Critical Edition
भीष्म उवाच मृगयां विचरन्कश्चिद्विजने जनकात्मजः वने ददर्श विप्रेन्द्रमृषिं वंशधरं भृगोः
AI Translation: Bhishma said: Once, while wandering in the forest, the son of Janaka saw in the forest a great sage, a descendant of the Bhrigu lineage.
तमासीनमुपासीनः प्रणम्य शिरसा मुनिम् पश्चादनुमतस्तेन पप्रच्छ वसुमानिदम्
AI Translation: Having approached him seated, having bowed my head to the sage, and being permitted by him afterwards, Vasu asked this:
भगवन्किमिदं श्रेयः प्रेत्य वापीह वा भवेत् पुरुषस्याध्रुवे देहे कामस्य वशवर्तिनः
AI Translation: "O Lord, what is the best thing for me, in this world or the next? For a man whose body is impermanent, who is under the control of desire,
सत्कृत्य परिपृष्टः सन्सुमहात्मा महातपाः निजगाद ततस्तस्मै श्रेयस्करमिदं वचः
AI Translation: The great-souled one, having been respectfully asked, spoke these words to him, which were beneficial.
मनसोऽप्रतिकूलानि प्रेत्य चेह च वाञ्छसि भूतानां प्रतिकूलेभ्यो निवर्तस्व यतेन्द्रियः
AI Translation: You desire that which is not contrary to the mind, both in this world and the next. Turn away from what is contrary to beings, and control your senses.
धर्मः सतां हितः पुंसां धर्मश्चैवाश्रयः सताम् धर्माल्लोकास्त्रयस्तात प्रवृत्ताः सचराचराः
AI Translation: Dharma is the good of the good, and Dharma is the refuge of the good. From Dharma, O son, the three worlds, the moving and the unmoving, have come into being.
स्वादुकामुक कामानां वैतृष्ण्यं किं न गच्छसि मधु पश्यसि दुर्बुद्धे प्रपातं नानुपश्यसि
AI Translation: O you who desire the sweet, why do you not become free from desire? O you of evil intellect, you see the honey, but do not see the precipice.
यथा ज्ञाने परिचयः कर्तव्यस्तत्फलार्थिना तथा धर्मे परिचयः कर्तव्यस्तत्फलार्थिना
AI Translation: As one who desires the fruit of knowledge should make himself familiar with knowledge, so one who desires the fruit of Dharma should make himself familiar with Dharma.
असता धर्मकामेन विशुद्धं कर्म दुष्करम् सता तु धर्मकामेन सुकरं कर्म दुष्करम्
AI Translation: The pure action is difficult to perform for one who is not virtuous and who desires the Dharma. But for one who is virtuous and who desires the Dharma, the difficult action is easy to perform.
वने ग्राम्यसुखाचारो यथा ग्राम्यस्तथैव सः ग्रामे वनसुखाचारो यथा वनचरस्तथा
AI Translation: He who is accustomed to the pleasures of the village in the forest is like a villager. He who is accustomed to the pleasures of the forest in the village is like a forest-dweller.
मनोवाक्कर्मके धर्मे कुरु श्रद्धां समाहितः निवृत्तौ वा प्रवृत्तौ वा संप्रधार्य गुणागुणान्
AI Translation: In the Dharma of mind, speech, and action, be attentive and have faith. Whether in cessation or in activity, having considered the good and bad qualities,
नित्यं च बहु दातव्यं साधुभ्यश्चानसूयता प्रार्थितं व्रतशौचाभ्यां सत्कृतं देशकालयोः
AI Translation: And always much should be given to the good, without envy. Requested, purified by vows and purity, honored by place and time,
शुभेन विधिना लब्धमर्हाय प्रतिपादयेत् क्रोधमुत्सृज्य दत्त्वा च नानुतप्येन्न कीर्तयेत्
AI Translation: Having obtained it by a good method, he should give it to a worthy recipient. Having given it, having abandoned anger, he should not repent or boast.
