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Mahābhārata • Parva 12 (Śāntiparva) • Adhyāya 79

Śāntiparva Adhyāya 79

शान्तिपर्व • अध्यायः 79

Śāntiparva Adhyāya 79 of the classical Mahābhārata with 44 verses.

Total: 44 Verses • Citations: MBh 12.79.1–44 • 250 Lexicon Terms • Page 1 of 2 (Verses 30 shown)
व्याख्याता क्षत्रधर्मेण वृत्तिरापत्सु भारत । कथंचिद्वैश्यधर्मेण जीवेद्वा ब्राह्मणो न वा ॥
English Translation
Yudhishthira said "It is said that in seasons of distress a Brahmana may support himself by following Kshatriya duties. But can be, however, at any time, maintain himself by following the duties of the Vaishyas?”
अशक्तः क्षत्रधर्मेण वैश्यधर्मेण वर्तयेत् । कृषिगोरक्षमास्थाय व्यसने वृत्तिसंक्षये ॥
English Translation
"When a Brahmana loses his means of livelihood and is visited by distress, he may certainly act like a Vaishya and derive his support by agriculture and tending cattle, if, of course, he is not capable to perform Kshatriya duties.'
कानि पण्यानि विक्रीणन्स्वर्गलोकान्न हीयते । ब्राह्मणो वैश्यधर्मेण वर्तयन्भरतर्षभ ॥
English Translation
Yudhishthira said "If a Brahmana, O foremost of Bharata's race, follows the duties of a Vaishya, what articles may he sell without losing his chance of attaining heaven?"
सुरा लवणमित्येव तिलान्केसरिणः पशून् । ऋषभान्मधु मांसं च कृतान्नं च युधिष्ठिर ॥
सर्वास्ववस्थास्वेतानि ब्राह्मणः परिवर्जयेत् । एतेषां विक्रयात्तात ब्राह्मणो नरकं व्रजेत् ॥
English Translation
Bhishma said 'A Brahmana must not sell wines, salt, sesamum seeds, animals having manes, bulls, honey, meat and cooked food, O Yudhishthira, under any circumstances. A Brahmana, by selling these, would go to hell.
अजोऽग्निर्वरुणो मेषः सूर्योऽश्वः पृथिवी विराट् । धेनुर्यज्ञश्च सोमश्च न विक्रेयाः कथंचन ॥
English Translation
A Brahmana, by selling a goat, commits the sin of selling the god of fire; by selling a sheep, the sin of selling the god of water; by selling a horse, the sin of selling the sun-god; by selling cooked food, the sin of selling land; and by selling a cow, the sin of selling Sacrifices and the Soma juice. A Brahmana, therefore, must not sell these.
पक्वेनामस्य निमयं न प्रशंसन्ति साधवः । निमयेत्पक्वमामेन भोजनार्थाय भारत ॥
English Translation
The good do not speak highly of the purchase of uncooked food by giving cooked food in return. Uncooked food, however, may be given for procuring cooked food, O Bharata!
वयं सिद्धमशिष्यामो भवान्साधयतामिदम् । एवं समीक्ष्य निमयन्नाधर्मोऽस्ति कदाचन ॥
English Translation
We will eat this cooked food of you. You may cook these raw things (that we give in return). In such an agreement there is no sin.
अत्र ते वर्तयिष्यामि यथा धर्मः पुरातनः । व्यवहारप्रवृत्तानां तन्निबोध युधिष्ठिर ॥
English Translation
Listen, O Yudhishthira, I shall describe to you the eternal practice, obtaining from days of yore, of persons conducting themselves according to approved usages.
भवतेऽहं ददानीदं भवानेतत्प्रयच्छतु । रुचिते वर्तते धर्मो न बलात्संप्रवर्तते ॥
English Translation
I give you this. Give me this other thing in exchange. Such an exchange is righteous. To take things by force, is sinful.
इत्येवं संप्रवर्तन्त व्यवहाराः पुरातनाः । ऋषीणामितरेषां च साधु चेदमसंशयम् ॥
English Translation
Such is the old practice followed by the Rishis and others. Forsooth, this is righteous.' Yudhishthira said
अथ तात यदा सर्वाः शस्त्रमाददते प्रजाः । व्युत्क्रामन्ति स्वधर्मेभ्यः क्षत्रस्य क्षीयते बलम् ॥
English Translation
“When, O sire, giving up their respective duties, all the castes take up arms against the king, then, of course, the power of the king suffers decrease. How would the king then become the protector and refuge of the people? Remove this doubt of mine, O king, by speaking to me fully." Bhishma said
राजा त्राता न लोके स्यात्किं तदा स्यात्परायणम् । एतन्मे संशयं ब्रूहि विस्तरेण पितामह ॥
दानेन तपसा यज्ञैरद्रोहेण दमेन च । ब्राह्मणप्रमुखा वर्णाः क्षेममिच्छेयुरात्मनः ॥
English Translation
