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Mahābhārata • Parva 1 (Ādiparva) • Adhyāya 56

Ādiparva Adhyāya 56

आदिपर्व • अध्यायः 56

Ādiparva Adhyāya 56 of the classical Mahābhārata with 34 verses.

Total: 34 Verses • Citations: MBh 1.56.1–34 • 250 Lexicon Terms
कथितं वै समासेन त्वया सर्वं द्विजोत्तम । महाभारतमाख्यानं कुरूणां चरितं महत् ॥
English Translation
Janamejaya said : O best of Brahmanas, you have told me in brief the history called Mahabharata, containing the great deeds of the Kurus.
कथां त्वनघ चित्रार्थामिमां कथयति त्वयि । विस्तरश्रवणे जातं कौतूहलमतीव मे ॥
English Translation
O great ascetic, recite now fully this wonderful history. I feel a great curiosity to hear it.
स भवान्विस्तरेणेमां पुनराख्यातुमर्हति । न हि तृप्यामि पूर्वेषां शृण्वानश्चरितं महत् ॥
English Translation
You should, therefore, recite it in full. I am not satisfied with hearing in the abstract this great history of my ancestors.
न तत्कारणमल्पं हि धर्मज्ञा यत्र पाण्डवाः । अवध्यान्सर्वशो जघ्नुः प्रशस्यन्ते च मानवैः ॥
English Translation
It could not be a trifling cause for which the virtuous Pandavas killed those whom they should not have killed and for which they are still praised by men.
किमर्थं ते नरव्याघ्राः शक्ताः सन्तो ह्यनागसः । प्रयुज्यमानान्संक्लेशान्क्षान्तवन्तो दुरात्मनाम् ॥
English Translation
Why did those best of men, (the Pandavas), capable of avenging themselves on enemies, though innocent, quietly suffered the persecutions of the wicked Kurus?
कथं नागायुतप्राणो बाहुशाली वृकोदरः । परिक्लिश्यन्नपि क्रोधं धृतवान्वै द्विजोत्तम ॥
English Translation
O best of Brahmanas, why did the mighty armed Bhima, having the strength of ten thousand elephants, though persecuted, patiently kept his anger down?
कथं सा द्रौपदी कृष्णा क्लिश्यमाना दुरात्मभिः । शक्ता सती धार्तराष्ट्रान्नादहद्घोरचक्षुषा ॥
English Translation
Why did not the chaste Krishnaa, the daughter of Drupada, though persecuted by the wicked (Kurus), burn the sons of Dhritarashtra by her angry eyes, capable as she was to do it?
कथं व्यतिक्रमन्द्यूते पार्थौ माद्रीसुतौ तथा । अनुव्रजन्नरव्याघ्रं वञ्च्यमानं दुरात्मभिः ॥
English Translation
Why did the two sons of Pritha, (Bhima and Arjuna) and the two sons of Madri (Nakula and Sahadeva) those best of men, though persecuted by the wretches, follow Yudhishthira, who was addicted to the evil habit of gambling?
कथं धर्मभृतां श्रेष्ठः सुतो धर्मस्य धर्मवित् । अनर्हः परमं क्लेशं सोढवान्स युधिष्ठिरः ॥
English Translation
Why did Yudhishthira, the best of all virtuous men and the son of Dharma himself, though acquainted with all duties, suffer great afflictions?
कथं च बहुलाः सेनाः पाण्डवः कृष्णसारथिः । अस्यन्नेकोऽनयत्सर्वाः पितृलोकं धनंजयः ॥
English Translation
Why did the son of Pandu, Arjuna, Krishna himself being his charioteer and who could by his arrows send to the other world hosts of fighting men, suffer so many persecutions?
एतदाचक्ष्व मे सर्वं यथावृत्तं तपोधन । यद्यच्च कृतवन्तस्ते तत्र तत्र महारथाः ॥
English Translation
O great, Rishi, tell me all this as they happened. (Tell me) everything that those highly mighty car-warriors did.
महर्षेः सर्वलोकेषु पूजितस्य महात्मनः । प्रवक्ष्यामि मतं कृत्स्नं व्यासस्यामिततेजसः ॥
English Translation
Vaishampayana said : O great king, appoint a time (to hear it). This history is very extensive. This is but the beginning. I shall recite the whole of this history, composed by the illustrious Krishna Dvaipayana, the great Rishi, Vyasa of immeasurable mental power, who is adored by all the world.
इदं शतसहस्रं हि श्लोकानां पुण्यकर्मणाम् । सत्यवत्यात्मजेनेह व्याख्यातममितौजसा ॥
English Translation
This (Bharata) contains one lac sacred slokas, composed by the son of Satyavati, Vyasa of immeasurable mental power.
य इदं श्रावयेद्विद्वान्यश्चेदं शृणुयान्नरः । ते ब्रह्मणः स्थानमेत्य प्राप्नुयुर्देवतुल्यताम् ॥
English Translation
The learned man who reads it to others and those that hear it read, go to the world of Brahma and become equal to the celestials.
इदं हि वेदैः समितं पवित्रमपि चोत्तमम् । श्राव्याणामुत्तमं चेदं पुराणमृषिसंस्तुतम् ॥
English Translation
