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Mahābhārata • Parva 12 (Śāntiparva) • Adhyāya 139

Śāntiparva Adhyāya 139

शान्तिपर्व • अध्यायः 139

Śāntiparva Adhyāya 139 of the classical Mahābhārata with 95 verses.

Total: 95 Verses • Citations: MBh 12.139.1–95 • 250 Lexicon Terms • Page 3 of 4 (Verses 30 shown)
ऐन्द्रो धर्मः क्षत्रियाणां ब्राह्मणानामथाग्निकः । ब्रह्मवह्निर्मम बलं भक्ष्यामि समयं क्षुधा ॥
English Translation
The Kshatriyas should follow the conduct of Indra. It is the duty of the Brahmanas to behave like Agni. The Vedas are fire. They form my strength. I shall, therefore, eat even this impure food for satisfying my appetite.
यथा यथा वै जीवेद्धि तत्कर्तव्यमपीडया । जीवितं मरणाच्छ्रेयो जीवन्धर्ममवाप्नुयात् ॥
English Translation
That by which life may be preserved should, forsooth, be done unhesitatingly. Life is better than death. By living, one may acquire virtue.
सोऽहं जीवितमाकाङ्क्षन्नभक्षस्यापि भक्षणम् । व्यवस्ये बुद्धिपूर्वं वै तद्भवाननुमन्यताम् ॥
English Translation
Seeking to preserve my life, I wish, with my perfect sense, to eat this impure food. You just order me.
जीवन्धर्मं चरिष्यामि प्रणोत्स्याम्यशुभानि च । तपोभिर्विद्यया चैव ज्योतींषीव महत्तमः ॥
English Translation
Continuing to live I shall try to acquire virtue and shall dissipate by penances and by knowledge the calamities which have befallen me, like the luminaries of the sky destroying even the thickest darkness.
नैतत्खादन्प्राप्स्यसे प्राणमन्यं; नायुर्दीर्घं नामृतस्येव तृप्तिम् । भिक्षामन्यां भिक्ष मा ते मनोऽस्तु; श्वभक्षणे श्वा ह्यभक्षो द्विजानाम् ॥
English Translation
The Chandala said By eating this food one like yourself cannot live long. Nor can one (like you) get strength (from such food), nor that gratification which ambrosia yields. Do you beg for some other kind of alms. Be not bent upon eating dog's imeat. The meat of dog is, forsooth, an impure food for the twice-born ones.
न दुर्भिक्षे सुलभं मांसमन्य;च्छ्वपाक नान्नं न च मेऽस्ति वित्तम् । क्षुधार्तश्चाहमगतिर्निराशः; श्वमांसे चास्मिन्षड्रसान्साधु मन्ये ॥
English Translation
Vishvamitra said Any other sort of meat cannot be easily had during a famine like this.Besides, OChandala, I have no money. I am very much hungry. I cannot move any longer. I am utterly hopeless. I think that all the six sorts of taste exist in that piece of dog's meat.
पञ्च पञ्चनखा भक्ष्या ब्रह्मक्षत्रस्य वै द्विज । यदि शास्त्रं प्रमाणं ते माभक्ष्ये मानसं कृथाः ॥
English Translation
The Chandala said Only five sorts of meat are clean food for Brahmanas and Kshatriyas and Vaishyas, as sanctioned in the scriptures. Do not wish to have forbidden food.
अगस्त्येनासुरो जग्धो वातापिः क्षुधितेन वै । अहमापद्गतः क्षुब्धो भक्षयिष्ये श्वजाघनीम् ॥
English Translation
Vishvamitra said While hungry, the great Rishi Agastya ate up the Asura named Vatapi. I am in distress. I am hungry. I shall, therefore, eat that haunch of dog's meat.
भिक्षामन्यामाहरेति न चैतत्कर्तुमर्हसि । न नूनं कार्यमेतद्वै हर कामं श्वजाघनीम् ॥
English Translation
The Chandala said Do you beg for something else. You should not do such a thing. Verily you should not do such an act. If, however, you like, you may take away this piece of dog's meat.
शिष्टा वै कारणं धर्मे तद्वृत्तमनुवर्तये । परां मेध्याशनादेतां भक्ष्यां मन्ये श्वजाघनीम् ॥
English Translation
Vishvamitra said The good are the authorities in matters of duty. I am following their example. I now consider this dog's haunch to be better food than any other pure food.
