Critical Edition
भीष्म उवाच इत्युक्तः स तदा तेन तुलाधारेण धीमता प्रोवाच वचनं धीमाञ्जाजलिर्जपतां वरः
M. N. Dutt: Thus accosted by the intelligent Tuladhara on that occasion, the highly intelligent Jajali, that foremost of ascetics, said these words to him:
विक्रीणानः सर्वरसान्सर्वगन्धांश्च वाणिज वनस्पतीनोषधीश्च तेषां मूलफलानि च
M. N. Dutt: You sell all sorts of juices and scents, O son of a trader, as also (barks and leaves of) huge trees and herbs and their fruits and roots.
अध्यगा नैष्ठिकीं बुद्धिं कुतस्त्वामिदमागतम् एतदाचक्ष्व मे सर्वं निखिलेन महामते
M. N. Dutt: But how have you gained this stability of understanding? How have you gained this knowledge? O you of great intelligence, tell me all this fully.
एवमुक्तस्तुलाधारो ब्राह्मणेन यशस्विना उवाच धर्मसूक्ष्माणि वैश्यो धर्मार्थतत्त्ववित् जाजलिं कष्टतपसं ज्ञानतृप्तस्तदा नृप
M. N. Dutt: Thus accosted by that highly famous Brahmana, Tuladhara of the Vaishya caste, well acquatinted with the truths of morality and contented with knowledge, described to Jajali who had practised severe penances, the ways of morality.
वेदाहं जाजले धर्मं सरहस्यं सनातनम् सर्वभूतहितं मैत्रं पुराणं यं जना विदुः
M. N. Dutt: Tuladhara said a O Jajali, I know, with all its mysteries, morality, which is eternal. It is nothing else but that ancient morality which every body knows, and which consists of universal friendliness, and beneficence to all creatures.
अद्रोहेणैव भूतानामल्पद्रोहेण वा पुनः या वृत्तिः स परो धर्मस्तेन जीवामि जाजले
M. N. Dutt: The highest form of morality consists in a living which is founded upon total harmlessness towards all creatures or upon the smallness of such harin. I live according to that mode,OJajali.
परिच्छिन्नैः काष्ठतृणैर्मयेदं शरणं कृतम् अलक्तं पद्मकं तुङ्गं गन्धांश्चोच्चावचांस्तथा
AI Translation: With limited wood and grass, I have made this shelter. Red, lotus-like, tall, and various fragrances, both high and low.
रसांश्च तांस्तान्विप्रर्षे मद्यवर्जानहं बहून् क्रीत्वा वै प्रतिविक्रीणे परहस्तादमायया
AI Translation: O brahmin sage, I buy and sell many of those juices, except for liquor, and I sell them again, without deceit, from the hands of others.
सर्वेषां यः सुहृन्नित्यं सर्वेषां च हिते रतः कर्मणा मनसा वाचा स धर्मं वेद जाजले
M. N. Dutt: He, O Jajali, only knows morality or righteousness is, who is always the friend of all creatures and who is always engaged in the behoof of all creatures, in thought, word, and deed.
नाहं परेषां कर्माणि प्रशंसामि शपामि वा आकाशस्येव विप्रर्षे पश्यँल्लोकस्य चित्रताम्
AI Translation: I do not praise or blame the actions of others. O sage, seeing the variety of the world, like space,
नानुरुध्ये विरुध्ये वा न द्वेष्मि न च कामये समोऽस्मि सर्वभूतेषु पश्य मे जाजले व्रतम्
M. N. Dutt: I never beg of any one, I never fall out with any one; I never hate any one. I never desire for anything. I regard equally all things and all creatures. See, O Jajali, this is my vow.
इष्टानिष्टविमुक्तस्य प्रीतिरागबहिष्कृतः तुला मे सर्वभूतेषु समा तिष्ठति जाजले
AI Translation: He who is free from the desired and the undesired, who is free from attachment and aversion, "O Jāgala, my scale remains balanced towards all beings."
इति मां त्वं विजानीहि सर्वलोकस्य जाजले समं मतिमतां श्रेष्ठ समलोष्टाश्मकाञ्चनम्
M. N. Dutt: Know, O Jajali, that I regard equally all creatures. O highest of intelligent men, I perceive no difference between a clod of earth, a piece of stone, and a lump of gold.
यथान्धबधिरोन्मत्ता उच्छ्वासपरमाः सदा देवैरपिहितद्वाराः सोपमा पश्यतो मम
M. N. Dutt: As the blind, the deaf, and they who are bereft of reason, find consolation for the loss of their senses, likewise, I find consolation by their example.
