Critical Edition
युधिष्ठिर उवाच विस्रम्भितोऽहं भवता धर्मान्प्रवदता विभो प्रवक्ष्यामि तु संदेहं तन्मे ब्रूहि पितामह
M. N. Dutt: Yudhishthira said I have been greatly assured, O you of power, by you thus discoursing to me of duties. I shall, however, express the doubts I have. Explain them to me, O grandfather.
व्रतानां किं फलं प्रोक्तं कीदृशं वा महाद्युते नियमानां फलं किं च स्वधीतस्य च किं फलम्
M. N. Dutt: What are the fruits, described in the scriptures, of the vows that men observe. Of what nature are the fruits, you of great splendour, of observances of other kind? What, again, are the fruits of one's Vedic studies.
दमस्येह फलं किं च वेदानां धारणे च किम् अध्यापने फलं किं च सर्वमिच्छामि वेदितुम्
M. N. Dutt: What are the fruits of gifts, and what those of keeping the Vedas in memory? What are the fruits of teaching the Vedas? I wish to know all this.
अप्रतिग्राहके किं च फलं लोके पितामह तस्य किं च फलं दृष्टं श्रुतं यः संप्रयच्छति
M. N. Dutt: What, O grandfather, are the merits of the nonacceptance of gifts in this world. What fruits does one enjoy who makes gifts of knowledge?
स्वकर्मनिरतानां च शूराणां चापि किं फलम् सत्ये च किं फलं प्रोक्तं ब्रह्मचर्ये च किं फलम्
M. N. Dutt: What merits do persons enjoy who perform the duties of their order, as also do heroes who do not retreat from the battlefield. What are the fruits of the observance of purity and of the practice of Brahmacharya?
पितृशुश्रूषणे किं च मातृशुश्रूषणे तथा आचार्यगुरुशुश्रूषास्वनुक्रोशानुकम्पने
M. N. Dutt: What are the merits of serving the parents. What also are the merits of serving preceptors and teachers, and what the merits of mercy and kindness?
एतत्सर्वमशेषेण पितामह यथातथम् वेत्तुमिच्छामि धर्मज्ञ परं कौतूहलं हि मे
M. N. Dutt: I wish to know all this, O grandfather, in sooth and in particular, O you, who are conversant with all the scriptures Great is my curiosity.
भीष्म उवाच यो व्रतं वै यथोद्दिष्टं तथा संप्रतिपद्यते अखण्डं सम्यगारब्धं तस्य लोकाः सनातनाः
M. N. Dutt: Bhishma said He enjoys eternal regions of happiness, who, having properly commenced a Vrata (vow) completes its observance according to the scriptures.
नियमानां फलं राजन्प्रत्यक्षमिह दृश्यते नियमानां क्रतूनां च त्वयावाप्तमिदं फलम्
M. N. Dutt: The fruits of restraints, O king, are visible even in this world. These rewards that you have acquired are those of Niyamas and sacrifices.
स्वधीतस्यापि च फलं दृश्यतेऽमुत्र चेह च इहलोकेऽर्थवान्नित्यं ब्रह्मलोके च मोदते
M. N. Dutt: The fruits of the Vedic studies are seen both in this world and the next. The person who is given to the study of the Vedas is seen to sport happily both in this world and in the region of Brahma.
दमस्य तु फलं राजञ्शृणु त्वं विस्तरेण मे दान्ताः सर्वत्र सुखिनो दान्ताः सर्वत्र निर्वृताः
M. N. Dutt: Listen now to me, O king, as I tell you in detail what that fruits, are of self-control. The self-controlled are happy everywhere. The selfcontrolled always enjoy that happiness which results from the absence or subjugation of desire.
यत्रेच्छागामिनो दान्ताः सर्वशत्रुनिषूदनाः प्रार्थयन्ति च यद्दान्ता लभन्ते तन्न संशयः
M. N. Dutt: The self-controlled can go everywhere at will. The self-controlled can destroy every enemy. Forsooth, the self-controlled succeed in getting everything they seek.
युज्यन्ते सर्वकामैर्हि दान्ताः सर्वत्र पाण्डव स्वर्गे तथा प्रमोदन्ते तपसा विक्रमेण च
M. N. Dutt: The self-controlled. O son of Pandu, obtain the fruition of every desire. The self-controlled and the forgiving share the happiness that men enjoy in Heaven through penances and prowess, (in arms), through gift, and through various sacrifices.
