Critical Edition
मार्कण्डेय उवाच धर्मव्याधस्तु निपुणं पुनरेव युधिष्ठिर विप्रर्षभमुवाचेदं सर्वधर्मभृतां वरः
M. N. Dutt: Markandeya said : O Yudhishthira, that foremost of all virtuous men, that pious fowler, then skillfully thus again spoke to that best of Brahmanas.
श्रुतिप्रमाणो धर्मो हि वृद्धानामिति भाषितम् सूक्ष्मा गतिर्हि धर्मस्य बहुशाखा ह्यनन्तिका
M. N. Dutt: The Fowler said: It is ordained by the old as found in the Shruti that the ways of virtue are subtle, diverse and infinite.
प्राणात्यये विवाहे च वक्तव्यमनृतं भवेत् अनृतं च भवेत्सत्यं सत्यं चैवानृतं भवेत्
M. N. Dutt: In life being at risk and in marriage, it is proper to speak an untruth. Sometimes by untruth, truth is maintained and by truth untruth is maintained.
यद्भूतहितमत्यन्तं तत्सत्यमिति धारणा विपर्ययकृतोऽधर्मः पश्य धर्मस्य सूक्ष्मताम्
M. N. Dutt: Whatever conduces to the greatest good of all creatures is considered to be the truth. Virtue is thus perverted. Do you mark its subtle ways?
Supplementary Passages:
3.200.4 After 4, G2 ins.: *1021 यत्करोत्यशुभं कर्म पश्य धर्मस्य सूक्ष्मताम्
यत्करोत्यशुभं कर्म शुभं वा द्विजसत्तम अवश्यं तत्समाप्नोति पुरुषो नात्र संशयः
AI Translation: Whatever good or bad deed a brahmin does, a man certainly attains it, there is no doubt.
Supplementary Passages:
3.200.5 After 5ab, T1 ins.: *1022 अस्य कर्तुर्गतिं सर्वां वक्ष्यामि द्विजसत्तम
विषमां च दशां प्राप्य देवान्गर्हति वै भृशम् आत्मनः कर्मदोषाणि न विजानात्यपण्डितः
AI Translation: Having fallen into an uneven state, he severely reproaches the gods. The ignorant one does not know the faults of his own actions.
मूढो नैकृतिकश्चापि चपलश्च द्विजोत्तम सुखदुःखविपर्यासो यदा समुपपद्यते नैनं प्रज्ञा सुनीतं वा त्रायते नैव पौरुषम्
M. N. Dutt: O foremost of Brahmanas, the foolish men, designing men and the fickle men attain the very reverse of happiness or misery.
Supplementary Passages:
3.200.7 T G1.4 M ins. after 7: G2 (which om. 6a-7b) ins. after 5: *1023 शुभं बध्नाति वै कर्म पुरुषः पापनिश्चयः
यो यमिच्छेद्यथा कामं तं तं कामं समश्नुयात् यदि स्यादपराधीनं पुरुषस्य क्रियाफलम्
AI Translation: If a man's action were independent of another, he would obtain whatever he desires, as he wishes. If the fruit of an action were independent of another,
संयताश्चापि दक्षाश्च मतिमन्तश्च मानवाः दृश्यन्ते निष्फलाः सन्तः प्रहीणाः सर्वकर्मभिः
AI Translation: Those who are restrained, skilled, and wise, are seen to be fruitless, abandoned by all actions.
भूतानामपरः कश्चिद्धिंसायां सततोत्थितः वञ्चनायां च लोकस्य स सुखेनेह जीवति
AI Translation: There is another being who is always ready to kill and deceive the world. He lives happily in this world.
अचेष्टमानमासीनं श्रीः कंचिदुपतिष्ठति कश्चित्कर्माणि कुर्वन्हि न प्राप्यमधिगच्छति
AI Translation: Fortune attends him who sits still and does nothing, but he who acts, never attains what he seeks.
देवानिष्ट्वा तपस्तप्त्वा कृपणैः पुत्रगृद्धिभिः दशमासधृता गर्भे जायन्ते कुलपांसनाः
AI Translation: Having not worshipped the gods, having not performed austerities, out of greed for sons, They are born after being carried in the womb for ten months, defiling the family.
अपरे धनधान्यैश्च भोगैश्च पितृसंचितैः विपुलैरभिजायन्ते लब्धास्तैरेव मङ्गलैः
AI Translation: Others are born with great wealth, grain, and enjoyments accumulated by their ancestors, and obtain those auspicious things.
Supplementary Passages:
3.200.13 After 13, S (except G3) ins.: *1024 न देहजा मनुष्याणां व्याधयो द्विजसत्तम
कर्मजा हि मनुष्याणां रोगा नास्त्यत्र संशयः आधिभिश्चैव बाध्यन्ते व्याधैः क्षुद्रमृगा इव
AI Translation: For there is no doubt that human beings are afflicted by diseases caused by karma. They are afflicted by mental afflictions, like small animals by diseases.