यथा वृद्धातुरकृशा निःस्पृहा विषयान्प्रति तथार्थकामभोगेषु ममापि विगता स्पृहा
M. N. Dutt: As they who are possessed by decrepitude, they who are afflicted by disease, and they who are weakened and emaciated, do not like any sort of enjoyments, similarly, I feel no inclination for wealth pleasure enjoyments.
यदा चायं न बिभेति यदा चास्मान्न बिभ्यति यदा नेच्छति न द्वेष्टि तदा सिध्यति वै द्विजः
M. N. Dutt: Then only a person attains to Brahma when he fears nothing and is not feared himself, when he cherishes no desire and does not hate anything.
यदा न कुरुते भावं सर्वभूतेषु पापकम् कर्मणा मनसा वाचा ब्रह्म संपद्यते तदा
M. N. Dutt: Then only a person attains to Brahma when he does not behave sinfully towards any creature in thought, word, or deed.
न भूतो न भविष्यश्च न च धर्मोऽस्ति कश्चन योऽभयः सर्वभूतानां स प्राप्नोत्यभयं पदम्
M. N. Dutt: There is no past, no future, There is no morality or virtue. He who is not an object of fear with any creature acquires a state in which there is no fear. or or
यस्मादुद्विजते लोकः सर्वो मृत्युमुखादिव वाक्क्रूराद्दण्डपारुष्यात्स प्राप्नोति महद्भयम्
M. N. Dutt: On the other hand, that person who for his harsh words and bad temper, is troublesome to all creatures like death itself, certainly attains to a state full of fear.
यथावद्वर्तमानानां वृद्धानां पुत्रपौत्रिणाम् अनुवर्तामहे वृत्तमहिंस्राणां महात्मनाम्
M. N. Dutt: I follow the practices of great and benevolent men of advanced years who with their children and grand children live observing duly the ordinance laid down in the scritptures.
प्रनष्टः शाश्वतो धर्मः सदाचारेण मोहितः तेन वैद्यस्तपस्वी वा बलवान्वा विमोह्यते
M. N. Dutt: The eternal Vedic practices are entirely abandoned by one who allows himself to be stupefied by some mistakes that he may have marked in the conduct of those who are admittedly good and wise. One, however, who is gifted with learning, or one who has controlled his senses, or one who has strength of mind, acquires liberations by virtue of that very conduct.
आचाराज्जाजले प्राज्ञः क्षिप्रं धर्ममवाप्नुयात् एवं यः साधुभिर्दान्तश्चरेदद्रोहचेतसा
M. N. Dutt: That wise man who, having controlled his senses, follows with a heart purged off all desire of injuring others, the conduct of the good, is, sure, O Jajali, to acquire the merit of righteousness.
नद्यां यथा चेह काष्ठमुह्यमानं यदृच्छया यदृच्छयैव काष्ठेन संधिं गच्छेत केनचित्
AI Translation: Just as a log floating in a river may, by chance, come into contact with another log, and by chance, be joined to it,
तत्रापराणि दारूणि संसृज्यन्ते ततस्ततः तृणकाष्ठकरीषाणि कदा चिन्नसमीक्षया एवमेवायमाचारः प्रादुर्भूतो यतस्ततः
AI Translation: There, other pieces of wood are joined together, one after another. When will the grass, wood, and cowdung be cut down, without any consideration? In the same way, this
यस्मान्नोद्विजते भूतं जातु किंचित्कथंचन अभयं सर्वभूतेभ्यः स प्राप्नोति सदा मुने
M. N. Dutt: He, whom no creature fears, is himself, O ascetic, never frightened by any creature.
यस्मादुद्विजते विद्वन्सर्वलोको वृकादिव क्रोशतस्तीरमासाद्य यथा सर्वे जलेचराः
M. N. Dutt: He, on the other hand, O learmed man, whom every creature fears like a wolf, becomes himself filled with fear as aquatic animals when compelled to leap on the shore from fear of the roaring Vadava fire.
सहायवान्द्रव्यवान्यः सुभगोऽन्योऽपरस्तथा ततस्तानेव कवयः शास्त्रेषु प्रवदन्त्युत कीर्त्यर्थमल्पहृल्लेखाः पटवः कृत्स्ननिर्णयाः
M. N. Dutt: On account of their power to remove the fears of others, men having riches and followers are considered as foremost by the learned. Those, who seek common-place happiness, practise this duty of universal harmlessness for the sake of fame; while they, who are truly skilled, practise the same for attaining to Brahma.
