Critical Edition
युधिष्ठिर उवाच वल्गु चित्रपदं श्लक्ष्णं याज्ञसेनि त्वया वचः उक्तं तच्छ्रुतमस्माभिर्नास्तिक्यं तु प्रभाषसे
M. N. Dutt: Yudhishthira said : O Yajnaseni, your speech is sweet, clear and full of nice expressions; we have listened to it; you speak of atheism.
नाहं धर्मफलान्वेषी राजपुत्रि चराम्युत ददामि देयमित्येव यजे यष्टव्यमित्युत
M. N. Dutt: O princess, I never act being desirous of the fruits thereof; I distribute (a thing) which should be distributed and I perform a sacrifice which should be performed.
अस्तु वात्र फलं मा वा कर्तव्यं पुरुषेण यत् गृहानावसता कृष्णे यथाशक्ति करोमि तत्
M. N. Dutt: I perform, as best as I can, O Krishna, what a householder should do, not caring for the fruits (of my actions).
धर्मं चरामि सुश्रोणि न धर्मफलकारणात् आगमाननतिक्रम्य सतां वृत्तमवेक्ष्य च धर्म एव मनः कृष्णे स्वभावाच्चैव मे धृतम्
M. N. Dutt: O fair-lady, I act piously not for getting the fruits of virtue but for not transgressing the Vedas and seeing the conduct of the pious.
Supplementary Passages:
3.32.4 K2.3 B Dc1 Dn D4-6 ins. after 4ef (B4, after 4cd): Ś1 K1 D2 (which om. 4ef), after 4cd: *111 धर्मवाणिज्यको हीनो जघन्यो धर्मवादिनाम्
न धर्मफलमाप्नोति यो धर्मं दोग्धुमिच्छति यश्चैनं शङ्कते कृत्वा नास्तिक्यात्पापचेतनः
AI Translation: One who wishes to destroy the Dharma does not attain the fruit of the Dharma. And one who, having done so, doubts it, with a sinful mind due to disbelief,
अतिवादान्मदाच्चैव मा धर्ममतिशङ्किथाः धर्मातिशङ्की पुरुषस्तिर्यग्गतिपरायणः
M. N. Dutt: From the evidence of the Vedas I say, “You should never doubt virtue; the person doubting virtue is destined to be born among the brutes."
धर्मो यस्यातिशङ्क्यः स्यादार्षं वा दुर्बलात्मनः वेदाच्छूद्र इवापेयात्स लोकादजरामरात्
M. N. Dutt: A weak-minded man who doubts religion, virtue and the words of the Rishis, is precluded form the regions of immortality and bliss as the Shudras are from the Vedas.
वेदाध्यायी धर्मपरः कुले जातो यशस्विनि स्थविरेषु स योक्तव्यो राजभिर्धर्मचारिभिः
M. N. Dutt: O large-minded lady, one studying the Vedas, virtuous and born in a high race, (though young) is considered aged by the pious royal saints.
पापीयान्हि स शूद्रेभ्यस्तस्करेभ्यो विशेषतः शास्त्रातिगो मन्दबुद्धिर्यो धर्ममतिशङ्कते
M. N. Dutt: That vicious-minded one, who transgresses the scriptures and doubts virtue is regarded as lower even than the Shudras and robbers.
प्रत्यक्षं हि त्वया दृष्ट ऋषिर्गच्छन्महातपाः मार्कण्डेयोऽप्रमेयात्मा धर्मेण चिरजीविताम्
M. N. Dutt: You have seen with your own eyes the great ascetic Markandeya of incomparable magnanimity come to us who has been rendered immortal by virtue.
व्यासो वसिष्ठो मैत्रेयो नारदो लोमशः शुकः अन्ये च ऋषयः सिद्धा धर्मेणैव सुचेतसः
M. N. Dutt: Vyasa, Vasishtha, Maitreya, Narada Lomasha, Shuka and all other Rishis have become of pure souls by virtue.
प्रत्यक्षं पश्यसि ह्येतान्दिव्ययोगसमन्वितान् शापानुग्रहणे शक्तान्देवैरपि गरीयसः
M. N. Dutt: You yourself see all these endued with celestials asceticism capable of cursing or blessing and superior even to the celestials,
एते हि धर्ममेवादौ वर्णयन्ति सदा मम कर्तव्यममरप्रख्याः प्रत्यक्षागमबुद्धयः
M. N. Dutt: O sinless lady, these sages, equal to the Rishis and who can see what is written in the Vedas, describe virtue as the foremost duty.
