Critical Edition
द्रौपद्युवाच नावमन्ये न गर्हे च धर्मं पार्थ कथंचन ईश्वरं कुत एवाहमवमंस्ये प्रजापतिम्
M. N. Dutt: Draupadi said : I never disregard or speak ill of religion, O son of Pritha; why should I disregard God, the lord of creations?
आर्ताहं प्रलपामीदमिति मां विद्धि भारत भूयश्च विलपिष्यामि सुमनास्तन्निबोध मे
M. N. Dutt: O descendant of Bharata, consider me raving as being stricken with misery, listen to me, I shall again bewail.
कर्म खल्विह कर्तव्यं जातेनामित्रकर्शन अकर्माणो हि जीवन्ति स्थावरा नेतरे जनाः
M. N. Dutt: O represser of enemies, forsooth every conscious being should engage in actions in this world; it is only the immobile and not even other creatures that can live without action.
आ मातृस्तनपानाच्च यावच्छय्योपसर्पणम् जङ्गमाः कर्मणा वृत्तिमाप्नुवन्ति युधिष्ठिर
M. N. Dutt: Immediately after the birth the calf sucks the mother's teat. (People feel distress) as soon as incantations are performed on their statues; the creatures, O Yudhishthira, deserve the character of their lives according to pristine actions.
जङ्गमेषु विशेषेण मनुष्या भरतर्षभ इच्छन्ति कर्मणा वृत्तिमवाप्तुं प्रेत्य चेह च
M. N. Dutt: O foremost of Bharatas, this is the difference of man from mobile creatures, that he aspires to like his course of life both in this world and in the next by means of his acts.
उत्थानमभिजानन्ति सर्वभूतानि भारत प्रत्यक्षं फलमश्नन्ति कर्मणां लोकसाक्षिकम्
M. N. Dutt: O descendant of Bharata, all creatures perceive the impression of the pristine life and they visibly reap in this world the fruits of their acts.
पश्यामि स्वं समुत्थानमुपजीवन्ति जन्तवः अपि धाता विधाता च यथायमुदके बकः
M. N. Dutt: All creatures live according to the impression of the pristine life, even the creatures and the ordainers of the universe like a crane that lives on the water.
Supplementary Passages:
3.33.7 After 7, N (K4 D1 missing) T2 G1.3 ins.: *115 अकर्मणां वै भूतानां वृत्तिः स्यान्न हि काचन तदेवाभिप्रपद्येत न विहन्यात्कथंचन
स्वकर्म कुरु मा ग्लासीः कर्मणा भव दंशितः कृत्यं हि योऽभिजानाति सहस्रे नास्ति सोऽस्ति वा
M. N. Dutt: You should therefore act and never incur censure by leaving affection; cover yourself with action as with an armour. There might not be one in a thousand who does not truly understand the utility of work.
तस्य चापि भवेत्कार्यं विवृद्धौ रक्षणे तथा भक्ष्यमाणो ह्यनावापः क्षीयते हिमवानपि
M. N. Dutt: One should act either for increasing or protecting his wealth; if spent without being earned it vanishes although it be like (the mount) Himavana.
उत्सीदेरन्प्रजाः सर्वा न कुर्युः कर्म चेद्यदि अपि चाप्यफलं कर्म पश्यामः कुर्वतो जनान् नान्यथा ह्यभिजानन्ति वृत्तिं लोके कथंचन
M. N. Dutt: It is sometimes observed that creatures perform acts that give them no fruits; for without action the course of life would be an impossibility.
Supplementary Passages:
3.33.10 After 10ab, Ś1 K1.3 B4 Dc Dn D2.3.5 ins.: *116 तथा ह्येता न वर्धेरन्कर्म चेदफलं भवेत्
यश्च दिष्टपरो लोके यश्चायं हठवादकः उभावपसदावेतौ कर्मबुद्धिः प्रशस्यते
M. N. Dutt: Whoever in this world believe in Destiny and whoever in chance are both the worst of people; those only are praiseworthy who believe in the efficacy of acts.
यो हि दिष्टमुपासीनो निर्विचेष्टः सुखं स्वपेत् अवसीदेत्सुदुर्बुद्धिरामो घट इवाम्भसि
M. N. Dutt: He, who has been at ease without any action and believing in Destiny, is soon consumed like an unburnt earthen pot in water.
तथैव हठबुद्धिर्यः शक्तः कर्मण्यकर्मकृत् आसीत न चिरं जीवेदनाथ इव दुर्बलः
M. N. Dutt: So also that man, who believes in chance and who, though capable of work, does not work, does not live long, for his life is one of weakness and helplessness.