असता यत्समाचीर्णं न स धर्मः सनातनः । नावृत्तमनुकार्यं वै मा छलेनानृतं कृथाः ॥
English Translation
The act of an impious man can never be regarded as an eternal practice. An improper act can never be a proper one. Do not commit a sin by deception.
न पातकं नावमतमृषिः सन्कर्तुमर्हसि । समौ च श्वमृगौ मन्ये तस्माद्भक्ष्या श्वजाघनी ॥
English Translation
Vishvamitra said A man who is a Rishi cannot commit a sin. In the present case, deer and dog, I think, are the same. I shall, therefore, eat this dog's haunch.
यद्ब्राह्मणार्थे कृतमर्थितेन; तेनर्षिणा तच्च भक्ष्याधिकारम् । स वै धर्मो यत्र न पापमस्ति; सर्वैरुपायैर्हि स रक्षितव्यः ॥
English Translation
The Chandala said Begged by the Brahmans, the Rishi (Agastya) did that act. Under the circumstances it could not be a sin. Righteousness is that in which there is no sin. Besides, the Brahmanas, who are the preceptors of the three other orders, should be protected and maintained by all means.
मित्रं च मे ब्राह्मणश्चायमात्मा; प्रियश्च मे पूज्यतमश्च लोके । तं भर्तुकामोऽहमिमां हरिष्ये; नृशंसानामीदृशानां न बिभ्ये ॥
English Translation
I am a Brahman. This my body is my friend. It is very dear to me and deserves the highest respect from me. In order to keep up the body I wish to take away that dog's haunch. I have become so eager that I do not fear you and your dreadful brother any longer.
कामं नरा जीवितं संत्यजन्ति; न चाभक्ष्यैः प्रतिकुर्वन्ति तत्र । सर्वान्कामान्प्राप्नुवन्तीह विद्व;न्प्रियस्व कामं सहितः क्षुधा वै ॥
English Translation
Men give up their lives but still they do not seek impure food. All their wishes are fulfilled who can conquer appetite in this world. Do you also conquer your hunger and obtain those rewards.
स्थाने तावत्संशयः प्रेत्यभावे; निःसंशयं कर्मणां वा विनाशः । अहं पुनर्वर्त इत्याशयात्मा; मूलं रक्षन्भक्षयिष्याम्यभक्ष्यम् ॥
English Translation
Vishvamitra said About myself, I always observe rigid vows and my heart is set on peace. For preserving the root of all religious merit, I shall eat impure food.
बुद्ध्यात्मके व्यस्तमस्तीति तुष्टो; मोहादेकत्वं यथा चर्म चक्षुः । यद्यप्येनः संशयादाचरामि; नाहं भविष्यामि यथा त्वमेव ॥
English Translation
It is clear that such an act would be considered moral for a person of pure soul. To a person, however, of impure soul the eating of dog's flesh would appear sinful. Even if my conclusion be wrong (and if I eat this dog's ineat) I shall not, for that act, become one like you.
पतनीयमिदं दुःखमिति मे वर्तते मतिः । दुष्कृती ब्राह्मणं सन्तं यस्त्वामहमुपालभे ॥
English Translation
The Chandala said It is my settled conclusion that I should try my best to prevent you from this sin. By doing a wicked act a Brahmana goes down from his elevated station. It is for this that I am remonstrating with you.
पिबन्त्येवोदकं गावो मण्डूकेषु रुवत्स्वपि । न तेऽधिकारो धर्मेऽस्ति मा भूरात्मप्रशंसकः ॥
English Translation
Vishvamitra said Kine go on drinking without caring for the croaking of the frogs. You have no right to decide what is right (and what, not). Do not speak highly of yourself.
सुहृद्भूत्वानुशास्मि त्वा कृपा हि त्वयि मे द्विज । तदेवं श्रेय आधत्स्व मा लोभाच्छ्वानमादिथाः ॥
English Translation
The Chandala said I have become your friend, therefore, I am speaking thus to you. Do what is good. Do not, from temptation, do what is sinful.