ते चापि कुशलैर्वैद्यैर्निपुणैः संभृतौषधैः व्याधयो विनिवार्यन्ते मृगा व्याधैरिव द्विज
AI Translation: And those diseases are warded off by skillful physicians who have gathered medicines.
येषामस्ति च भोक्तव्यं ग्रहणीदोषपीडिताः न शक्नुवन्ति ते भोक्तुं पश्य धर्मभृतां वर
AI Translation: Those who have something to eat but are afflicted by indigestion are unable to eat. Look, O best of Dharma-holders!
अपरे बाहुबलिनः क्लिश्यन्ते बहवो जनाः दुःखेन चाधिगच्छन्ति भोजनं द्विजसत्तम
AI Translation: Others, who are strong in arms, suffer much. And, O best of Brahmanas, they obtain food with difficulty.
इति लोकमनाक्रन्दं मोहशोकपरिप्लुतम् स्रोतसासकृदाक्षिप्तं ह्रियमाणं बलीयसा
AI Translation: Thus the world, overwhelmed by delusion and grief, is repeatedly dragged into the stream, being carried away by the stronger one.
न म्रियेयुर्न जीर्येयुः सर्वे स्युः सार्वकामिकाः नाप्रियं प्रतिपश्येयुर्वशित्वं यदि वै भवेत्
AI Translation: May all beings not die, not age, and be endowed with all they desire, If only they could have mastery, they would not see anything unpleasant.
उपर्युपरि लोकस्य सर्वो गन्तुं समीहते यतते च यथाशक्ति न च तद्वर्तते तथा
AI Translation: All the people of the world are eager to go higher and higher, and they strive to the best of their ability, but it does not happen that way.
बहवः संप्रदृश्यन्ते तुल्यनक्षत्रमङ्गलाः महच्च फलवैषम्यं दृश्यते कर्मसंधिषु
M. N. Dutt: Many persons are born under the influence of the same star and the same auspicious good luck, but a great diversity is observed in all their actions.
Supplementary Passages:
3.200.21 After 21, D1-3 ins.: *1025 वहन्ति शिबिकामन्ये यान्त्यन्ये शिबिकागताः
न कश्चिदीशते ब्रह्मन्स्वयंग्राहस्य सत्तम कर्मणां प्राकृतानां वै इह सिद्धिः प्रदृश्यते
M. N. Dutt: O Brahmana, O excellent one, none can be the dispenser of his own destiny. The actions done in a former life is seen to produce fruits in this life.
यथा श्रुतिरियं ब्रह्मञ्जीवः किल सनातनः शरीरमध्रुवं लोके सर्वेषां प्राणिनामिह
M. N. Dutt: O Brahmana, it is said in the everlasting Shruti that the soul is eternal and everlasting, but the bodies of all creatures are liable to be destroyed here (in this world).
वध्यमाने शरीरे तु देहनाशो भवत्युत जीवः संक्रमतेऽन्यत्र कर्मबन्धनिबन्धनः
M. N. Dutt: Thereupon when death occurs, only the body is destroyed, but the spirit bound in the bonds of actions goes elsewhere.
ब्राह्मण उवाच कथं धर्मभृतां श्रेष्ठ जीवो भवति शाश्वतः एतदिच्छाम्यहं ज्ञातुं तत्त्वेन वदतां वर
M. N. Dutt: The Brahmana said: O excellent one, learned in the mystery of Karma, O foremost of speakers, how does the spirit become eternal? I desire to hear this in detail.
व्याध उवाच न जीवनाशोऽस्ति हि देहभेदे; मिथ्यैतदाहुर्म्रियतेति मूढाः जीवस्तु देहान्तरितः प्रयाति; दशार्धतैवास्य शरीरभेदः
M. N. Dutt: The Fowler said : The spirit does not die, in death it simply has a change of abode. They are mistaken who foolishly say that all creatures are to die. The are never soul only goes to another body and its this change of abode is called the Death.
अन्यो हि नाश्नाति कृतं हि कर्म; स एव कर्ता सुखदुःखभागी यत्तेन किंचिद्धि कृतं हि कर्म; तदश्नुते नास्ति कृतस्य नाशः
M. N. Dutt: In the world of men none reaps the fruits of another man's Karma. Whatever one does, he is sure to reap the fruits of his own actions, for the consequences of Karma destroyed.
अपुण्यशीलाश्च भवन्ति पुण्या; नरोत्तमाः पापकृतो भवन्ति नरोऽनुयातस्त्विह कर्मभिः स्वै;स्ततः समुत्पद्यति भावितस्तैः
M. N. Dutt: The virtuous become endued with great virtue and the sinful become the perpetrators of wicked deeds. Men's actions follow them and influenced by these (fruits of his actions) they are born again.