तपोभिर्यज्ञदानैश्च वाक्यैः प्रज्ञाश्रितैस्तथा प्राप्नोत्यभयदानस्य यद्यत्फलमिहाश्नुते
M. N. Dutt: Whatever fruits one enjoys by penances, by sacrifices, by making charities, by speaking the truth, and by seeking wisdom, may all be acquired by practising the duty of harmlessness.
लोके यः सर्वभूतेभ्यो ददात्यभयदक्षिणाम् स सर्वयज्ञैरीजानः प्राप्नोत्यभयदक्षिणाम् न भूतानामहिंसाया ज्यायान्धर्मोऽस्ति कश्चन
M. N. Dutt: That person who declares to all creatures the assurance of harmlessness acquires the merit of all the sacrifices and at last acquires fearlessness for himself as his meed.
यस्मान्नोद्विजते भूतं जातु किंचित्कथंचन सोऽभयं सर्वभूतेभ्यः संप्राप्नोति महामुने
M. N. Dutt: There is no duty superior to the duty of not injuring other creatures. He whom, 0 great ascetic, no creature fears in the least, does not himself fear any creatures.
यस्मादुद्विजते लोकः सर्पाद्वेश्मगतादिव न स धर्ममवाप्नोति इह लोके परत्र च
M. N. Dutt: He whom every body fears like a snake lying in ones bed-room, never acquires any merit in this world or in the next.
सर्वभूतात्मभूतस्य सम्यग्भूतानि पश्यतः देवापि मार्गे मुह्यन्ति अपदस्य पदैषिणः
M. N. Dutt: The very celestials, in their search after it, become bewildered in the track of that person who rises above all states, the person, viz., who himself is the soul of all creatures and who considers all creatures as identical with his own self.
दानं भूताभयस्याहुः सर्वदानेभ्य उत्तमम् ब्रवीमि ते सत्यमिदं श्रद्दधस्व च जाजले
M. N. Dutt: Of all gifts, the promise of harmlessness to all creatures in the greatest. I tell you truly, believe me, O Jajali.
स एव सुभगो भूत्वा पुनर्भवति दुर्भगः व्यापत्तिं कर्मणां दृष्ट्वा जुगुप्सन्ति जनाः सदा
M. N. Dutt: One who performs acts at first acquires prosperity, but then he once more meets with adversity. Seeing the destruction of the merits of) acts, the wise do not speak highly of them.
अकारणो हि नेहास्ति धर्मः सूक्ष्मोऽपि जाजले भूतभव्यार्थमेवेह धर्मप्रवचनं कृतम्
M. N. Dutt: There is no duty, O Jajali, that is not done by some motive (of happiness). Duty, however, is very subtile. Duties have been ordained in the Vedas for both Brahma and heaven.
सूक्ष्मत्वान्न स विज्ञातुं शक्यते बहुनिह्नवः उपलभ्यान्तरा चान्यानाचारानवबुध्यते
M. N. Dutt: The subject of duties is full of secrets and mysteries. It is so subtile that one cannot understand it fully. Amongst various conflicting ordinances, some succeed in understanding duty by observing the acts of the good.
ये च छिन्दन्ति वृषणान्ये च भिन्दन्ति नस्तकान् वहन्ति महतो भारान्बध्नन्ति दमयन्ति च
AI Translation: Those who cut off the testicles, and those who break the noses, Carry heavy loads, bind, and subdue.
हत्वा सत्त्वानि खादन्ति तान्कथं न विगर्हसे मानुषा मानुषानेव दासभोगेन भुञ्जते
AI Translation: Having killed beings, they eat them. Why do you not condemn them? Humans enjoy other humans as slaves.
वधबन्धविरोधेन कारयन्ति दिवानिशम् आत्मना चापि जानासि यद्दुःखं वधताडने
AI Translation: They cause others to be killed and bound, day and night, And you yourself know what suffering it is to be killed and beaten.
पञ्चेन्द्रियेषु भूतेषु सर्वं वसति दैवतम् आदित्यश्चन्द्रमा वायुर्ब्रह्मा प्राणः क्रतुर्यमः
M. N. Dutt: All the gods live in every creature who have the five senses. The Sun, the Moon, the God of Wind, Brahman, Vital Airs, Kratu and Yama, (these live in living creatures).
