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Mahābhārata • Parva 12 (Śāntiparva) • Adhyāya 282

Śāntiparva Adhyāya 282

शान्तिपर्व • अध्यायः 282

Śāntiparva Adhyāya 282 of the classical Mahābhārata with 22 verses.

Total: 22 Verses • Citations: MBh 12.282.1–22 • 250 Lexicon Terms
वृत्तिः सकाशाद्वर्णेभ्यस्त्रिभ्यो हीनस्य शोभना । प्रीत्योपनीता निर्दिष्टा धर्मिष्ठान्कुरुते सदा ॥
English Translation
Parashara said The lowest order, it is proper, should derive their maintenance from the three other orders. Such service, rendered with love and respect, makes them pious.
वृत्तिश्चेन्नास्ति शूद्रस्य पितृपैतामही ध्रुवा । न वृत्तिं परतो मार्गेच्छुश्रूषां तु प्रयोजयेत् ॥
English Translation
If the ancestors of any Shudra were not engaged in service, he should not still engage himself in any other occupation. Truly, he should take up service as his occupation.
सद्भिस्तु सह संसर्गः शोभते धर्मदर्शिभिः । नित्यं सर्वास्ववस्थासु नासद्भिरिति मे मतिः ॥
English Translation
In my opinion, it is proper for them to mix under all circumstances, with good men devoted to virtue, but never with the wicked.
यथोदयगिरौ द्रव्यं संनिकर्षेण दीप्यते । तथा सत्संनिकर्षेण हीनवर्णोऽपि दीप्यते ॥
English Translation
As in the Eastern hills, jewels and metals blaze with greater effulgence on account of their nearness to the Sun, so the lowest order shines on account of their association with the good.
यादृशेन हि वर्णेन भाव्यते शुक्लमम्बरम् । तादृशं कुरुते रूपमेतदेवमवैहि मे ॥
English Translation
A piece of white cloth assumes that colour with which it is dyed. Such is the case with Shudras.
तस्माद्गुणेषु रज्येथा मा दोषेषु कदाचन । अनित्यमिह मर्त्यानां जीवितं हि चलाचलम् ॥
English Translation
Therefore, one should also attach him to all good qualities but never to bad qualities. The life of human beings in this world is fickle and transitory.
सुखे वा यदि वा दुःखे वर्तमानो विचक्षणः । यश्चिनोति शुभान्येव स भद्राणीह पश्यति ॥
English Translation
That wise man who, in happiness as also in misery, acquire only what is good, is considered as a true observer of the scriptures.
धर्मादपेतं यत्कर्म यद्यपि स्यान्महाफलम् । न तत्सेवेत मेधावी न तद्धितमिहोच्यते ॥
English Translation
The intelligent man would never do a sinful act even if it produce the greatest advantage, just as a person who is pure would never touch a Chandala.
यो हृत्वा गोसहस्राणि नृपो दद्यादरक्षिता । स शब्दमात्रफलभाग्राजा भवति तस्करः ॥
English Translation
That lawless king who, taking thousands of kine from their lawful owners, gives them away acquires on fruit save an empty sound. On the other hand, he cominits the sin of theft.
स्वयंभूरसृजच्चाग्रे धातारं लोकपूजितम् । धातासृजत्पुत्रमेकं प्रजानां धारणे रतम् ॥
English Translation
The Self-create at first created the Being called Dhatri held in universal esteem. Dhatri created a son who was engaged in maintaining all the worlds.
तमर्चयित्वा वैश्यस्तु कुर्यादत्यर्थमृद्धिमत् । रक्षितव्यं तु राजन्यैरुपयोज्यं द्विजातिभिः ॥
English Translation
Adoring that God, the Vaishya engages for the means of his support, in agriculture and the tending of cattle. The Kshatriyas should undertake the task of protecting all the other classes. The Brahmanas should only enjoy.
अजिह्मैरशठक्रोधैर्हव्यकव्यप्रयोक्तृभिः । शूद्रैर्निर्मार्जनं कार्यमेवं धर्मो न नश्यति ॥
English Translation
As regards the Shudras, they should take up the task of humbly and honestly collecting together the articles that are to be offered in sacrifices, and in cleaning altars and other places where sacrifices are to be celebrated. If each order acts in this way, virtue would not suffer any decrease.
अप्रनष्टे ततो धर्मे भवन्ति सुखिताः प्रजाः । सुखेन तासां राजेन्द्र मोदन्ते दिवि देवताः ॥
English Translation
If virtue is preserved in its full, all creatures inhabiting the Earth would be happy, Seeing the happiness of all creatures on Earth, the gods in heaven become filled with gladness.
तस्माद्यो रक्षति नृपः स धर्मेणाभिपूज्यते । अधीते चापि यो विप्रो वैश्यो यश्चार्जने रतः ॥
English Translation
Hence, that king, who, according to the duties laid down for his order, protects the other classes, becomes worthy of respect. similarly, the Brahmana who is employed in studying the scriptures, the Vaishya who is engaged in acquiring riches, and the Shudra who is always engaged in serving the three other classes with rapt attention, become objects of reverence. By acting in other ways, O king, each order is said to deviate from virtue.
यश्च शुश्रूषते शूद्रः सततं नियतेन्द्रियः । अतोऽन्यथा मनुष्येन्द्र स्वधर्मात्परिहीयते ॥
English Translation
Hence, that king, who, according to the duties laid down for his order, protects the other classes, becomes worthy of respect. similarly, the Brahmana who is employed in studying the scriptures, the Vaishya who is engaged in acquiring riches, and the Shudra who is always engaged in serving the three other classes with rapt attention, become objects of reverence. By acting in other ways, O king, each order is said to deviate from virtue.
प्राणसंतापनिर्दिष्टाः काकिण्योऽपि महाफलाः । न्यायेनोपार्जिता दत्ताः किमुतान्याः सहस्रशः ॥
English Translation
Keeping aside gifts by thousands, even twenty cowries that one may give painfully, having acquired them righteously, will yield great benefit.
सत्कृत्य तु द्विजातिभ्यो यो ददाति नराधिप । यादृशं तादृशं नित्यमश्नाति फलमूर्जितम् ॥
English Translation
Those persons, O king, who make gifts to Brahmanas after respecting them duly, reap excellent fruits proportionate to those gifts.
अभिगम्य दत्तं तुष्ट्या यद्धन्यमाहुरभिष्टुतम् । याचितेन तु यद्दत्तं तदाहुर्मध्यमं बुधाः ॥
English Translation
The gift is highly valued which the donor inakes after seeking out the done and respecting him properly. That gift is middling which the donor makes upon being prayed for it.
अवज्ञया दीयते यत्तथैवाश्रद्धयापि च । तदाहुरधमं दानं मुनयः सत्यवादिनः ॥
English Translation
That gift, however, which is made contemptuously and without any respect, is said to be very inferior. This is what the truthful sages say.
अतिक्रमे मज्जमानो विविधेन नरः सदा । तथा प्रयत्नं कुर्वीत यथा मुच्येत संशयात् ॥
English Translation
While sinking in this ocean of life, man should always try to cross that ocean by various means. Indeed, he should so exert himself that he might be released from the fetters of this world.
दमेन शोभते विप्रः क्षत्रियो विजयेन तु । धनेन वैश्यः शूद्रस्तु नित्यं दाक्ष्येण शोभते ॥
English Translation
The Brahmana shines by self-control; the Kshatriya by victory; the Vaishya by riches; while the Shudra always shines in glory through clever serving.
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