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Mahābhārata • Parva 12 (Śāntiparva) • Adhyāya 74

Śāntiparva Adhyāya 74

शान्तिपर्व • अध्यायः 74

Śāntiparva Adhyāya 74 of the classical Mahābhārata with 33 verses.

Total: 33 Verses • Citations: MBh 12.74.1–33 • 250 Lexicon Terms
राज्ञा पुरोहितः कार्यो भवेद्विद्वान्बहुश्रुतः । उभौ समीक्ष्य धर्मार्थावप्रमेयावनन्तरम् ॥
English Translation
Bhishma said The king, observing both religious merit and profit which are very intricate, should, forthwith, appoint a priest learned and acquainted intimately with the Vedas and the (other) scriptures.
धर्मात्मा धर्मविद्येषां राज्ञां राजन्पुरोहितः । राजा चैवंगुणो येषां कुशलं तेषु सर्वशः ॥
English Translation
Those kings, who have priests, who are pious and conversant with policy, and are possessed of good attributes, enjoy prosperity everywhere.
उभौ प्रजा वर्धयतो देवान्पूर्वान्परान्पितॄन् । यौ समेयास्थितौ धर्मे श्रद्धेयौ सुतपस्विनौ ॥
English Translation
Both the priest and the king should have such qualities as arrest honour, and should observe the vows and penances. They would then succeed in supporting the subjects, the deities. the Pitris, and the children.
परस्परस्य सुहृदौ संमतौ समचेतसौ । ब्रह्मक्षत्रस्य संमानात्प्रजाः सुखमवाप्नुयुः ॥
English Translation
It is laid down that they should have similar hearts and should be each other's friends. For such friendship between Brahmana and Kshatriya, the subjects become happy.
विमाननात्तयोरेव प्रजा नश्येयुरेव ह । ब्रह्मक्षत्रं हि सर्वेषां धर्माणां मूलमुच्यते ॥
English Translation
If they do not respect each other, destruction would befall the people. The Brahmana and the Kshatriya are said to be the creators of all men.
अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम् । ऐलकश्यपसंवादं तं निबोध युधिष्ठिर ॥
English Translation
Regarding it is cited the old story about the discourse between Pururavas the son of Aila and Matarishvan.
यदा हि ब्रह्म प्रजहाति क्षत्रं; क्षत्रं यदा वा प्रजहाति ब्रह्म । अन्वग्बलं कतमेऽस्मिन्भजन्ते; तथाबल्यं कतमेऽस्मिन्वियन्ति ॥
English Translation
Aila's son said When the Brahmana forsakes the Kshatriya or the Kshatriya forsakes the Brahmana, who amongst them should be considered superior, and upon whom would the other orders depend and maintain themselves?
व्यृद्धं राष्ट्रं भवति क्षत्रियस्य; ब्रह्म क्षत्रं यत्र विरुध्यते ह । अन्वग्बलं दस्यवस्तद्भजन्ते;ऽबल्यं तथा तत्र वियन्ति सन्तः ॥
English Translation
Kashyapa said Ruin befalls the kingdom of the Kshatriya when the Brahmana and Kshatriya fight with each other. Robbers attack that kingdom in which anarchy reigns and all good men regard the king as a Mlechchha.
नैषामुक्षा वर्धते नोत उस्रा; न गर्गरो मथ्यते नो यजन्ते । नैषां पुत्रा वेदमधीयते च; यदा ब्रह्म क्षत्रियाः संत्यजन्ति ॥
English Translation
Their oxen do not thrive, nor do their children. Their pots (of milk) are not churned, and no sacrifices are celebrated there. The children do not study the Vedas in kingdoms where Brahmanas forsake Kshatriyas.
नैषामुक्षा वर्धते जातु गेहे; नाधीयते सप्रजा नो यजन्ते । अपध्वस्ता दस्युभूता भवन्ति; ये ब्राह्मणाः क्षत्रियान्संत्यजन्ति ॥
English Translation
In their houses wealth does not multiply. There children do not become good and do not read the scriptures and celebrate sacrifices. Those Kshatriyas that forsake the Brahmanas become impure in blood.
एतौ हि नित्यसंयुक्तावितरेतरधारणे । क्षत्रं हि ब्रह्मणो योनिर्योनिः क्षत्रस्य च द्विजाः ॥
English Translation
The Brahmana and the Kshatriya are connected with each other by nature, and each protects the other. The Kshatriya is the root of the Brahmana's advancement and the Brahmana is the root of the Kshatriya's advancement.