अकस्मादपि यः कश्चिदर्थं प्राप्नोति पूरुषः तं हठेनेति मन्यन्ते स हि यत्नो न कस्यचित्
M. N. Dutt: If a person in the world attains, by accident, to an accession of wealth-people consider it derived from chance for none has tried for it.
यच्चापि किंचित्पुरुषो दिष्टं नाम लभत्युत दैवेन विधिना पार्थ तद्दैवमिति निश्चितम्
M. N. Dutt: O son of Pritha, whatever good fortune a person acquires in consequence of religious rites is called Providential.
यत्स्वयं कर्मणा किंचित्फलमाप्नोति पूरुषः प्रत्यक्षं चक्षुषा दृष्टं तत्पौरुषमिति स्मृतम्
M. N. Dutt: The fruit, that a person reaps by acting himself and which is the direct outcome of his actions, is considered as a proof of manliness.
स्वभावतः प्रवृत्तोऽन्यः प्राप्नोत्यर्थानकारणात् तत्स्वभावात्मकं विद्धि फलं पुरुषसत्तम
M. N. Dutt: Of best of men, know that the riches acquired spontaneously and without cause are considered as a spontaneous acquisition.
एवं हठाच्च दैवाच्च स्वभावात्कर्मणस्तथा यानि प्राप्नोति पुरुषस्तत्फलं पूर्वकर्मणः
M. N. Dutt: Whatever is thus acquired accidentally, providentially or spontaneously by a person is the outcome of his pristine actions.
धातापि हि स्वकर्मैव तैस्तैर्हेतुभिरीश्वरः विदधाति विभज्येह फलं पूर्वकृतं नृणाम्
M. N. Dutt: And judging according to their pristine actions, the good and bad, the ordainer of the universe distributes among men, their portions in this world.
यद्ध्ययं पुरुषः किंचित्कुरुते वै शुभाशुभम् तद्धातृविहितं विद्धि पूर्वकर्मफलोदयम्
M. N. Dutt: Know that whatever actions, either good or bad, that a person performs are the outcome of God's arrangements with reference to their pristine actions.
कारणं तस्य देहोऽयं धातुः कर्मणि कर्मणि स यथा प्रेरयत्येनं तथायं कुरुतेऽवशः
M. N. Dutt: This body is the instrument of God for actions; inert in itself, it performs what is urged on by God.
तेषु तेषु हि कृत्येषु विनियोक्ता महेश्वरः सर्वभूतानि कौन्तेय कारयत्यवशान्यपि
M. N. Dutt: O son of Kunti, it is the supreme Lord of all who makes all creatures do what they do, though they themselves are all inert.
मनसार्थान्विनिश्चित्य पश्चात्प्राप्नोति कर्मणा बुद्धिपूर्वं स्वयं धीरः पुरुषस्तत्र कारणम्
M. N. Dutt: O hero, having settled upon some object in mind, a man carries it out into action aided by his intelligence; man is himself therefore the cause.
संख्यातुं नैव शक्यानि कर्माणि पुरुषर्षभ अगारनगराणां हि सिद्धिः पुरुषहैतुकी
AI Translation: The deeds of the bull among men cannot be counted. The success of houses and cities is due to men.
तिले तैलं गवि क्षीरं काष्ठे पावकमन्ततः धिया धीरो विजानीयादुपायं चास्य सिद्धये
AI Translation: Oil is in sesamum, milk is in a cow, fire is in wood, The wise man should know the means for its accomplishment.
ततः प्रवर्तते पश्चात्करणेष्वस्य सिद्धये तां सिद्धिमुपजीवन्ति कर्मणामिह जन्तवः
M. N. Dutt: Thereupon they set themselves, by instruinents, to accomplishing them; and creatures maintain their lives by the results acquired in these directions by their own acts.
कुशलेन कृतं कर्म कर्त्रा साधु विनिश्चितम् इदं त्वकुशलेनेति विशेषादुपलभ्यते
M. N. Dutt: If a work is done by a clever work-man it is done well; from the difference in execution another work may be said to be that of an unskilled hand.
इष्टापूर्तफलं न स्यान्न शिष्यो न गुरुर्भवेत् पुरुषः कर्मसाध्येषु स्याच्चेदयमकारणम्
M. N. Dutt: If a person were not himself the instrument of his acts, the sacrifices would not bear any fruits in his case nor would anybody be a disciple or preceptor.
कर्तृत्वादेव पुरुषः कर्मसिद्धौ प्रशस्यते असिद्धौ निन्द्यते चापि कर्मनाशः कथं त्विह
M. N. Dutt: It is because a person is himself the instrument of his action that he is praised when or he acquires success, so the doer is censured when he is unsuccessful; nothing else exists.
