Critical Edition
युधिष्ठिर उवाच अनर्थानामधिष्ठानमुक्तो लोभः पितामह अज्ञानमपि वै तात श्रोतुमिच्छामि तत्त्वतः
M. N. Dutt: Yudhishthira said You have said, O grandfather, that the root of all evils is covetousness. I wish, O sire, to licar fully of ignorance.
भीष्म उवाच करोति पापं योऽज्ञानान्नात्मनो वेत्ति च क्षमम् प्रद्वेष्टि साधुवृत्तांश्च स लोकस्यैति वाच्यताम्
M. N. Dutt: Bhishma said The person who commits sin out of ignorance, who does not know that his end is near, and who always hates persons of good conduct, soon incurs infamy in the world.
अज्ञानान्निरयं याति तथाज्ञानेन दुर्गतिम् अज्ञानात्क्लेशमाप्नोति तथापत्सु निमज्जति
M. N. Dutt: In consequence of ignorance one goes to hell. Ignorance one suffers miseries and incurs great danger.
युधिष्ठिर उवाच अज्ञानस्य प्रवृत्तिं च स्थानं वृद्धिं क्षयोदयौ मूलं योगं गतिं कालं कारणं हेतुमेव च
M. N. Dutt: Yudhishthira said I wish, O king, to hear fully the origin, the place, the growth, the decay, the rise, the root, the attribute, the course, the time, the cause, and the result of ignorance. The misery that is felt here is the outcome of ignorance.
श्रोतुमिच्छामि तत्त्वेन यथावदिह पार्थिव अज्ञानप्रभवं हीदं यद्दुःखमुपलभ्यते
AI Translation: O king, I wish to hear the truth about this, as it really is. This suffering that is perceived arises from ignorance.
भीष्म उवाच रागो द्वेषस्तथा मोहो हर्षः शोकोऽभिमानिता कामः क्रोधश्च दर्पश्च तन्द्रीरालस्यमेव च
AI Translation: Bhishma said: Attachment, aversion, delusion, joy, sorrow, pride, Desire, anger, arrogance, laziness, and idleness,
इच्छा द्वेषस्तथा तापः परवृद्ध्युपतापिता अज्ञानमेतन्निर्दिष्टं पापानां चैव याः क्रियाः
AI Translation: Desire, hatred, and torment, afflicted by the increase of others, This is said to be ignorance, and the actions of sins.
एतया या प्रवृत्तिश्च वृद्ध्यादीन्यांश्च पृच्छसि विस्तरेण महाबाहो शृणु तच्च विशां पते
M. N. Dutt: Hear fully now, O king, about its nature, growth and other characteristics after which you enquire.
उभावेतौ समफलौ समदोषौ च भारत अज्ञानं चातिलोभश्चाप्येकं जानीहि पार्थिव
M. N. Dutt: These two, viz., ignorance and covetousness, know, O king, are the same. Both produce the same fruits and same faults, O Bharata.
लोभप्रभवमज्ञानं वृद्धं भूयः प्रवर्धते स्थाने स्थानं क्षये क्षैण्यमुपैति विविधां गतिम्
M. N. Dutt: Ignorance originates from covetousness. Ignorance grows along with coveteousness. Ignorance exists simultaneously with covetousness. Ignorance decreases with covetousness. It rises with the rise of covetousness. Manifold again is its course.
मूलं लोभस्य महतः कालात्मगतिरेव च छिन्नेऽच्छिन्ने तथा लोभे कारणं काल एव हि
AI Translation: The root of great greed is time itself, which is the very essence of the self. Whether greed is cut or not, time itself is the cause.
तस्याज्ञानात्तु लोभो हि लोभादज्ञानमेव च सर्वे दोषास्तथा लोभात्तस्माल्लोभं विवर्जयेत्
AI Translation: From ignorance comes greed, and from greed comes ignorance. And from greed come all faults. Therefore one should avoid greed.
जनको युवनाश्वश्च वृषादर्भिः प्रसेनजित् लोभक्षयाद्दिवं प्राप्तास्तथैवान्ये जनाधिपाः
M. N. Dutt: From ignorance proceeds covetousness, and from the latter proceeds ignorance. Covetousness produces all faults. For these reasons every one should avoid covetousness. Janaka, Yuvanashva, Vrishadarbhi, Prasenajit, and other kings acquired heaven for their having conquered covetousness.
प्रत्यक्षं तु कुरुश्रेष्ठ त्यज लोभमिहात्मना त्यक्त्वा लोभं सुखं लोके प्रेत्य चानुचरिष्यसि
M. N. Dutt: Do you before all persons, avoid covetousness by a strong determination, O Kuru chief. Avoiding covetousness you will acquire happiness both here and in the next world.