अतो नार्हसि कल्याणि धातारं धर्ममेव च रजोमूढेन मनसा क्षेप्तुं शङ्कितुमेव च
M. N. Dutt: You should not, O blessed queen, with a foolish mind either doubt or censure the Providence or (His act).
Supplementary Passages:
3.32.14 Ś1 K1.2 B D (D1.3 missing) ins. after 14 (D2, which om. 14cd, ins. after 14ab): *112 उन्मत्तान्मन्यते बालः सर्वानागतनिश्चयान्
धर्मातिशङ्की नान्यस्मिन्प्रमाणमधिगच्छति आत्मप्रमाण उन्नद्धः श्रेयसो ह्यवमन्यकः
AI Translation: One who is suspicious of Dharma does not attain any other means of knowledge. One who is self-sufficient and arrogant is despised by the wise.
इन्द्रियप्रीतिसंबद्धं यदिदं लोकसाक्षिकम् एतावान्मन्यते बालो मोहमन्यत्र गच्छति
AI Translation: What is witnessed by the world, which is connected with the pleasure of the senses, To that extent the fool thinks, and goes elsewhere in delusion.
प्रायश्चित्तं न तस्यास्ति यो धर्ममतिशङ्कते ध्यायन्स कृपणः पापो न लोकान्प्रतिपद्यते
M. N. Dutt: Whoever, doubts religion has no expatiation of his sin; that wretched and vile person feels anxicty (here) and does not attain to the regions (of bliss) hereafter.
प्रमाणान्यतिवृत्तो हि वेदशास्त्रार्थनिन्दकः कामलोभानुगो मूढो नरकं प्रतिपद्यते
M. N. Dutt: That stupid person, who does not regard evidences, who vilifics the interpretation of the Vedic texts and who commits sin under the influence of lust and covetousness, is doomed to hell.
यस्तु नित्यं कृतमतिर्धर्ममेवाभिपद्यते अशङ्कमानः कल्याणि सोऽमुत्रानन्त्यमश्नुते
M. N. Dutt: O blessed lady, he however, who, with faith and without any doubt follows religion, attains to eternal bliss in the next world.
आर्षं प्रमाणमुत्क्रम्य धर्मानपरिपालयन् सर्वशास्त्रातिगो मूढः शं जन्मसु न विन्दति
M. N. Dutt: That stupid person, who transgresses the evidences of the Rishis, who does not follow religion and who transgresses all the scriptures, never obtains bliss in any life.
Supplementary Passages:
3.32.20 Ś1 K2 B D (D1.3 missing) T2 G2-4 ins. after 20: K1, which om. 20, ins. after 19: *113 यस्य नार्षं प्रमाणं स्याच्छिष्टाचारश्च भामिनि नैव तस्य परो लोको नायमस्तीति निश्चयः
शिष्टैराचरितं धर्मं कृष्णे मा स्मातिशङ्किथाः पुराणमृषिभिः प्रोक्तं सर्वज्ञैः सर्वदर्शिभिः
M. N. Dutt: Doubt not, O Krishna, the ancient religion which is followed by the good and formulated by the omniscient and omnipotent Rishis.
धर्म एव प्लवो नान्यः स्वर्गं द्रौपदि गच्छताम् सैव नौः सागरस्येव वणिजः पारमृच्छतः
M. N. Dutt: O Draupadi, virtue is the only raft and nothingelse to those who wish to go to heaven, like a ship to the merchant wishing to cross the Ocean.
अफालो यदि धर्मः स्याच्चरितो धर्मचारिभिः अप्रतिष्ठे तमस्येतज्जगन्मज्जेदनिन्दिते
M. N. Dutt: O blameless lady, if the pieties practised by the virtuous had no fruits then this world would been enshrouded by infamous darkness.
निर्वाणं नाधिगच्छेयुर्जीवेयुः पशुजीविकाम् विघातेनैव युज्येयुर्न चार्थं किंचिदाप्नुयुः
M. N. Dutt: None would have followed emancipation, none would have cared for the acquisition of knowledge or even of wealth and people would have lived like beasts.
तपश्च ब्रह्मचर्यं च यज्ञः स्वाध्याय एव च दानमार्जवमेतानि यदि स्युरफलानि वै
AI Translation: If austerities, celibacy, sacrifice, study of the Vedas, giving, and honesty were fruitless,
नाचरिष्यन्परे धर्मं परे परतरे च ये विप्रलम्भोऽयमत्यन्तं यदि स्युरफलाः क्रियाः
AI Translation: If the other and the other higher dharmas were not to be practiced, this would be a great deception if actions were fruitless.
