their sins.
भवत्यधर्मो धर्मो हि धर्माधर्मावुभावपि कारणाद्देशकालस्य देशकालः स तादृशः
M. N. Dutt: Righteousness becomes unrighteousness, and unrighteousness becomes righteousness, according to place and time, Such is the power of place and time.
मैत्राः क्रूराणि कुर्वन्तो जयन्ति स्वर्गमुत्तमम् धर्म्याः पापानि कुर्वन्तो गच्छन्ति परमां गतिम्
M. N. Dutt: The friends of humanity, by performing even acts of cruelty, have attained to exalted heaven. Pious Kshatriyas, by doing even sinful acts, to blessed ends.
ब्राह्मणस्त्रिषु कालेषु शस्त्रं गृह्णन्न दुष्यति आत्मत्राणे वर्णदोषे दुर्गस्य नियमेषु च
M. N. Dutt: The Brahmana, by fighting on these three occasions, does not commit sin, viz., for protecting himself, for compelling the other castes to follow their duties, and for punishing robbers,
Supplementary Passages:
12.79.33 After 33ab, T2 G1 ins.: *196 आत्मत्राणं च कुर्वाणः परान्दस्युभ्य एव च
युधिष्ठिर उवाच अभ्युत्थिते दस्युबले क्षत्रार्थे वर्णसंकरे संप्रमूढेषु वर्णेषु यद्यन्योऽभिभवेद्बली
AI Translation: Yudhi Shthira said: When the army of the Dasyus has arisen, for the sake of the Kshatriyas, when the castes are mixed, When the castes are confused, if another stronger one should conquer,
ब्राह्मणो यदि वा वैश्यः शूद्रो वा राजसत्तम दस्युभ्योऽथ प्रजा रक्षेद्दण्डं धर्मेण धारयन्
AI Translation: If a brahmin, or a vaishya, or a shudra, O best of kings, protects the subjects from thieves, upholding the rod of punishment according to dharma,
कार्यं कुर्यान्न वा कुर्यात्संवार्यो वा भवेन्न वा न स्म शस्त्रं ग्रहीतव्यमन्यत्र क्षत्रबन्धुतः
AI Translation: One should not do an action, or one should do an action, or one should be restrained, or one should not be restrained. One should not take up a weapon, except for a member of the warrior caste.
भीष्म उवाच अपारे यो भवेत्पारमप्लवे यः प्लवो भवेत् शूद्रो वा यदि वाप्यन्यः सर्वथा मानमर्हति
M. N. Dutt: Bhishma said Be he a Shudra or be he the member of any other caste, he that becomes a raft on a raftless current, or a means of crossing where no means exist, forsooth, deserves every respect.
यमाश्रित्य नरा राजन्वर्तयेयुर्यथासुखम् अनाथाः पाल्यमाना वै दस्युभिः परिपीडिताः
AI Translation: O king, if men were to live in accordance with the law, the helpless, oppressed by robbers, would be protected.
तमेव पूजयेरंस्ते प्रीत्या स्वमिव बान्धवम् महद्ध्यभीक्ष्णं कौरव्य कर्ता सन्मानमर्हति
AI Translation: They should worship him with affection, as if he were a relative. For, O descendant of Kuru, one who does something great repeatedly deserves honor.
किमुक्ष्णावहता कृत्यं किं धेन्वा चाप्यदुग्धया वन्ध्यया भार्यया कोऽर्थः कोऽर्थो राज्ञाप्यरक्षता
M. N. Dutt: What use is there of bulls, that would not carry burdens, or of kine that would not give milk, or of a wife who is barren? Likewise, what need is there for a king who is not capable to grant protection?
यथा दारुमयो हस्ती यथा चर्ममयो मृगः यथा ह्यनेत्रः शकटः पथि क्षेत्रं यथोषरम्
AI Translation: Just as a wooden elephant, just as a leather deer, Just as a cart without wheels, just as a field in a desert,
एवं ब्रह्मानधीयानं राजा यश्च न रक्षिता न वर्षति च यो मेघः सर्व एते निरर्थकाः
AI Translation: One who studies the Vedas but does not practice them, a king who does not protect his subjects, and a cloud that does not rain - all of these are useless.
नित्यं यस्तु सतो रक्षेदसतश्च निबर्हयेत् स एव राजा कर्तव्यस्तेन सर्वमिदं धृतम्
M. N. Dutt: That person who always protects the good and checks the wicked, deserves to become a king and to govern the world.'