ब्राह्मण उवाच कथं संभवते योनौ कथं वा पुण्यपापयोः जातीः पुण्या ह्यपुण्याश्च कथं गच्छति सत्तम
M. N. Dutt: The Brahmana said: Why does the soul take its birth and how does it become sinful or virtuous? O excellent one, how does it come to belong to a sinful or virtuous man?
व्याध उवाच गर्भाधानसमायुक्तं कर्मेदं संप्रदृश्यते समासेन तु ते क्षिप्रं प्रवक्ष्यामि द्विजोत्तम
M. N. Dutt: The Fowler said: This mystery belongs to the subject of procreation, but I shall briefly describe it to you. O foremost of Brahmanas, the soul is again born with its accumulated load of Karina, the virtuous ones in the virtuous and the sinful ones in the sinful.
यथा संभृतसंभारः पुनरेव प्रजायते शुभकृच्छुभयोनीषु पापकृत्पापयोनिषु
AI Translation: Just as one who has accumulated the requisites is reborn again, The doer of good in the wombs of the good, the doer of evil in the wombs of the evil,
शुभैः प्रयोगैर्देवत्वं व्यामिश्रैर्मानुषो भवेत् मोहनीयैर्वियोनीषु त्वधोगामी च किल्बिषैः
M. N. Dutt: By performing (only) virtuous actions, it attains to the state of the celestials. By a combination of good and bad (actions), it acquires the state of human beings. By indulging in sensuality and similar vicious propensities, it is born as lower animals and by sinful acts it goes to hell.
जातिमृत्युजरादुःखैः सततं समभिद्रुतः संसारे पच्यमानश्च दोषैरात्मकृतैर्नरः
M. N. Dutt: Afflicted with the miseries of birth, death and dotage, man is destined to rot here (on earth) from the evil effects of his own actions (in a previous birth).
तिर्यग्योनिसहस्राणि गत्वा नरकमेव च जीवाः संपरिवर्तन्ते कर्मबन्धनिबन्धनाः
M. N. Dutt: Passing through hell and also through thousands of various births, our souls bound by the bonds of their own Karma travel (for everlasting time).
जन्तुस्तु कर्मभिस्तैस्तैः स्वकृतैः प्रेत्य दुःखितः तद्दुःखप्रतिघातार्थमपुण्यां योनिमश्नुते
M. N. Dutt: Animate creatures become miserable in the next world from their own actions and as the result of those miseries they are (again) born as lower animals.
ततः कर्म समादत्ते पुनरन्यन्नवं बहु पच्यते तु पुनस्तेन भुक्त्वापथ्यमिवातुरः
M. N. Dutt: Then they again accumulate a new store of actions and consequently they suffer misery over again, as does a discased man who eats unwholesome food.
अजस्रमेव दुःखार्तोऽदुःखितः सुखसंज्ञितः ततोऽनिवृत्तबन्धत्वात्कर्मणामुदयादपि परिक्रामति संसारे चक्रवद्बहुवेदनः
M. N. Dutt: Although they are thus afflicted with misery, they consider themselves to be (very) happy and comfortable; and consequently their bonds (of Karma) are not loosened and new Karma thus again arises.
स चेन्निवृत्तबन्धस्तु विशुद्धश्चापि कर्मभिः प्राप्नोति सुकृताँल्लोकान्यत्र गत्वा न शोचति
M. N. Dutt: By casting off their bonds (of Karma) and by purifying Karma, men attain those regions of bliss where misery is unknown.
Supplementary Passages:
3.200.38 After 38ab, all MSS. (except D1.3.5 T1 G1; K1.2 om. line 2) ins.: *1026 तपोयोगसमारम्भं कुरुते द्विजसत्तम कर्मभिर्बहुभिश्चापि लोकानश्नाति मानवः
पापं कुर्वन्पापवृत्तः पापस्यान्तं न गच्छति तस्मात्पुण्यं यतेत्कर्तुं वर्जयेत च पातकम्
M. N. Dutt: The sinful man who is addicted to vices never comes to the end of his course of inequities. Therefore we must do what is virtuous and forbear from doing what is sinful.
Supplementary Passages:
3.200.39 After 39ab, G2.4 ins.: *1027 पुण्यं कुर्वन्पुण्यवृत्तः पुण्यस्यान्तं न गच्छति
अनसूयुः कृतज्ञश्च कल्याणान्येव सेवते सुखानि धर्ममर्थं च स्वर्गं च लभते नरः
M. N. Dutt: Whoever with a heart full of gratitude and free from malice try to do what is good, obtain wealth, virtue, happiness and heaven.