अनृशंसः शुचिर्दान्तः सत्यवागार्जवे स्थितः योनिकर्मविशुद्धश्च पात्रं स्याद्वेदविद्द्विजः
AI Translation: He is not cruel, pure, self-controlled, truthful, and established in honesty. He is pure in his birth and deeds, and a knower of the Vedas. He is a worthy
सत्कृता चैकपत्नी च जात्या योनिरिहेष्यते ऋग्यजुःसामगो विद्वान्षट्कर्मा पात्रमुच्यते
AI Translation: He who is honoured, who has one wife, who is of good birth, is considered here. He who knows the Rg, Yajur and Sama Vedas, who is skilled in the six
स एव धर्मः सोऽधर्मस्तं तं प्रतिनरं भवेत् पात्रकर्मविशेषेण देशकालाववेक्ष्य च
AI Translation: That alone is Dharma, that alone is Adharma, for each man. Considering the difference in the vessel and action, and the time and place.
लीलयाल्पं यथा गात्रात्प्रमृज्याद्रजसः पुमान् बहुयत्नेन महता पापनिर्हरणं तथा
AI Translation: Just as a man would wipe off a little dust from his body with ease, so also is the removal of sin with great effort.
विरिक्तस्य यथा सम्यग्घृतं भवति भेषजम् तथा निर्हृतदोषस्य प्रेत्यधर्मः सुखावहः
AI Translation: Just as ghee is the right medicine for one who has vomited, so is the Dharma for one who has expelled the defilements, bringing happiness after death.
मानसं सर्वभूतेषु वर्तते वै शुभाशुभे अशुभेभ्यः समाक्षिप्य शुभेष्वेवावतारयेत्
AI Translation: The mind is present in all beings, in the good and the bad. Having withdrawn from the bad, it should be directed towards the good.
Supplementary Passages:
12.297.19 After 19, K7 D4.9 ins.: *762 मानसं वृद्धसेवाभिर्दुःखं शारीरमौषधैः वाचिकं मन्त्रजाप्येन विद्वान्यत्नाद्विनाशयेत्
सर्वं सर्वेण सर्वत्र क्रियमाणं च पूजय स्वधर्मे यत्र रागस्ते कामं धर्मो विधीयताम्
AI Translation: Worship everything everywhere, done by everyone. Where there is attachment to one's own duty, let that be considered as Dharma.
अधृतात्मन्धृतौ तिष्ठ दुर्बुद्धे बुद्धिमान्भव अप्रशान्त प्रशाम्य त्वमप्राज्ञ प्राज्ञवच्चर
AI Translation: O one whose mind is not controlled, be controlled! O one of bad intellect, be intelligent! O one who is not calm, be calm! O one who is not wise, act like
तेजसा शक्यते प्राप्तुमुपायसहचारिणा इह च प्रेत्य च श्रेयस्तस्य मूलं धृतिः परा
AI Translation: The means of attaining it is by association with the means, and by energy. Here and hereafter, the root of that is the highest fortitude.
राजर्षिरधृतिः स्वर्गात्पतितो हि महाभिषः ययातिः क्षीणपुण्यश्च धृत्या लोकानवाप्तवान्
AI Translation: The royal sage Adhriti, the son of Mahābhiṣa, fell from heaven, and Yayāti, whose merit was exhausted, attained the worlds by his steadfastness.
तपस्विनां धर्मवतां विदुषां चोपसेवनात् प्राप्स्यसे विपुलां बुद्धिं तथा श्रेयोऽभिपत्स्यसे
AI Translation: By serving ascetics, virtuous ones, and the wise, you will attain vast wisdom and attain great prosperity.
Supplementary Passages:
12.297.24 After 24, K7 Ds2 D4.9 ins.: *763 स तु विप्रस्तथा पृष्टो राज्ञा जानकिना वने प्रोक्तवानखिलं धर्मं मोक्षाश्रममनुत्तमम्
स तु स्वभावसंपन्नस्तच्छ्रुत्वा मुनिभाषितम् विनिवर्त्य मनः कामाद्धर्मे बुद्धिं चकार ह
AI Translation: But he, endowed with a good nature, having heard those words spoken by the sage, having turned away his mind from desire, he made up his mind to the Dharma.