सर्वमेव हठेनैके दिष्टेनैके वदन्त्युत पुरुषप्रयत्नजं केचित्त्रैधमेतन्निरुच्यते
AI Translation: Some say that everything is due to force alone, others say that it is due to destiny alone. Some say that it is due to the effort of the person. This is said to be threefold.
न चैवैतावता कार्यं मन्यन्त इति चापरे अस्ति सर्वमदृश्यं तु दिष्टं चैव तथा हठः दृश्यते हि हठाच्चैव दिष्टाच्चार्थस्य संततिः
AI Translation: And others do not think that this is enough. There is everything, but it is invisible, and also destiny and force. For the continuity of a thing is seen by force and by destiny
किंचिद्दैवाद्धठात्किंचित्किंचिदेव स्वकर्मतः पुरुषः फलमाप्नोति चतुर्थं नात्र कारणम् कुशलाः प्रतिजानन्ति ये तत्त्वविदुषो जनाः
M. N. Dutt: It is seen that wealth proceeds from chance Destiny; something accidental and something natural. In the acquisition of fruits for a man, there is not the fourth cause; this is said by those who are cognizant of truth and well-versed in knowledge.
तथैव धाता भूतानामिष्टानिष्टफलप्रदः यदि न स्यान्न भूतानां कृपणो नाम कश्चन
M. N. Dutt: If God himself were not the bestower of good or bad fruits then among creatures there would not be any miserable being.
यं यमर्थमभिप्रेप्सुः कुरुते कर्म पूरुषः तत्तत्सफलमेव स्याद्यदि न स्यात्पुराकृतम्
M. N. Dutt: If pristine actions had no existence then all purposes for which a man would work should prove successful.
त्रिद्वारामर्थसिद्धिं तु नानुपश्यन्ति ये नराः तथैवानर्थसिद्धिं च यथा लोकास्तथैव ते
M. N. Dutt: Those persons, who do not observe these three doors for the accomplishment of objects as well as for the failure, are dull and exist like the body itself.
कर्तव्यं त्वेव कर्मेति मनोरेष विनिश्चयः एकान्तेन ह्यनीहोऽयं पराभवति पूरुषः
M. N. Dutt: Man should always act; for this is the conclusion of Manu; a person that does not act is always defeated.
Supplementary Passages:
3.33.36 After 36ab, M1 ins.: *117 आ मृत्योः श्रियमन्विच्छेन्नैनां मन्येत दुर्लभाम् After 36, S (except G4) ins.: *118 तत्तु निःसंशयं न स्यात्त्वय्यकर्मण्यवस्थिते
कुर्वतो हि भवत्येव प्रायेणेह युधिष्ठिर एकान्तफलसिद्धिं तु न विन्दत्यलसः क्वचित्
M. N. Dutt: A man of action in this world, O Yudhishthira, generally meets with success; the idle however never acquire success.
असंभवे त्वस्य हेतुः प्रायश्चित्तं तु लक्ष्यते कृते कर्मणि राजेन्द्र तथानृण्यमवाप्यते
M. N. Dutt: If success becomes impossible a person should remove the difficulties; when engaged in action, O king, he is freed from debts (whether he is successful or not).
अलक्ष्मीराविशत्येनं शयानमलसं नरम् निःसंशयं फलं लब्ध्वा दक्षो भूतिमुपाश्नुते
M. N. Dutt: Adversity overpowers a person who is idle and lies down, whereas whoever is active reaps success and enjoys prosperity.
अनर्थं संशयावस्थं वृण्वते मुक्तसंशयाः धीरा नराः कर्मरता न तु निःसंशयं क्वचित्
M. N. Dutt: Intelligent persons engaged confidently in acts consider all who are diffident as doubting and unsuccessful.
एकान्तेन ह्यनर्थोऽयं वर्ततेऽस्मासु सांप्रतम् न तु निःसंशयं न स्यात्त्वयि कर्मण्यवस्थिते
M. N. Dutt: Now we are overtaken by misfortune and if you engage in action this misfortune will certainly be removed.
अथ वा सिद्धिरेव स्यान्महिमा तु तथैव ते वृकोदरस्य बीभत्सोर्भ्रात्रोश्च यमयोरपि
M. N. Dutt: Even if you are unsuccessful it shall be proved to you. Vrikodara, Vivatsu and the twins (that you are unable to take the kingdom).
अन्येषां कर्म सफलमस्माकमपि वा पुनः विप्रकर्षेण बुध्येत कृतकर्मा यथा फलम्
M. N. Dutt: The actions of others have been seen crowned with success and ours might be as well; how can one, performing action, perceive beforehand what would be the result?