संस्कृतस्य हि दान्तस्य नियतस्य यतात्मनः प्राज्ञस्यानन्तरा वृत्तिरिह लोके परत्र च
M. N. Dutt: Those who are freed from sin, those who are wise, forbearing, righteous and self-controlled enjoy continuous bliss in this world and in the world next.
सतां धर्मेण वर्तेत क्रियां शिष्टवदाचरेत् असंक्लेशेन लोकस्य वृत्तिं लिप्सेत वै द्विज
AI Translation: One should conduct oneself according to the dharma of the good, and perform actions according to the good. O Brahmin, one should seek to live in the world without affliction.
सन्ति ह्यागतविज्ञानाः शिष्टाः शास्त्रविचक्षणाः स्वधर्मेण क्रिया लोके कर्मणः सोऽप्यसंकरः
AI Translation: There are the good who have come to know, who are learned in the scriptures, By their own duty, the action in the world, that also is the non-mixture of action.
प्राज्ञो धर्मेण रमते धर्मं चैवोपजीवति तस्य धर्मादवाप्तेषु धनेषु द्विजसत्तम तस्यैव सिञ्चते मूलं गुणान्पश्यति यत्र वै
M. N. Dutt: The wise man delights in virtue and he lives by virtue. O foremost of Brahmanas, such a man with the wealth of virtue which he thus acquires waters the root of the plant (particular righteousness) in which he finds most virtue. The virtuous man thus acts and his mind becomes thus calin.
Supplementary Passages:
3.200.44 After 44ab, M ins.: *1028 धर्मेण वृत्तिं कुरुते धर्मं चैव प्रशंसति
धर्मात्मा भवति ह्येवं चित्तं चास्य प्रसीदति स मैत्रजनसंतुष्ट इह प्रेत्य च नन्दति
AI Translation: Thus he becomes one who has Dharma in his soul, and his mind becomes serene. He is pleased with the welfare of others, and rejoices here and hereafter.
शब्दं स्पर्शं तथा रूपं गन्धानिष्टांश्च सत्तम प्रभुत्वं लभते चापि धर्मस्यैतत्फलं विदुः
AI Translation: The best of men, he obtains sound, touch, form, smell, and what is desired. And he obtains mastery. This is known to be the fruit of Dharma.
धर्मस्य च फलं लब्ध्वा न तृप्यति महाद्विज अतृप्यमाणो निर्वेदमादत्ते ज्ञानचक्षुषा
AI Translation: Having obtained the fruit of Dharma, O great Brāhmaṇa, he is not satisfied. Not being satisfied, he attains disgust with the eye of knowledge.
प्रज्ञाचक्षुर्नर इह दोषं नैवानुरुध्यते विरज्यति यथाकामं न च धर्मं विमुञ्चति
AI Translation: The wise one, with the eye of wisdom, does not become attached to faults here. He becomes detached as he wishes, and does not abandon the Dharma.
सर्वत्यागे च यतते दृष्ट्वा लोकं क्षयात्मकम् ततो मोक्षे प्रयतते नानुपायादुपायतः
AI Translation: And he strives for the renunciation of all, seeing the world as subject to destruction. Then he strives for liberation, not without means, but with means.
एवं निर्वेदमादत्ते पापं कर्म जहाति च धार्मिकश्चापि भवति मोक्षं च लभते परम्
AI Translation: Thus he becomes disgusted, abandons sinful deeds, and becomes righteous, and attains the supreme liberation.
तपो निःश्रेयसं जन्तोस्तस्य मूलं शमो दमः तेन सर्वानवाप्नोति कामान्यान्मनसेच्छति
AI Translation: Penance is the means of attaining the highest good for creatures. Its root is self-control and self-restraint. By it one attains all desires and other things one wishes for.
इन्द्रियाणां निरोधेन सत्येन च दमेन च ब्रह्मणः पदमाप्नोति यत्परं द्विजसत्तम
M. N. Dutt: By this means he obtains all the objects of his desire. By subduing his senses and by means of truthfulness and forbearness, O foremost of Brahmanas, he obtains the supreme state of Brahma.
ब्राह्मण उवाच इन्द्रियाणि तु यान्याहुः कानि तानि यतव्रत निग्रहश्च कथं कार्यो निग्रहस्य च किं फलम्
M. N. Dutt: The Brahmana said: O foremost of all virtuous and vowobserving men, you talk of the senses; what are they? How might they be subdued? What is the good of subduing them? How does a creature obtain the fruits of doing it? I eagerly desire to kuow all about these matters.
कथं च फलमाप्नोति तेषां धर्मभृतां वर एतदिच्छामि तत्त्वेन धर्मं ज्ञातुं सुधार्मिक
AI Translation: How do they attain the fruit, O best of the upholders of Dharma? I wish to know this truth, O very righteous one.