Critical Edition
ब्राह्मण उवाच अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम् ब्राह्मणस्य च संवादं जनकस्य च भामिनि
M. N. Dutt: The Brahmana said Regarding it is cited the old discourse between a Brahmana and (king) Janaka.
ब्राह्मणं जनको राजा सन्नं कस्मिंश्चिदागमे विषये मे न वस्तव्यमिति शिष्ट्यर्थमब्रवीत्
M. N. Dutt: King Janaka (on a certain occasion), desirous of punishing him said to a Brahmana who had become guilty of some offence, You shall not live within my dominions.
इत्युक्तः प्रत्युवाचाथ ब्राह्मणो राजसत्तमम् आचक्ष्व विषयं राजन्यावांस्तव वशे स्थितः
M. N. Dutt: Thus addressed, the Brahmana replied to that best of kings, saying. Tell me, O king, what the limits are of the territories subject to you.
सोऽन्यस्य विषये राज्ञो वस्तुमिच्छाम्यहं विभो वचस्ते कर्तुमिच्छामि यथाशास्त्रं महीपते
M. N. Dutt: I wish, O lord, to live within the dominions of another king. Indeed, I wish to obey your command, O king, according to the scriptures.
इत्युक्तः स तदा राजा ब्राह्मणेन यशस्विना मुहुरुष्णं च निःश्वस्य न स तं प्रत्यभाषत
M. N. Dutt: Thus addressed by that celebrated Brahmana, the king, hearing repeated and hou sighs, said not a word in reply.
तमासीनं ध्यायमानं राजानममितौजसम् कश्मलं सहसागच्छद्भानुमन्तमिव ग्रहः
M. N. Dutt: Like the planet (Rahu) possessing the Sun, a cloudedness of understanding suddenly overwhelmed that king of incomparable energy as he sat plunged in thought.
समाश्वास्य ततो राजा व्यपेते कश्मले तदा ततो मुहूर्तादिव तं ब्राह्मणं वाक्यमब्रवीत्
M. N. Dutt: When that cloudedness of understanding departed and the king became comforted, he spoke after a short time these words to that Brahmana.
पितृपैतामहे राज्ये वश्ये जनपदे सति विषयं नाधिगच्छामि विचिन्वन्पृथिवीमिमाम्
M. N. Dutt: Although a (large) inhabited dominion is subject 10 me within this ancestral kingdom of mine, yield fail to find my dominion, searching through the whole Earth.
नाध्यगच्छं यदा पृथ्व्यां मिथिला मार्गिता मया नाध्यगच्छं यदा तस्यां स्वप्रजा मार्गिता मया
M. N. Dutt: When I could not find it on the Earth. I then Searched Mithila (for it). When I could not find it in Mithila, 1 then searched for it among my own children.
नाध्यगच्छं यदा तासु तदा मे कश्मलोऽभवत् ततो मे कश्मलस्यान्ते मतिः पुनरुपस्थिता
M. N. Dutt: When I could not find it even there, a cloudedness of understanding came over me. After that cloudedness of understanding departed, intelligence came back to me.
तया न विषयं मन्ये सर्वो वा विषयो मम आत्मापि चायं न मम सर्वा वा पृथिवी मम उष्यतां यावदुत्साहो भुज्यतां यावदिष्यते
M. N. Dutt: Then I though that I have no dominion, or that everything is my dominion. This body is not mine, or the whole Earth is minc.
Supplementary Passages:
14.32.11 B Dc1 Dn1 D2.3.5.6 ins. after 11d: K5 after 11: *70 यथा मम तथान्येषामिति मन्ये द्विजोत्तम
पितृपैतामहे राज्ये वश्ये जनपदे सति ब्रूहि कां बुद्धिमास्थाय ममत्वं वर्जितं त्वया
M. N. Dutt: When there is a large inhabited tract in your ancestral kingdom, tell me, depending upon what understanding, has the idea of mineness been got rid of by you.