उभावेतौ नित्यमभिप्रपन्नौ; संप्रापतुर्महतीं श्रीप्रतिष्ठाम् । तयोः संधिर्भिद्यते चेत्पुराण;स्ततः सर्वं भवति हि संप्रमूढम् ॥
English Translation
When each helps the other, both enjoy great prosperity. If their friendship, existing from days of yore, is snapped anarchy prevails everywhere.
नात्र प्लवं लभते पारगामी; महागाधे नौरिव संप्रणुन्ना । चातुर्वर्ण्यं भवति च संप्रमूढं; ततः प्रजाः क्षयसंस्था भवन्ति ॥
English Translation
No person, desirous of crossing the ocean of life, succeeds in his attempts like a small boat floating on the bosom of the sea. The four orders of men become confounded and meet with destruction,
ब्रह्मवृक्षो रक्ष्यमाणो मधु हेम च वर्षति । अरक्ष्यमाणः सततमश्रु पापं च वर्षति ॥
English Translation
If the tree of a Brahmana is protected, it showers gold and honey. If on the other hand, it is not protected, it then showers tears and sin.
अब्रह्मचारी चरणादपेतो; यदा ब्रह्मा ब्रह्मणि त्राणमिच्छेत् । आश्चर्यशो वर्षति तत्र देव;स्तत्राभीक्ष्णं दुःसहाश्चाविशन्ति ॥
English Translation
When Brahmanas neglect the study of the Vedas and seek protection from the scriptures, then Indra does not pour rain in time and various sorts of calamities constantly assail the kingdom.
स्त्रियं हत्वा ब्राह्मणं वापि पापः; सभायां यत्र लभतेऽनुवादम् । राज्ञः सकाशे न बिभेति चापि; ततो भयं जायते क्षत्रियस्य ॥
English Translation
When a sinful wretch, having killed a woman or a Brahmana, does not incur censure in assemblies of fellowmen and does not fear the king, then danger threatens the Kshatriya king.
पापैः पापे क्रियमाणेऽतिवेलं; ततो रुद्रो जायते देव एषः । पापैः पापाः संजनयन्ति रुद्रं; ततः सर्वान्साध्वसाधून्हिनस्ति ॥
English Translation
For the sins perpetrated by sinful men, the god Rudra appears in the kingdom. Indeed, the sinful by their sins invite that god of vengeance. He then kills all, the honest and the wicked alike.
कुतो रुद्रः कीदृशो वापि रुद्रः; सत्त्वैः सत्त्वं दृश्यते वध्यमानम् । एतद्विद्वन्कश्यप मे प्रचक्ष्व; यतो रुद्रो जायते देव एषः ॥
English Translation
Aila said Whence does Rudra originate? What also is his form? Creatures are seen to be destroyed by creatures. Tell me all this, O Kashyapa, Whence does the god Rudra originate.
आत्मा रुद्रो हृदये मानवानां; स्वं स्वं देहं परदेहं च हन्ति । वातोत्पातैः सदृशं रुद्रमाहु;र्दावैर्जीमूतैः सदृशं रूपमस्य ॥
English Translation
Kashyapa said Rudra exists in the hearts of men. He destroys the bodies themselves in which he lives as also the bodies of others. Rudra is like visitations of the sky and his form is like that of the wind-god.
न वै वातं परिवृनोति कश्चि;न्न जीमूतो वर्षति नैव दावः । तथायुक्तो दृश्यते मानवेषु; कामद्वेषाद्बध्यते मुच्यते च ॥
English Translation
The Wind does not, by blowing, visible destroy men at all times, nor does Indra do so by purring rain. On the other hand, it is seen among men that they lose their senses and are killed through lust and malice.
यथैकगेहे जातवेदाः प्रदीप्तः; कृत्स्नं ग्रामं प्रदहेत्स त्वरावान् । विमोहनं कुरुते देव एष; ततः सर्वं स्पृश्यते पुण्यपापैः ॥
English Translation
Kashyapa said, Fire burning in one house, burns a whole quarter or an entire village. Likewise this deity stupefies the senses of some one and then that stupefaction affects all, the honest and the wicked alike, without any distinction.
यदि दण्डः स्पृशते पुण्यभाजं; पापैः पापे क्रियमाणेऽविशेषात् । कस्य हेतोः सुकृतं नाम कुर्या;द्दुष्कृतं वा कस्य हेतोर्न कुर्यात् ॥
English Translation
Aila Said: If punishment affects all, viz., the honest and the wicked alike, on account of the sins committed by the sinful, why should men, in that case, perform acts that are meritorious? Indeed, why should they abstain from wicked acts.
