Critical Edition
युधिष्ठिर उवाच नामृतस्येव पर्याप्तिर्ममास्ति ब्रुवति त्वयि तस्मात्कथय भूयस्त्वं धर्ममेव पितामह
AI Translation: Yudhisthira said: I have no satisfaction, as if I were not immortal, while you are speaking. Therefore, tell me more about Dharma, O Grandfather.
Supplementary Passages:
12.127.1 After 1ab, N ins.: *296 यद्यपि स्यात्परावृत्तिस्तथातृप्तोऽस्मि भारत After 1, N ins.: *297 न हि तृप्तिं परां यामि धर्मे कौतूहलं हि मे
भीष्म उवाच अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम् गौतमस्य च संवादं यमस्य च महात्मनः
M. N. Dutt: Bhishma said “Regarding it is cited the old discourse between Gotama ard the illustrious Yama.
पारियात्रगिरिं प्राप्य गौतमस्याश्रमो महान् उवास गौतमो यत्र कालं तदपि मे शृणु
M. N. Dutt: Gotama had a wide retrert on the Paripatra hills. Listen to me as to how many years he lived in that asylum. For sixty thousand years that sage practises ascetic austerities in that asylum.
षष्टिं वर्षसहस्राणि सोऽतप्यद्गौतमस्तपः तमुग्रतपसं युक्तं तपसा भावितं मुनिम्
AI Translation: Gautama performed austerities for sixty thousand years. The sage, who was engaged in fierce austerities and purified by austerities,
उपयातो नरव्याघ्र लोकपालो यमस्तदा तमपश्यत्सुतपसमृषिं वै गौतमं मुनिम्
AI Translation: The lord of the world, Yama, the tiger among men, had come there. He saw the sage Gautama, who was a great ascetic and a sage.
स तं विदित्वा ब्रह्मर्षिर्यममागतमोजसा प्राञ्जलिः प्रयतो भूत्वा उपसृप्तस्तपोधनः
M. N. Dutt: Understanding that it was Yama who had come, the twice-born quickly saluted him and sat with closed hands in an attentive attitude,
तं धर्मराजो दृष्ट्वैव नमस्कृत्य नरर्षभम् न्यमन्त्रयत धर्मेण क्रियतां किमिति ब्रुवन्
M. N. Dutt: Beholding that foremost of Brahmanas, the royal Dharma duly saluted him and addressing him asked what he should do for him.
गौतम उवाच मातापितृभ्यामानृण्यं किं कृत्वा समवाप्नुयात् कथं च लोकानश्नाति पुरुषो दुर्लभाञ्शुभान्
M. N. Dutt: Gotama said How does a man liberate his self from the debt he owes to his parents? How, also, does he succeed in acquiring blissful regions which it is so difficult to acquire.
यम उवाच तपःशौचवता नित्यं सत्यधर्मरतेन च मातापित्रोरहरहः पूजनं कार्यमञ्जसा
M. N. Dutt: Yama said Practising truth, purity and penances, one should continuously adore his parents.
Supplementary Passages:
12.127.9 After the ref., K3 ins.: *298 नान्यत्तीर्थं न देवोऽन्यो धर्मोऽन्यो न कथंचन नरं तावदजानन्तं पावयन्ति महीपतिम् तस्मात्पापं परित्यज्य भक्तिमास्थाय शाश्वतीम् कर्मणा मनसा वाचातो भजन्ननृणो भवेत्
अश्वमेधैश्च यष्टव्यं बहुभिः स्वाप्तदक्षिणैः तेन लोकानुपाश्नाति पुरुषोऽद्भुतदर्शनान्
M. N. Dutt: One should, also, celebrate Horse-sacrifices with profuse presents to the Brahmanas. By such acts one acquires many happy and wonderful regions.'