कां वा बुद्धिं विनिश्चित्य सर्वो वै विषयस्तव नावैषि विषयं येन सर्वो वा विषयस्तव
M. N. Dutt: What also is that understanding depending upon which you have come to the conclusion that everything forms your dominion? What. indeed, is the notion through which you have no dominion, or everything is your dominion?
जनक उवाच अन्तवन्त इहारम्भा विदिताः सर्वकर्मसु नाध्यगच्छमहं यस्मान्ममेदमिति यद्भवेत्
M. N. Dutt: Janaka said All conditions here, in all affairs, I understand, are liable to come to an end. Hence, I could not find that which should be called mine.
कस्येदमिति कस्य स्वमिति वेदवचस्तथा नाध्यगच्छमहं बुद्ध्या ममेदमिति यद्भवेत्
M. N. Dutt: (Considering) whose is this, I thought of the Vedic text about anybody's property. I could not therefore, find, through my understanding, what should be (called) mine.
एतां बुद्धिं विनिश्चित्य ममत्वं वर्जितं मया शृणु बुद्धिं तु यां ज्ञात्वा सर्वत्र विषयो मम
M. N. Dutt: Depending upon this notion. I got rid of the idea of mineness. Hear now what that notion is depending upon which I arrived at the conclusion that I have dominion everywhere.
नाहमात्मार्थमिच्छामि गन्धान्घ्राणगतानपि तस्मान्मे निर्जिता भूमिर्वशे तिष्ठति नित्यदा
M. N. Dutt: I do not wish for my own self those smells which are even in my nose. Therefore, the earth, subjugated by me, is always under me.
नाहमात्मार्थमिच्छामि रसानास्येऽपि वर्ततः आपो मे निर्जितास्तस्माद्वशे तिष्ठन्ति नित्यदा
AI Translation: I do not desire the taste of the food even in my mouth for my own sake. Water has been conquered by me, therefore it always remains under my control.
नाहमात्मार्थमिच्छामि रूपं ज्योतिश्च चक्षुषा तस्मान्मे निर्जितं ज्योतिर्वशे तिष्ठति नित्यदा
M. N. Dutt: I do not wish for my own self those smells which are even in my nose. Therefore, the earth, subjugated by me, is always under me.
नाहमात्मार्थमिच्छामि स्पर्शांस्त्वचि गताश्च ये तस्मान्मे निर्जितो वायुर्वशे तिष्ठति नित्यदा
M. N. Dutt: I do not wish for my own self those smells which are even in my nose. Therefore, the earth, subjugated by me, is always under me.
नाहमात्मार्थमिच्छामि शब्दाञ्श्रोत्रगतानपि तस्मान्मे निर्जिताः शब्दा वशे तिष्ठन्ति नित्यदा
M. N. Dutt: I do not wish for my own self those smells which are even in my nose. Therefore, the earth, subjugated by me, is always under me.
नाहमात्मार्थमिच्छामि मनो नित्यं मनोन्तरे मनो मे निर्जितं तस्माद्वशे तिष्ठति नित्यदा
AI Translation: I do not desire the self for the sake of the self, the mind always within the mind. My mind is conquered, therefore it always remains under control.
देवेभ्यश्च पितृभ्यश्च भूतेभ्योऽतिथिभिः सह इत्यर्थं सर्व एवेमे समारम्भा भवन्ति वै
M. N. Dutt: All these acts of mine are for the sake of the celestials, the departed manes, the Bhuttas, together with guests.
ततः प्रहस्य जनकं ब्राह्मणः पुनरब्रवीत् त्वज्जिज्ञासार्थमद्येह विद्धि मां धर्ममागतम्
M. N. Dutt: The Brahmana then, smiling, once more said to Janaka, Know that I am Dharma, who come here today for examining you.
त्वमस्य ब्रह्मनाभस्य बुद्ध्यारस्यानिवर्तिनः सत्त्वनेमिनिरुद्धस्य चक्रस्यैकः प्रवर्तकः
M. N. Dutt: You are indeed the one person for setting this wheel in motion, this wheel that has the quality of Goodness for its circumference, Brahma for its nave, and the understanding for its spokes, and which never turns back!