असंत्यागात्पापकृतामपापां;स्तुल्यो दण्डः स्पृशते मिश्रभावात् । शुष्केणार्द्रं दह्यते मिश्रभावा;न्न मिश्रः स्यात्पापकृद्भिः कथंचित् ॥
English Translation
By standing aloof from the sinful, one becomes pure and stainless. However, by being mixed with the sinful, the sinless are punished. Wet wood, if mixed with dry wood, is consumed by the fire for such mixture. The sinless, therefore, should never associate with the sinful.
साध्वसाधून्धारयतीह भूमिः; साध्वसाधूंस्तापयतीह सूर्यः । साध्वसाधून्वातयतीह वायु;रापस्तथा साध्वसाधून्वहन्ति ॥
English Translation
Aila said The Earth contains the honest and the wicked. The sun warms the honest and the wicked. The wind blows equally for them. Water cleanses them equally.
एवमस्मिन्वर्तते लोक एव; नामुत्रैवं वर्तते राजपुत्र । प्रेत्यैतयोरन्तरवान्विशेषो; यो वै पुण्यं चरते यश्च पापम् ॥
English Translation
Kashyapa said Such, indeed, is the course of this world, O prince. It is not so, however, in another world. In the other world, there is a great difference between the person that acts virtuously and him that acts sinfully.
पुण्यस्य लोको मधुमान्घृतार्चि;र्हिरण्यज्योतिरमृतस्य नाभिः । तत्र प्रेत्य मोदते ब्रह्मचारी; न तत्र मृत्युर्न जरा नोत दुःखम् ॥
English Translation
The regions which virtuous men acquire are full of honey and the splendour of gold or of fire upon which clarified butter has been poured. They are compared to the navel of ambrosia. The meritorious person enjoys great happiness there. Death, decrepitude, and sorrow are not there.
पापस्य लोको निरयोऽप्रकाशो; नित्यं दुःखः शोकभूयिष्ठ एव । तत्रात्मानं शोचते पापकर्मा; बह्वीः समाः प्रपतन्नप्रतिष्ठः ॥
English Translation
The region for the sinful is hell. Darkness and constant pain are there, and it is full of sorrow. Sinking in infamy, the sinful man grieves for many years.
मिथो भेदाद्ब्राह्मणक्षत्रियाणां; प्रजा दुःखं दुःसहं चाविशन्ति । एवं ज्ञात्वा कार्य एवेह विद्वा;न्पुरोहितो नैकविद्यो नृपेण ॥
English Translation
For a division between Brahmanas and Kshatriyas, numberless griefs assail the people. Knowing this, a king should appoint a (Brahmana) priest having experience and wide knowledge. owner
तं चैवान्वभिषिच्येत तथा धर्मो विधीयते । अग्र्यो हि ब्राह्मणः प्रोक्तः सर्वस्यैवेह धर्मतः ॥
English Translation
A king should first engage the priest in his office, and then perform his own coronation. This has bean laid down in the scriptures. The ordinance declare that the Brahmana is the foremost of all creatures. Men who know the Vedas say that the Brahinana was created first.
पूर्वं हि ब्राह्मणाः सृष्टा इति धर्मविदो विदुः । ज्येष्ठेनाभिजनेनास्य प्राप्तं सर्वं यदुत्तरम् ॥
English Translation
For the precedence of his birth, all things that are good in this world are in him, the Brahmana, who is the of best productions of the creation, is also for such precedence, worthy of the respect and the worship of all creatures.
तस्मान्मान्यश्च पूज्यश्च ब्राह्मणः प्रसृताग्रभुक् । सर्वं श्रेष्ठं वरिष्ठं च निवेद्यं तस्य धर्मतः ॥
English Translation
A king, however powerful, powerful, should according to the injunctions of the scriptures confer upon the Brahmana whatever is best and superior to all others,
अवश्यमेतत्कर्तव्यं राज्ञा बलवतापि हि । ब्रह्म वर्धयति क्षत्रं क्षत्रतो ब्रह्म वर्धते ॥
English Translation
The Brahmana contributes to the advancement of the Kshatriya, Kshatriya, and the Kshatriya to that of the Brahmana. Brahmana should, therefore, be especially and always adored by kings.'
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