Critical Edition
वासुदेव उवाच न बाह्यं द्रव्यमुत्सृज्य सिद्धिर्भवति भारत शारीरं द्रव्यमुत्सृज्य सिद्धिर्भवति वा न वा
M. N. Dutt: Vasudeva said O foremost of Bharata's race, salvation is not attained by removing the external things (like kingdom, etc.), but by giving up things which satisfy the flesh (body).
बाह्यद्रव्यविमुक्तस्य शारीरेषु च गृध्यतः यो धर्मो यत्सुखं चैव द्विषतामस्तु तत्तथा
M. N. Dutt: The virtue and happiness which one attains who has renounced only the external objects, but who at the same time possessed by passions and weakness of the flesh, let these be the portion of our enemies.
द्व्यक्षरस्तु भवेन्मृत्युस्त्र्यक्षरं ब्रह्म शाश्वतम् ममेति द्व्यक्षरो मृत्युर्न ममेति च शाश्वतम्
M. N. Dutt: The word with two letters is Mrityu (death,) and the word with three letters is Shashvata Brahman, the eternal spirit. The consciousness of ego, or the state of being addicted to worldly objects is Death, and the absence of that feeling is immortality.
ब्रह्म मृत्युश्च तौ राजन्नात्मन्येव व्यवस्थितौ अदृश्यमानौ भूतानि योधयेतामसंशयम्
M. N. Dutt: And these two, Spirit and Death, O king, have their scats in the souls of all creatures, and remaining unseen, they, forsooth, rage war with each other.
अविनाशोऽस्य सत्त्वस्य नियतो यदि भारत भित्त्वा शरीरं भूतानामहिंसां प्रतिपद्यते
M. N. Dutt: And if, O Bharata, it be true that no creature is ever killed, then one commits no sin for the death of a creature by destroying its body.
लब्ध्वापि पृथिवीं सर्वां सहस्थावरजङ्गमाम् ममत्वं यस्य नैव स्यात्किं तया स करिष्यति
M. N. Dutt: Or What matters the world to a man, if having acquired the sovereignty of the entire earth with its mobile and immobile creation, he does not become attached to it.
अथ वा वसतः पार्थ वने वन्येन जीवतः ममता यस्य द्रव्येषु मृत्योरास्ये स वर्तते
M. N. Dutt: But if the man who having renounced the world, has adopted the forest mode of life, living on wild roots and edibles, O son of Pritha, has a craving for the earthly things, and is addicted to them, he may be said to bear death in his mouth.
बाह्यान्तराणां शत्रूणां स्वभावं पश्य भारत यन्न पश्यति तद्भूतं मुच्यते स महाभयात्
M. N. Dutt: Do you, O Bharata, watch and observe the character of your external and internal enemies. And the man who is able to perceive the nature of the eternal reality is able to get over the influence of the great fear (perdition).
कामात्मानं न प्रशंसन्ति लोके; न चाकामात्काचिदस्ति प्रवृत्तिः दानं हि वेदाध्ययनं तपश्च; कामेन कर्माणि च वैदिकानि
AI Translation: The world does not praise one who is self-controlled. And without desire, there is no activity. For, giving, studying the Vedas, asceticism, and Vedic rites are all done out
Supplementary Passages:
14.13.9 After 9ab, Ś1 K D (except Dc1) ins.: *31 सर्वे कामा मनसोऽङ्गात्प्रसूता यान्पण्डितः संहरते विचिन्त्य भूयो भूयो जन्मनोऽभ्यासयोगाद् योगी योगं सारमार्गं विचिन्त्य
व्रतं यज्ञान्नियमान्ध्यानयोगा;न्कामेन यो नारभते विदित्वा यद्यद्ध्ययं कामयते स धर्मो; न यो धर्मो नियमस्तस्य मूलम्
AI Translation: One who does not undertake vows, sacrifices, restraints, meditation, and yoga out of desire, having known them, Whatever one desires is Dharma; that which is Dharma is not the root of that.
अत्र गाथाः कामगीताः कीर्तयन्ति पुराविदः शृणु संकीर्त्यमानास्ता निखिलेन युधिष्ठिर
M. N. Dutt: As an illustration of this truth, the sages, well-read in ancient learning, recite these verses called by the name of Kamagita, do you, Yudhishthira, listen to the recital of them in full.
नाहं शक्योऽनुपायेन हन्तुं भूतेन केनचित् यो मां प्रयतते हन्तुं ज्ञात्वा प्रहरणे बलम् तस्य तस्मिन्प्रहरणे पुनः प्रादुर्भवाम्यहम्
M. N. Dutt: (Kama says), No creature is able to destroy me without following the proper methods (viz., subjugation of all desires and practice of Yoga, etc.)
यो मां प्रयतते हन्तुं यज्ञैर्विविधदक्षिणैः जङ्गमेष्विव कर्मात्मा पुनः प्रादुर्भवाम्यहम्
AI Translation: He who tries to kill me with sacrifices of various kinds of gifts I am reborn again, like the soul of action in the moving.
यो मां प्रयतते हन्तुं वेदैर्वेदान्तसाधनैः स्थावरेष्विव शान्तात्मा तस्य प्रादुर्भवाम्यहम्
AI Translation: I manifest myself to him who tries to kill me with the Vedas and the means of the Vedanta, with a peaceful mind, as if to the immovable.
यो मां प्रयतते हन्तुं धृत्या सत्यपराक्रमः भावो भवामि तस्याहं स च मां नावबुध्यते
AI Translation: He who tries to kill me with effort, with steadfastness, with the strength of truth, I become his state of mind, but he does not understand me.
यो मां प्रयतते हन्तुं तपसा संशितव्रतः ततस्तपसि तस्याथ पुनः प्रादुर्भवाम्यहम्
AI Translation: If anyone tries to kill me with austerities and vows, Then I manifest again in his austerities.
यो मां प्रयतते हन्तुं मोक्षमास्थाय पण्डितः तस्य मोक्षरतिस्थस्य नृत्यामि च हसामि च अवध्यः सर्वभूतानामहमेकः सनातनः
AI Translation: One who, being wise, tries to kill me by resorting to liberation, I dance and laugh at him who is attached to the joy of liberation. I am the only one who is eternal, invincible to all beings,
तस्मात्त्वमपि तं कामं यज्ञैर्विविधदक्षिणैः धर्मं कुरु महाराज तत्र ते स भविष्यति
M. N. Dutt: Therefore, you too, O prince, divert your desires (Kama) to virtue, so that, by this means, you may attain what is for your good.
यजस्व वाजिमेधेन विधिवद्दक्षिणावता अन्यैश्च विविधैर्यज्ञैः समृद्धैराप्तदक्षिणैः
M. N. Dutt: Do you, therefore, make preparations for the due performance of ihe Horse Sacrifice with presents, and various other sacrifices of great splendour, and accompanied with presents.
मा ते व्यथास्तु निहतान्बन्धून्वीक्ष्य पुनः पुनः न शक्यास्ते पुनर्द्रष्टुं ये हतास्मिन्रणाजिरे
M. N. Dutt: Let not, therefore, grief overpower you again, on seeing your friends lying killed on the battle-field. You cannot see the men killed in this battle alive again.
स त्वमिष्ट्वा महायज्ञैः समृद्धैराप्तदक्षिणैः लोके कीर्तिं परां प्राप्य गतिमग्र्यां गमिष्यसि
M. N. Dutt: Therefore, should you perform inagnificent sacrifices with presents, so that you may attain fame in this world, and reach the perfect way in the next.