सुहृन्मे त्वं सुखेप्सुश्चेदापदो मां समुद्धर । जानेऽहं धर्मतोऽऽत्मानं श्वानीमुत्सृज जाघनीम् ॥
English Translation
Vishvamitra said If you be a friend who wishes me happiness, do you then extricate me from this distress. In that case, casting off this dog's haunch, I may think myself saved by the help of righteousness (and not by that of sinfulness).
नैवोत्सहे भवते दातुमेतां; नोपेक्षितुं ह्रियमाणं स्वमन्नम् । उभौ स्यावः स्वमलेनावलिप्तौ; दाताहं च त्वं च विप्र प्रतीच्छन् ॥
English Translation
The Chandala said I dare not present this piece of meat to you, nor can I quietly allow you to rob me of my own food. If I give you this meat and if you take it, yourself being a Brahmana, both of us will go down to regions of misery in the next world.
अद्याहमेतद्वृजिनं कर्म कृत्वा; जीवंश्चरिष्यामि महापवित्रम् । प्रपूतात्मा धर्ममेवाभिपत्स्ये; यदेतयोर्गुरु तद्वै ब्रवीहि ॥
English Translation
Vishvamitra said By committing this sin to-day I shall certainly save my life which is very sacred. Having saved my life I shall afterwards practice virtue and purify my soul. Tell me which of these two is preferable.
आत्मैव साक्षी किल लोककृत्ये; त्वमेव जानासि यदत्र दुष्टम् । यो ह्याद्रियेद्भक्ष्यमिति श्वमांसं; मन्ये न तस्यास्ति विवर्जनीयम् ॥
English Translation
The Chandala said One's own self is the best judge, while discharging the duties of his own caste or family. You yourself know which of those two acts is sinful. He who would consider dog's meat as pure food, I think, would not shrink from taking anything and everything.
उपादाने खादने वास्य दोषः; कार्यो न्यायैर्नित्यमत्रापवादः । यस्मिन्न हिंसा नानृते वाक्यलेशो; भक्ष्यक्रिया तत्र न तद्गरीयः ॥
English Translation
Vishvamitra said There is sin in accepting (an unclean present) or in eating (unclean food). When one's life is in peril, there is no sin in accepting such a present or eating such food. Besides, the eating of unclean food, when it does not involve destruction and deception and when the act will excite only mild rebuke, is not a very important matter.
यद्येष हेतुस्तव खादनस्य; न ते वेदः कारणं नान्यधर्मः । तस्मादभक्ष्ये भक्षणाद्वा द्विजेन्द्र; दोषं न पश्यामि यथेदमात्थ ॥
English Translation
The Chandala said If this be your argument for taking impure food, it is then evident you do not respect the Veda and Aryan morality. Taught by what you are about to do, I see, O foremost of Brahmanas, there is no sin in neglecting the difference between pure and impure food.
न पातकं भक्षणमस्य दृष्टं; सुरां पीत्वा पततीतीह शब्दः । अन्योन्यकर्माणि तथा तथैव; न लेशमात्रेण कृत्यं हिनस्ति ॥
English Translation
Vishvamitra said It is not seen that a person commits a grave sin by taking interdicted food. It is only an oral precept which says that one becomes fallen by drinking wine. The other forbidden acts,-in fact, every sin,-cannot destroy one's merit.
अस्थानतो हीनतः कुत्सिताद्वा; तं विद्वांसं बाधते साधुवृत्तम् । स्थानं पुनर्यो लभते निषङ्गा;त्तेनापि दण्डः सहितव्य एव ॥
English Translation
The Chandala Said That learned man who takes away dog's meat from an unworthy place like this), from an impure wretch (like me), from a wicked man (like me), commits an act which is never done by the good. On the other hand, for his connection with such act, he is sure to undergo the pangs of repentance.
एवमुक्त्वा निववृते मातङ्गः कौशिकं तदा । विश्वामित्रो जहारैव कृतबुद्धिः श्वजाघनीम् ॥
English Translation
Bhishma said Having said these words to Kushika's son, the Chandala became silent, Vishvamitra then, of refined understanding, took away that haunch of dog's meat.
ततो जग्राह पञ्चाङ्गीं जीवितार्थी महामुनिः । सदारस्तामुपाकृत्य वने यातो महामुनिः ॥
English Translation
Having secured the piece of dog's meat for saving his life, the great ascetic took it away into the forest and wished with his wife to eat it.
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