पृथिवीं लाङ्गलेनैव भित्त्वा बीजं वपत्युत आस्तेऽथ कर्षकस्तूष्णीं पर्जन्यस्तत्र कारणम्
M. N. Dutt: Having tilled the ground with plough one sows the seeds; the tiller then sits silent (for) the clouds are the next cause.
वृष्टिश्चेन्नानुगृह्णीयादनेनास्तत्र कर्षकः यदन्यः पुरुषः कुर्यात्कृतं तत्सकलं मया
M. N. Dutt: If however the clouds do not favour him the cultivator is not to blame-he says :-"I have done what others do."
तच्चेदफलमस्माकं नापराधोऽस्ति नः क्वचित् इति धीरोऽन्ववेक्ष्यैव नात्मानं तत्र गर्हयेत्
M. N. Dutt: If however I do not meet with success I am not to blame thinking this he contents himself and does not reproach himself.
कुर्वतो नार्थसिद्धिर्मे भवतीति ह भारत निर्वेदो नात्र गन्तव्यो द्वावेतौ ह्यस्य कर्मणः सिद्धिर्वाप्यथ वासिद्धिरप्रवृत्तिरतोऽन्यथा
AI Translation: O descendant of Bharata, I do not attain success in my purpose by doing this. One should not be discouraged in this, for these two are the results of this action: Success or failure, or else inactivity, in any other way.
बहूनां समवाये हि भावानां कर्म सिध्यति गुणाभावे फलं न्यूनं भवत्यफलमेव वा अनारम्भे तु न फलं न गुणो दृश्यतेऽच्युत
AI Translation: For when many things come together, an action is accomplished. When there is no quality, the result is diminished or non-existent. But without beginning, no result or quality is seen, O Achyuta.
देशकालावुपायांश्च मङ्गलं स्वस्ति वृद्धये युनक्ति मेधया धीरो यथाशक्ति यथाबलम्
M. N. Dutt: The man is by his intelligence and according to his might and power, brings place, time, means and auspicious rites for the acquisition of prosperity.
अप्रमत्तेन तत्कार्यमुपदेष्टा पराक्रमः भूयिष्ठं कर्मयोगेषु सर्व एव पराक्रमः
M. N. Dutt: One should assiduously engage in action, his guide being his prowess; among the qualities necessary for action energy is the foremost.
यं तु धीरोऽन्ववेक्षेत श्रेयांसं बहुभिर्गुणैः साम्नैवार्थं ततो लिप्सेत्कर्म चास्मै प्रयोजयेत्
M. N. Dutt: If an intelligent man finds his enemy superior to him in many qualities he should accomplish his object by the arts of conciliation and proper appliances.
व्यसनं वास्य काङ्क्षेत विनाशं वा युधिष्ठिर अपि सिन्धोर्गिरेर्वापि किं पुनर्मर्त्यधर्मिणः
M. N. Dutt: O Yudhishthira, he should wish for the calamity and banishment (of his foe), what of mortal men, even he be an ocean or a mountain.
उत्थानयुक्तः सततं परेषामन्तरैषणे आनृण्यमाप्नोति नरः परस्यात्मन एव च
M. N. Dutt: A person, by actively praying into the holes of his enemy, satisfies a debt to himself as well as to his enemies.
न चैवात्मावमन्तव्यः पुरुषेण कदाचन न ह्यात्मपरिभूतस्य भूतिर्भवति भारत
M. N. Dutt: A man should never think ill of himself; whoever thinks ill of himself never earnis splendid prosperity.
एवं संस्थितिका सिद्धिरियं लोकस्य भारत चित्रा सिद्धिगतिः प्रोक्ता कालावस्थाविभागतः
M. N. Dutt: O descendant of Bharata, the success of persons is thus situated; it is said that the course of success depends upon time and situation.
ब्राह्मणं मे पिता पूर्वं वासयामास पण्डितम् सोऽस्मा अर्थमिमं प्राह पित्रे मे भरतर्षभ
AI Translation: My father had previously made a wise brahmin live with me. He told my father this matter, O bull among the Bharatas.
नीतिं बृहस्पतिप्रोक्तां भ्रातॄन्मेऽग्राहयत्पुरा तेषां सांकथ्यमश्रौषमहमेतत्तदा गृहे
AI Translation: He made his brothers listen to the policy spoken by Brihaspati in the past. I heard that Sankhya in his house at that time.
स मां राजन्कर्मवतीमागतामाह सान्त्वयन् शुश्रूषमाणामासीनां पितुरङ्के युधिष्ठिर
M. N. Dutt: O king, O Yudhishthira, he said this to me, consoling, who had approached my father for some work and who for serving was seated on my father's lap.