ऋषयश्चैव देवाश्च गन्धर्वासुरराक्षसाः ईश्वराः कस्य हेतोस्ते चरेयुर्धर्ममादृताः
AI Translation: And the sages, gods, gandharvas, asuras, and rākṣasas, and the lords, for what reason would they practice the Dharma with respect?
फलदं त्विह विज्ञाय धातारं श्रेयसि ध्रुवे धर्मं ते ह्याचरन्कृष्णे तद्धि धर्मसनातनम्
M. N. Dutt: Considering for certain that Providence is the giver of fruits in virtue, they practise virtues; O Krishna, for them is eternal bliss.
स चायं सफलो धर्मो न धर्मोऽफल उच्यते दृश्यन्तेऽपि हि विद्यानां फलानि तपसां तथा
AI Translation: And this Dharma is fruitful, not fruitless Dharma is said to be. And the fruits of learning and austerities are seen.
त्वय्येतद्वै विजानीहि जन्म कृष्णे यथा श्रुतम् वेत्थ चापि यथा जातो धृष्टद्युम्नः प्रतापवान्
AI Translation: Know from me, O Krishna, the birth of this (son) as I have heard it. And you know how the powerful Dhrishtadyumna was born.
एतावदेव पर्याप्तमुपमानं शुचिस्मिते कर्मणां फलमस्तीति धीरोऽल्पेनापि तुष्यति
M. N. Dutt: These are sufficient proofs, O you of sweet smiles; the self-controlled reap the fruits of acts and are satisfied with a little.
बहुनापि ह्यविद्वांसो नैव तुष्यन्त्यबुद्धयः तेषां न धर्मजं किंचित्प्रेत्य शर्मास्ति कर्म वा
M. N. Dutt: Ignorant and stupid persons are not satisfied even with much and they have no happiness begotten of virtue for them in the next world.
कर्मणामुत पुण्यानां पापानां च फलोदयः प्रभवश्चाप्ययश्चैव देवगुह्यानि भामिनि
M. N. Dutt: The fruits of the holy acts laid down in the Vedas as well as of sinful acts, the root and the destruction of actions, O fair lady, are mysteries even to the celestials,
नैतानि वेद यः कश्चिन्मुह्यन्त्यत्र प्रजा इमाः रक्ष्याण्येतानि देवानां गूढमाया हि देवताः
AI Translation: No one knows these, and the creatures are deluded here. These are to be protected by the gods, for the gods are hidden in their magic.
Supplementary Passages:
3.32.34 After 34ab, Ś1 K1-3 B4 D (D1.3 missing) ins.: *114 अपि कल्पसहस्रेण नरः श्रेयोऽधिगच्छति
कृशाङ्गाः सुव्रताश्चैव तपसा दग्धकिल्बिषाः प्रसन्नैर्मानसैर्युक्ताः पश्यन्त्येतानि वै द्विजाः
M. N. Dutt: These are kept (in secrecy) by the celestials for their illusive energy is mysterious; those Brahmanas that have conquered their aspirations, those that have built up their hopes, those whose sins have been burnt down by ascetic observances, those who have got contented minds, can observe these.
न फलादर्शनाद्धर्मः शङ्कितव्यो न देवताः यष्टव्यं चाप्रमत्तेन दातव्यं चानसूयता
M. N. Dutt: For not seeing the fruit you should not doubt religion or the gods; you should perform sacrifices assiduously and charities without any insolence.
कर्मणां फलमस्तीति तथैतद्धर्म शाश्वतम् ब्रह्मा प्रोवाच पुत्राणां यदृषिर्वेद कश्यपः
M. N. Dutt: Acts have their fruits in this world and virtue is eternal; as said by Kashyapa, Brahma told all this to his sons.
तस्मात्ते संशयः कृष्णे नीहार इव नश्यतु व्यवस्य सर्वमस्तीति नास्तिक्यं भावमुत्सृज
M. N. Dutt: O Krishna, let your doubt be destroyed like dews meditating upon all this. Let your scepticism yield to faith.
ईश्वरं चापि भूतानां धातारं मा विचिक्षिपः शिक्षस्वैनं नमस्वैनं मा ते भूद्बुद्धिरीदृशी
M. N. Dutt: Do not speak ill of God who is the lord of all creatures; learn to know him; bow to him; let not your understanding be such.
यस्य प्रसादात्तद्भक्तो मर्त्यो गच्छत्यमर्त्यताम् उत्तमं दैवतं कृष्णे मातिवोचः कथंचन
M. N. Dutt: Never disregard that Supreme being, Krishna, by whose mercy the mortals, by pious observances, become immortals.