तानि जीवानि विक्रीय का मृतेषु विचारणा का तैले का घृते ब्रह्मन्मधुन्यप्स्वौषधेषु वा
AI Translation: Having sold those living beings, what consideration is there for those who have died? What is there in oil, ghee, honey, water, or herbs, O Brahman?
Supplementary Passages:
12.254.41 After 41ab, K7 Dn1.n4 Ds D4.6.9 ins.: *704 अजोऽग्निर्वरुणो मेषः सूर्योऽश्वः पृथिवी विराट् धेनुर्वत्सश्च सोमो वै विक्रीयैतन्न सिध्यति
अदंशमशके देशे सुखं संवर्धितान्पशून् तांश्च मातुः प्रियाञ्जानन्नाक्रम्य बहुधा नराः बहुदंशकुशान्देशान्नयन्ति बहुकर्दमान्
M. N. Dutt: There are many animals which grow up in ease and comfort in places free from gnats and biting insects. Knowing that their mothers love them dearly, men, persecute them in various ways, and lead them into mire full of biting insects. Many beasts of burden are oppressed with heavy loads. Others, again, are made to languish for the treatment not sanctioned by the scriptures.
वाहसंपीडिता धुर्याः सीदन्त्यविधिनापरे न मन्ये भ्रूणहत्यापि विशिष्टा तेन कर्मणा
AI Translation: Some are crushed by the burden of their vehicles, others by the lawlessness of others. I do not think that the killing of a fetus is superior to that action.
कृषिं साध्विति मन्यन्ते सा च वृत्तिः सुदारुणा भूमिं भूमिशयांश्चैव हन्ति काष्ठमयोमुखम् तथैवानडुहो युक्तान्समवेक्षस्व जाजले
M. N. Dutt: The iron plough wounds the soil and many creatures which live there. Look, O Jajali, at those bullocks yoked to the plough.
अघ्न्या इति गवां नाम क एनान्हन्तुमर्हति महच्चकाराकुशलं पृषध्रो गालभन्निव
M. N. Dutt: Kine called in the Shrutis the Undestructible. That man commits a great iniquity who kills a bull or a cow.
ऋषयो यतयो ह्येतन्नहुषे प्रत्यवेदयन् गां मातरं चाप्यवधीर्वृषभं च प्रजापतिम् अकार्यं नहुषाकार्षीर्लप्स्यामस्त्वत्कृते भयम्
M. N. Dutt: In ancient times, many Rishis with controlled addressed Nahusha, saying,-You have, O king, killed a cow which is regarded in the scriptures like one's mother! You have also killed a bull, which is declared to be like the Creator himself.
शतं चैकं च रोगाणां सर्वभूतेष्वपातयन् ऋषयस्ते महाभागाः प्रजास्वेव हि जाजले भ्रूणहं नहुषं त्वाहुर्न ते होष्यामहे हविः
AI Translation: He released a hundred and one diseases on all beings. Those blessed sages, in the case of the offspring of Jaigishāvya, They say, "We will not offer oblations to Nahusha, the killer of embryos."
इत्युक्त्वा ते महात्मानः सर्वे तत्त्वार्थदर्शिनः ऋषयो यतयः शान्तास्तरसा प्रत्यवेदयन्
AI Translation: Having thus spoken, all those great souls, the seers, the ascetics, the tranquil ones, who saw the truth, quickly declared.
ईदृशानशिवान्घोरानाचारानिह जाजले केवलाचरितत्वात्तु निपुणान्नावबुध्यसे
M. N. Dutt: These, O Jajali, are some of the wicked and dreadful practices of this world. You do them because they are practised by all men from days of your, and not because they are approved of your purified understanding.
कारणाद्धर्ममन्विच्छेन्न लोकचरितं चरेत् यो हन्याद्यश्च मां स्तौति तत्रापि शृणु जाजले
M. N. Dutt: One should perform his duty guided by reasons, instead of blindly following the conduct of the world. Listen now, O Jajali, how I treat him who injures and him who praises me.
समौ तावपि मे स्यातां न हि मे स्तः प्रियाप्रिये एतदीदृशकं धर्मं प्रशंसन्ति मनीषिणः
M. N. Dutt: I regard both of them equally. I have none whom I like and none whom I dislike. The wise speak highly of such a course of conduct as consistent with duty or religion.
उपपत्त्या हि संपन्नो यतिभिश्चैव सेव्यते सततं धर्मशीलैश्च नैपुण्येनोपलक्षितः
M. N. Dutt: The Yatis also follow this course of conduct, which is consistent with reasons. The righteous always observe it with eyes having purified vision.