दानैर्यज्ञैश्च विविधैर्यथा दान्ताः क्षमान्विताः दाता कुप्यति नो दान्तस्तस्माद्दानात्परो दमः
AI Translation: As the self-controlled are by various gifts and sacrifices, so the self-controlled are by patience. The giver is angry, not the self-controlled. Therefore self-control is superior to
Supplementary Passages:
13.74.14 After 14ab, N ins.: *368 दानाद्दमो विशिष्टो हि दानं किंचिद्द्विजातये
यस्तु दद्यादकुप्यन्हि तस्य लोकाः सनातनाः क्रोधो हन्ति हि यद्दानं तस्माद्दानात्परो दमः
AI Translation: But he who gives without anger, his worlds are eternal. Anger destroys the gift, therefore self-control is superior to giving.
Supplementary Passages:
13.74.15 T2.3 G M1.3.4 ins. after 15: T1 after 15ab: *369 विद्यादानात्परं नास्ति वेदविद्या महाफला
अदृश्यानि महाराज स्थानान्ययुतशो दिवि ऋषीणां सर्वलोकेषु यानीतो यान्ति देवताः
AI Translation: "O great king, there are invisible places in the sky, in thousands, where the sages and the gods go and come in all the worlds."
दमेन यानि नृपते गच्छन्ति परमर्षयः कामयाना महत्स्थानं तस्माद्दानात्परो दमः
M. N. Dutt: O king, the great Rishis repair there, helped only by their self-control, and as the end of their efforts to attain to a region of superior happiness, Hence, self-control is superior to gift.
अध्यापकः परिक्लेशादक्षयं फलमश्नुते विधिवत्पावकं हुत्वा ब्रह्मलोके नराधिप
M. N. Dutt: The person who becomes a preceptor, and who duly adores the fire taking leave of all his miseries in this world, enjoy endless happiness O King in the region of Brahma.
अधीत्यापि हि यो वेदान्न्यायविद्भ्यः प्रयच्छति गुरुकर्मप्रशंसी च सोऽपि स्वर्गे महीयते
M. N. Dutt: That man who having himself read the Vedas, imparts a knowledge thereof to righteous disciples, and who praises the acts of his own preceptor, acquires great honors in Heaven.
क्षत्रियोऽध्ययने युक्तो यजने दानकर्मणि युद्धे यश्च परित्राता सोऽपि स्वर्गे महीयते
M. N. Dutt: That Kshatriya who is given to the studies of the Vedas, to the celebration of sacrifices, to the making of gifts, and who rescues the lives of others in battle, similarly acquires great honors in Heaveri.
वैश्यः स्वकर्मनिरतः प्रदानाल्लभते महत् शूद्रः स्वकर्मनिरतः स्वर्गं शुश्रूषयार्च्छति
M. N. Dutt: The Vaishya who, observes the duties of his caste, makes gifts, reaps as the fruit of those gifts, a crowning reward. The Shudra who duly observes the duties of his order, acquires Heaven as the reward of such services.
शूरा बहुविधाः प्रोक्तास्तेषामर्थांश्च मे शृणु शूरान्वयानां निर्दिष्टं फलं शूरस्य चैव ह
M. N. Dutt: Various kinds of heroes have been spoken of. Listen to me as I explain to you what the rewards are that they attain to. The rewards are fixed of a hero belonging to a heroic race.
Supplementary Passages:
13.74.22 For 22cd, T1 subst.: *370 शूराणां चापि निर्दिष्टं फलं च नियतं शृणु
यज्ञशूरा दमे शूराः सत्यशूरास्तथापरे युद्धशूरास्तथैवोक्ता दानशूराश्च मानवाः
M. N. Dutt: There are heroes of sacrifice, heroes of selfcontrol, heroes of truth, and others equally entitled to the name of hero. There are heroes of battle, and heroes of gift or liberality among men.
बुद्धिशूरास्तथैवान्ये क्षमाशूरास्तथापरे आर्जवे च तथा शूराः शमे वर्तन्ति मानवाः
M. N. Dutt: Likewise, there are others who are called heroes of the intellect, and also heroes of forgiveness. There are other men who live in tranquillity and who are considered as heroes of virtue.
तैस्तैस्तु नियमैः शूरा बहवः सन्ति चापरे वेदाध्ययनशूराश्च शूराश्चाध्यापने रताः
M. N. Dutt: There are various other kinds of heroes who practise various other kinds of vows and observances. There are heroes given to the study of the Vedas, and heroes devoted to the teaching of the same.
गुरुशुश्रूषया शूराः पितृशुश्रूषयापरे मातृशुश्रूषया शूरा भैक्ष्यशूरास्तथापरे
M. N. Dutt: There are, again, men who come to be regarded as heroes for the devotion with which they wait upon and serve their preceptors, as indeed, heroes in respect of the respect they show for their fathers. There are heroes in obedience to mothers, and heroes in the life of mendicancy they lead.
