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Mahābhārata • Parva 13 (Anuśāsanaparva) • Adhyāya 37

Anuśāsanaparva Adhyāya 37

अनुशासनपर्व • अध्यायः 37

Anuśāsanaparva Adhyāya 37 of the classical Mahābhārata with 20 verses.

Total: 20 Verses • Citations: MBh 13.37.1–20 • 250 Lexicon Terms
अपूर्वं वा भवेत्पात्रमथ वापि चिरोषितम् । दूरादभ्यागतं वापि किं पात्रं स्यात्पितामह ॥
English Translation
Yudhishthira said Which among these three persons, O grandfather should be regarded as the best for making gifts, viz., one who is a thorough stranger, or one who is living with and known to the giver for a long time, or one who comes to the giver from a long distance?
क्रिया भवति केषांचिदुपांशुव्रतमुत्तमम् । यो यो याचेत यत्किंचित्सर्वं दद्याम इत्युत ॥
English Translation
Bhishma said All these are equal. The fitness of some consists in their soliciting alms for celebrating sacrifices or for paying the preceptor's fee or for maintaining their wives and children. The fitness of some, for receiving gifts, consists in their following the vow of wandering over the Earth, never soliciting anything but receiving when given. We should also give to one what one seeks.
अपीडयन्भृत्यवर्गमित्येवमनुशुश्रुम । पीडयन्भृत्यवर्गं हि आत्मानमपकर्षति ॥
English Translation
We should however, make gifts without afflicting those who depend upon us. This is what we have heard. By afflicting one's dependants, one afflicts his own self.
अपूर्वं वापि यत्पात्रं यच्चापि स्याच्चिरोषितम् । दूरादभ्यागतं चापि तत्पात्रं च विदुर्बुधाः ॥
English Translation
The stranger, one, that is who has come for the first time, should be considered as a proper object of gifts. He who is familiar and wellknown and has been living with the giver, should also be considered in the same light. The learned know that he too who comes from a distant place should be considered in an equal light.
अपीडया च भृत्यानां धर्मस्याहिंसया तथा । पात्रं विद्याम तत्त्वेन यस्मै दत्तं न संतपेत् ॥
English Translation
Yudhishthira said It is true that we should make gifts to others without afflicting any one and without going against the ordinances of scriptures. One should, however, correctly determine who the person is that should be considered as a proper object for making gifts. He should be such that the gift itself, when made over to him, may not grieve.
ऋत्विक्पुरोहिताचार्याः शिष्याः संबन्धिबान्धवाः । सर्वे पूज्याश्च मान्याश्च श्रुतवृत्तोपसंहिताः ॥
English Translation
Bhishma said If the Ritvij, the Purohita, the preceptor, the Acharya, the disciple, the relative (by marriage), and kinsmen, happen to be endued with learning and free from malice, then should they be considered worthy of respect and adoration.
अतोऽन्यथा वर्तमानाः सर्वे नार्हन्ति सत्क्रियाम् । तस्मान्नित्यं परीक्षेत पुरुषान्प्रणिधाय वै ॥
English Translation
Those persons who do not possess such qualifications cannot be considered as worthy of gifts or hospitality. Hence, one should with deliberation examine persons who one meets.
अक्रोधः सत्यवचनमहिंसा दम आर्जवम् । अद्रोहो नातिमानश्च ह्रीस्तितिक्षा तपः शमः ॥
यस्मिन्नेतानि दृश्यन्ते न चाकार्याणि भारत । भावतो विनिविष्टानि तत्पात्रं मानमर्हति ॥
English Translation
Absence of anger, truthfulness of speech, abstention from injury, sincerity, peacefulness of conduct, the absence of pride, modesty, renunciation, selfcontrol and tranquillity or contentment of soul he in whom these are by nature, and in whom there are no wicked acts, should be considered as a proper object. Such a person deserves honours.
तथा चिरोषितं चापि संप्रत्यागतमेव च । अपूर्वं चैव पूर्वं च तत्पात्रं मानमर्हति ॥
English Translation
Whether the person be one who is wellknown and familiar or one who has come newly, whether he has or has not been seen before, if he happens to possess these qualifications, he should be considered as worthy of honors and hospitality.
अप्रामाण्यं च वेदानां शास्त्राणां चातिलङ्घनम् । सर्वत्र चानवस्थानमेतन्नाशनमात्मनः ॥
English Translation
He who denies the authority of the Vedas, or tries to show that the scriptures should be disregarded, or approves of all breaches of control in society, simply brings about his own ruin.
भवेत्पण्डितमानी यो ब्राह्मणो वेदनिन्दकः । आन्वीक्षिकीं तर्कविद्यामनुरक्तो निरर्थिकाम् ॥
हेतुवादान्ब्रुवन्सत्सु विजेताहेतुवादिकः । आक्रोष्टा चातिवक्ता च ब्राह्मणानां सदैव हि ॥
सर्वाभिशङ्की मूढश्च बालः कटुकवागपि । बोद्धव्यस्तादृशस्तात नरश्वानं हि तं विदुः ॥
यथा श्वा भषितुं चैव हन्तुं चैवावसृज्यते । एवं संभाषणार्थाय सर्वशास्त्रवधाय च । अल्पश्रुताः कुतर्काश्च दृष्टाः स्पृष्टाः कुपण्डिताः ॥
English Translation
As a dog, meets others, barking the while and seeking to bite, such a person is even so, for he spends his breath in vain and tries to destroy the authority of all the scriptures.
श्रुतिस्मृतीतिहासादिपुराणारण्यवेदिनः । अनुरुन्ध्याद्बहुज्ञांश्च सारज्ञांश्चैव पण्डितान् ॥
लोकयात्रा च द्रष्टव्या धर्मश्चात्महितानि च । एवं नरो वर्तमानः शाश्वतीरेधते समाः ॥
English Translation
or Those practices that support society, the duties of virtue, and all those acts which yield benefit to one's own self, should be attended to. A person that lives, attending to these, becomes prosperous for good.
ऋणमुन्मुच्य देवानामृषीणां च तथैव च । पितॄणामथ विप्राणामतिथीनां च पञ्चमम् ॥
English Translation
By satisfying the debt one owes to the deities by performing sacrifices, that to the Rishis by studying the Vedas, that to the departed manes by procreating children, that to the Brahmanas by making presents to them, and that to guests by feeding them, in due order, and with purity of motive, and properly attending to the ordinances of the scriptures, a householder does not fall away from virtue.
पर्यायेण विशुद्धेन सुनिर्णिक्तेन कर्मणा । एवं गृहस्थः कर्माणि कुर्वन्धर्मान्न हीयते ॥
English Translation
By satisfying the debt one owes to the deities by performing sacrifices, that to the Rishis by studying the Vedas, that to the departed manes by procreating children, that to the Brahmanas by making presents to them, and that to guests by feeding them, in due order, and with purity of motive, and properly attending to the ordinances of the scriptures, a householder does not fall away from virtue.
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