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Mahābhārata • Parva 12 (Śāntiparva) • Adhyāya 146

Śāntiparva Adhyāya 146

शान्तिपर्व • अध्यायः 146

Śāntiparva Adhyāya 146 of the classical Mahābhārata with 19 verses.

Total: 19 Verses • Citations: MBh 12.146.1–19 • 250 Lexicon Terms
अबुद्धिपूर्वं यः पापं कुर्याद्भरतसत्तम । मुच्यते स कथं तस्मादेनसस्तद्वदस्व मे ॥
English Translation
Yudhishthira said O best of the Bharatas, when a person commits sin from want of discrimination, how may he be purified by it? Tell me all about it.
अत्र ते वर्णयिष्येऽहमितिहासं पुरातनम् । इन्द्रोतः शौनको विप्रो यदाह जनमेजयम् ॥
English Translation
Bhishma said In this connection I shall recite to you the old narrative, spoken highly of by the Rishis, of what the twice-born Indrota, the son of Shunaka, said to Janamejaya.
आसीद्राजा महावीर्यः पारिक्षिज्जनमेजयः । अबुद्धिपूर्वं ब्रह्महत्या तमागच्छन्महीपतिम् ॥
English Translation
There was, in days of old, a highly energetic king, called Janamejaya, who was the son of Parikshit. On one occasion from want of discrimination, that king became guilty of Brahmanicide.
तं ब्राह्मणाः सर्व एव तत्यजुः सपुरोहिताः । जगाम स वनं राजा दह्यमानो दिवानिशम् ॥
English Translation
Upon this, all the Brahmanas together with his priests cast him off. Burning day and night with grief, the king retired into the forest.
स प्रजाभिः परित्यक्तश्चकार कुशलं महत् । अतिवेलं तपस्तेपे दह्यमानः स मन्युना ॥
English Translation
Deserted by his subjects too, he adopted this course for acquiring great merit. Reduced by repentance, the king practised the most rigid austerities.
तत्रेतिहासं वक्ष्यामि धर्मस्यास्योपबृंहणम् । दह्यमानः पापकृत्या जगाम जनमेजयः ॥
English Translation
I shall now tell you the story of his expiation. Burning with the recollection of his sin, Janamejaya wandered about.
वरिष्यमाण इन्द्रोतं शौनकं संशितव्रतम् । समासाद्योपजग्राह पादयोः परिपीडयन् ॥
English Translation
One day, in course of his peregrinations, he met Indrota, the son of Shunaka, of rigid vows, and approaching him touched his feet.
ततो भीतो महाप्राज्ञो जगर्हे सुभृशं तदा । कर्ता पापस्य महतो भ्रूणहा किमिहागतः ॥
English Translation
Seeing the king before him, the sage reproved him, saying,-You have committed a great sin. You have been guilty of foeticide. Why have you come here.
किं तवास्मासु कर्तव्यं मा मा स्प्राक्षीः कथंचन । गच्छ गच्छ न ते स्थानं प्रीणात्यस्मानिह ध्रुवम् ॥
English Translation
What have you to do with us? Do not touch me! Go, go away! Your presence does not give us pleasure!
रुधिरस्येव ते गन्धः शवस्येव च दर्शनम् । अशिवः शिवसंकाशो मृतो जीवन्निवाटसि ॥
English Translation
Your body smells like blood. You look like a corpse. Though impure, you appear as pure, and though dead you move like a living being!
अन्तर्मृत्युरशुद्धात्मा पापमेवानुचिन्तयन् । प्रबुध्यसे प्रस्वपिषि वर्तसे चरसे सुखी ॥
English Translation
Dead within, you are of impure soul for you always wish to commit sin. Though you sleep, and wake, your life, however, is spent in great misery.
मोघं ते जीवितं राजन्परिक्लिष्टं च जीवसि । पापायेव च सृष्टोऽसि कर्मणे ह यवीयसे ॥
English Translation
Useless is your life, O king. You live most miserably. You have been created for ignoble and sinful acts.
बहु कल्याणमिच्छन्त ईहन्ते पितरः सुतान् । तपसा देवतेज्याभिर्वन्दनेन तितिक्षया ॥
English Translation
Fathers wish for sons for obtaining various kinds of blessings, and hoping they would perform penances and sacrifices, adore the gods, and practise renunciation.
पितृवंशमिमं पश्य त्वत्कृते नरकं गतम् । निरर्थाः सर्व एवैषामाशाबन्धास्त्वदाश्रयाः ॥
English Translation
See all your ancestors have fallen into hell for your acts. All the hopes your fathers had placed upon you have been frustrated,
यान्पूजयन्तो विन्दन्ति स्वर्गमायुर्यशः सुखम् । तेषु ते सततं द्वेषो ब्राह्मणेषु निरर्थकः ॥
English Translation
You live in vain, for you, always entertain hatred and malice towards the Brahmanas,-by worshipping whom other men acquire long life, fame, and heaven.
इमं लोकं विमुच्य त्वमवाङ्मूर्धा पतिष्यसि । अशाश्वतीः शाश्वतीश्च समाः पापेन कर्मणा ॥
English Translation
Leaving this world, you shall have to fall (into hell) with head downwards and remain in that posture for numberless years for your sinful deeds.
अद्यमानो जन्तुगृध्रैः शितिकण्ठैरयोमुखैः । ततोऽपि पुनरावृत्तः पापयोनिं गमिष्यसि ॥
English Translation
There you will be tortured by vultures and peacocks having iron beaks. Returning thence into this world, you will be born again in a wretched order of creatures.
यदिदं मन्यसे राजन्नायमस्ति परः कुतः । प्रतिस्मारयितारस्त्वां यमदूता यमक्षये ॥
English Translation
If you think, o king, that this world is nothing and that the next world is nothing and that the next world is but a shadow, the attendants of Yama in the infernal regions will convince you, removing your scepticism.
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