This (Bharata) is equal to the Vedas; it is holy and excellent; it is the worthiest of all that should be listened to. It is a Purana, adored by the Rishis.
अस्मिन्नर्थश्च धर्मश्च निखिलेनोपदिश्यते । इतिहासे महापुण्ये बुद्धिश्च परिनैष्ठिकी ॥
English Translation
It contains many useful instructions on Artha and Kama. This sacred history makes the heart desire to attain salvation.
अक्षुद्रान्दानशीलांश्च सत्यशीलाननास्तिकान् । कार्ष्णं वेदमिमं विद्वाञ्श्रावयित्वार्थमश्नुते ॥
English Translation
The learned men earn much wealth by reciting this Veda composed by Krishna (Dvaipayana) to those who are noble, liberal, truthful and believing.
भ्रूणहत्याकृतं चापि पापं जह्यादसंशयम् । इतिहासमिमं श्रुत्वा पुरुषोऽपि सुदारुणः ॥
English Translation
Sins, even of killing embryo, are destroyed by (reading or hearing) it. Even a greatly sinful man, by hearing this history, escapes from all his sins, like the sun from Rahu. This history is called Jaya (victory); it should be heard by those that desire victory.
जयो नामेतिहासोऽयं श्रोतव्यो विजिगीषुणा । महीं विजयते सर्वां शत्रूंश्चापि पराजयेत् ॥
इदं पुंसवनं श्रेष्ठमिदं स्वस्त्ययनं महत् । महिषीयुवराजाभ्यां श्रोतव्यं बहुशस्तथा ॥
अर्थशास्त्रमिदं पुण्यं धर्मशास्त्रमिदं परम् । मोक्षशास्त्रमिदं प्रोक्तं व्यासेनामितबुद्धिना ॥
English Translation
It is the Dharma Shastra, it is also the sacred Artha Shastra, it is also the great Moksha Shastra, said Vyasa of immeasurable intelligence.
संप्रत्याचक्षते चैव आख्यास्यन्ति तथापरे । पुत्राः शुश्रूषवः सन्ति प्रेष्याश्च प्रियकारिणः ॥
English Translation
It is recited in the present age and will be recited in future ages. He, who hears it, gets sons and survivors, who perform their favourite works.
शरीरेण कृतं पापं वाचा च मनसैव च । सर्वं तत्त्यजति क्षिप्रमिदं शृण्वन्नरः सदा ॥
English Translation
He who hears it escapes immediately from all his sins that are committed by him in body, word or mind.
भारतानां महज्जन्म शृण्वतामनसूयताम् । नास्ति व्याधिभयं तेषां परलोकभयं कुतः ॥
English Translation
He who hears the history of the Bharata race without being fault-finding, can have no fear from diseases, let alone the fear of the other world.
धन्यं यशस्यमायुष्यं स्वर्ग्यं पुण्यं तथैव च । कृष्णद्वैपायनेनेदं कृतं पुण्यचिकीर्षुणा ॥
कीर्तिं प्रथयता लोके पाण्डवानां महात्मनाम् । अन्येषां क्षत्रियाणां च भूरिद्रविणतेजसाम् ॥
यथा समुद्रो भगवान्यथा च हिमवान्गिरिः । ख्यातावुभौ रत्ननिधी तथा भारतमुच्यते ॥
English Translation
This Bharata is said to be a mine of gems, as the illustrious ocean or the great mountain Meru.
य इदं श्रावयेद्विद्वान्ब्राह्मणानिह पर्वसु । धूतपाप्मा जितस्वर्गो ब्रह्मभूयं स गच्छति ॥
English Translation
The learned man, who recites it to Brahmanas during the sacred Parvas (lunar changes), is cleansed of all his sins and being victorious over heaven (not caring for it) attains to an union with Brahma.
यश्चेदं श्रावयेच्छ्राद्धे ब्राह्मणान्पादमन्ततः । अक्षय्यं तस्य तच्छ्राद्धमुपतिष्ठेत्पितॄनपि ॥
English Translation
He who causes even a single line of it to be heard by Brahmanas at a Shraddha, that Shraddha becomes inexhaustible and the Pitris (ancestors) become gratified with food presented to them.
अह्ना यदेनश्चाज्ञानात्प्रकरोति नरश्चरन् । तन्महाभारताख्यानं श्रुत्वैव प्रविलीयते ॥
English Translation
Are all destroyed by hearing the Mahabharata, The history of the great births of the Bharata princes is called Mahabharata.
भारतानां महज्जन्म महाभारतमुच्यते । निरुक्तमस्य यो वेद सर्वपापैः प्रमुच्यते ॥
English Translation
He who knows the etymology of the name (Bharata is cleansed of all his sins. As this history of the Bharata race is wonderful.
त्रिभिर्वर्षैः सदोत्थायी कृष्णद्वैपायनो मुनिः । महाभारतमाख्यानं कृतवानिदमुत्तमम् ॥
English Translation
The Rishi Krishna Dvaipayana, regularly rising (every morning) for three years, composed this wonderful history, called Mahabharata.
धर्मे चार्थे च कामे च मोक्षे च भरतर्षभ । यदिहास्ति तदन्यत्र यन्नेहास्ति न तत्क्वचित् ॥
English Translation
O best of the Bharata race, whatever about Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksha, that is contained in this Bharata, may be met with elsewhere; but whatever is not in it, is not to be found anywhere.
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