“By gifts, by penances, by sacrifices, by peacefulness, and by self-control, all the castes led by the Brahmanas should, on such occasions, seek their own behoof.
तेषां ये वेदबलिनस्त उत्थाय समन्ततः । राज्ञो बलं वर्धयेयुर्महेन्द्रस्येव देवताः ॥
English Translation
Those amongst them who are gifted with Vedic strength, should rise up on all sides and like the celestial empowering Indra contribute (by Vedic rites) to increase the strength of the king.
राज्ञो हि क्षीयमाणस्य ब्रह्मैवाहुः परायणम् । तस्माद्ब्रह्मबलेनैव समुत्थेयं विजानता ॥
English Translation
Brahmanas are said to be the refuge of the king while his power is gone. A wise king seeks the increase of his power by means of the power of the Brahmanas.
यदा तु विजयी राजा क्षेमं राष्ट्रेऽभिसंदधेत् । तदा वर्णा यथाधर्ममाविशेयुः स्वकर्मसु ॥
English Translation
When the king, after acquiring victory, tries to re-establish peace, all the castes then follow their respective duties.
उन्मर्यादे प्रवृत्ते तु दस्युभिः संकरे कृते । सर्वे वर्णा न दुष्येयुः शस्त्रवन्तो युधिष्ठिर ॥
English Translation
When robbers overcoming all restraints, lay waste the country, all the orders may take up arms. By doing so, they commit no sin, O Yudhishthira!'
अथ चेत्सर्वतः क्षत्रं प्रदुष्येद्ब्राह्मणान्प्रति । कस्तस्य ब्राह्मणस्त्राता को धर्मः किं परायणम् ॥
English Translation
Yudhishthira said “If all the Kshatriyas stand against the Brahmanas, who then will protect the Brahmanas and their Vedas? What then should be the duty of the Brahmanas and who will be their shelter?"
तपसा ब्रह्मचर्येण शस्त्रेण च बलेन च । अमायया मायया च नियन्तव्यं तदा भवेत् ॥
English Translation
Bhishma said By penances, by Brahmacharya, by weapons, and by (physical) power, applied with or without the help of deceit, the Kshatriyas should be vanquished.
क्षत्रस्याभिप्रवृद्धस्य ब्राह्मणेषु विशेषतः । ब्रह्मैव संनियन्तृ स्यात्क्षत्रं हि ब्रह्मसंभवम् ॥
English Translation
If the Kshatriya misbehaves himself, especially towards Brahmanas, the Vedas themselves will put them down. The Kshatriyas have originated from the Brahmanas.
अद्भ्योऽग्निर्ब्रह्मतः क्षत्रमश्मनो लोहमुत्थितम् । तेषां सर्वत्रगं तेजः स्वासु योनिषु शाम्यति ॥
English Translation
Fire has originated water; the Kshatriya, from the Brahmana; and iron, from stone. The power of fire, the Kshatriya, and iron, are irresistible. But when these conflict with their sources, their force becomes neutralised.
यदा छिनत्त्ययोऽश्मानमग्निश्चापोऽभिपद्यते । क्षत्रं च ब्राह्मणं द्वेष्टि तदा शाम्यन्ति ते त्रयः ॥
English Translation
When iron strikes against stone, or fire fights with water, or the Kshatriya stands against the Brahmana, then the strength of each of those three is destroyed.
तस्माद्ब्रह्मणि शाम्यन्ति क्षत्रियाणां युधिष्ठिर । समुदीर्णान्यजेयानि तेजांसि च बलानि च ॥
ब्रह्मवीर्ये मृदूभूते क्षत्रवीर्ये च दुर्बले । दुष्टेषु सर्ववर्णेषु ब्राह्मणान्प्रति सर्वशः ॥
ये तत्र युद्धं कुर्वन्ति त्यक्त्वा जीवितमात्मनः । ब्राह्मणान्परिरक्षन्तो धर्ममात्मानमेव च ॥
मनस्विनो मन्युमन्तः पुण्यलोका भवन्ति ते । ब्राह्मणार्थं हि सर्वेषां शस्त्रग्रहणमिष्यते ॥
अति स्विष्टस्वधीतानां लोकानति तपस्विनाम् । अनाशकाग्न्योर्विशतां शूरा यान्ति परां गतिम् । एवमेवात्मनस्त्यागान्नान्यं धर्मं विदुर्जनाः ॥
English Translation
Those brave, persons who fight for Brahmanas, acquire those happy regions in heaven which are reserved for persons who have always studied the Vedas with attention, who have practised the austerest of penances, and that have, after fasting, cast off their bodies into burning fires.
तेभ्यो नमश्च भद्रं च ये शरीराणि जुह्वति । ब्रह्मद्विषो नियच्छन्तस्तेषां नोऽस्तु सलोकता । ब्रह्मलोकजितः स्वर्ग्यान्वीरांस्तान्मनुरब्रवीत् ॥
English Translation
I bow to them and blessed be they who thus renounce their lives while trying to punish the enemies of Brahmanas. Let us attain to that region which is reserved for them. Manu himself has said that those heroes go to the region of Brahman.
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