सांख्यशूराश्च बहवो योगशूरास्तथापरे अरण्ये गृहवासे च शूराश्चातिथिपूजने सर्वे यान्ति पराँल्लोकान्स्वकर्मफलनिर्जितान्
M. N. Dutt: There are heroes in the matter of hospitality to guests, whether living as hermits or as house-holders. All these heroes attain to very superior regions of happiness which are, of course, acquired by them as the rewards of their own deeds.
धारणं सर्ववेदानां सर्वतीर्थावगाहनम् सत्यं च ब्रुवतो नित्यं समं वा स्यान्न वा समम्
M. N. Dutt: Keeping all the Vedas in memory, or ablutions performed in all the sacred waters, may or may not be equal to telling the Truth every day in one's life.
अश्वमेधसहस्रं च सत्यं च तुलया धृतम् अश्वमेधसहस्राद्धि सत्यमेव विशिष्यते
M. N. Dutt: A thousand Horse-sacrifices and Truth were once weighed in the balance. It was seen that Truth weighed heavier than a thousand. Horsesacrifices.
सत्येन सूर्यस्तपति सत्येनाग्निः प्रदीप्यते सत्येन मारुतो वाति सर्वं सत्ये प्रतिष्ठितम्
M. N. Dutt: It is by Truth that the Sun is giving heat it is by Truth that fire bums up it is by Truth that the winds blow; indeed, everything rests upon Truth;
सत्येन देवान्प्रीणाति पितॄन्वै ब्राह्मणांस्तथा सत्यमाहुः परं धर्मं तस्मात्सत्यं न लङ्घयेत्
M. N. Dutt: It is Truth that pleases the deities, the departed Manes, and the Brahmanas, Truth has been said to be the highest duty. Therefore, no one should ever transgress Truth.
मुनयः सत्यनिरता मुनयः सत्यविक्रमाः मुनयः सत्यशपथास्तस्मात्सत्यं विशिष्यते सत्यवन्तः स्वर्गलोके मोदन्ते भरतर्षभ
M. N. Dutt: The Munis are all given to Truth. Their prowess depends upon Truth. They also swear by Truth. Hence Truth is pre-eminent. All truthful men, O chief of Bharata's race, succeed by their truthfulness in acquiring Heaven and sporting there in happiness.
दमः सत्यफलावाप्तिरुक्ता सर्वात्मना मया असंशयं विनीतात्मा सर्वः स्वर्गे महीयते
M. N. Dutt: Selfcontrol is the attainment of the reward tha: attaches to Truth. I have described it with my whole heart. The man of humble heart who is endued with self-control, forsooth, acquires great honors in Heaven.
ब्रह्मचर्यस्य तु गुणाञ्शृणु मे वसुधाधिप आ जन्ममरणाद्यस्तु ब्रह्मचारी भवेदिह न तस्य किंचिदप्राप्यमिति विद्धि जनाधिप
M. N. Dutt: Listen now to me, o king as I explain to you the merits of Brahmacharya. That man who practises the vow of Brahmacharya from his birth to the time of his Death, know, O king, has nothing unattainable! Many millions of Rishis are living in the region of Brahma.
बह्व्यः कोट्यस्त्वृषीणां तु ब्रह्मलोके वसन्त्युत सत्ये रतानां सततं दान्तानामूर्ध्वरेतसाम्
AI Translation: Many crores of sages live in the world of Brahmā, who are always devoted to truth, controlled, and with semen upraised.
ब्रह्मचर्यं दहेद्राजन्सर्वपापान्युपासितम् ब्राह्मणेन विशेषेण ब्राह्मणो ह्यग्निरुच्यते
AI Translation: O king, he who has practiced celibacy burns all sins. Especially for a brahmin, for a brahmin is said to be fire.
प्रत्यक्षं च तवाप्येतद्ब्राह्मणेषु तपस्विषु बिभेति हि यथा शक्रो ब्रह्मचारिप्रधर्षितः तद्ब्रह्मचर्यस्य फलमृषीणामिह दृश्यते
M. N. Dutt: If a Brahmacharin gives way to anger on account of any slight, the chief of the deities himself trambles in fear. This is the visible fruit of the vow of Brahamacharya that is observed by the Rishis.
मातापित्रोः पूजने यो धर्मस्तमपि मे शृणु शुश्रूषते यः पितरं न चासूयेत्कथंचन मातरं वानहंवादी गुरुमाचार्यमेव च
AI Translation: Listen to the dharma of honoring one's parents. One who serves one's father and does not envy him in any way, Or one who does not speak ill of one's mother, or of one's guru or teacher,
तस्य राजन्फलं विद्धि स्वर्लोके स्थानमुत्तमम् न च पश्येत नरकं गुरुशुश्रूषुरात्मवान्
AI Translation: Know that to be the fruit of that, O king, the supreme place in heaven. The self-controlled one who serves his teacher does not see hell.