Mahabharata - Book 12

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Book 12 – Chapter 282

BORI CE: 12-282-001

पराशर उवाच
वृत्तिः सकाशाद्वर्णेभ्यस्त्रिभ्यो हीनस्य शोभना
प्रीत्योपनीता निर्दिष्टा धर्मिष्ठान्कुरुते सदा

MN DUTT: 08-120-001

पराशर उवाच वृत्तिः सकाशाद् वर्णेभ्यस्त्रिभ्यो हीनस्य शोभना
प्रीत्योपनीता निर्दिष्टा धर्मिष्ठान् कुरुते सदा

M. N. Dutt: 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.

BORI CE: 12-282-002

वृत्तिश्चेन्नास्ति शूद्रस्य पितृपैतामही ध्रुवा
न वृत्तिं परतो मार्गेच्छुश्रूषां तु प्रयोजयेत्

MN DUTT: 08-120-002

M. N. Dutt: 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.

BORI CE: 12-282-003

सद्भिस्तु सह संसर्गः शोभते धर्मदर्शिभिः
नित्यं सर्वास्ववस्थासु नासद्भिरिति मे मतिः

MN DUTT: 08-120-003

M. N. Dutt: In my opinion, it is proper for them to mix under all circumstances, with good men devoted to virtue, but never with the wicked.

BORI CE: 12-282-004

यथोदयगिरौ द्रव्यं संनिकर्षेण दीप्यते
तथा सत्संनिकर्षेण हीनवर्णोऽपि दीप्यते

MN DUTT: 08-120-004

M. N. Dutt: 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.

BORI CE: 12-282-005

यादृशेन हि वर्णेन भाव्यते शुक्लमम्बरम्
तादृशं कुरुते रूपमेतदेवमवैहि मे

MN DUTT: 08-120-005

यादृशेन हि वर्णेन भाव्यते शुक्लमम्बरम्
तादृशं कुरुते रुपमेतदेवमवेहि मे

M. N. Dutt: A piece of white cloth assumes that colour with which it is dyed. Such is the case with Shudras.

BORI CE: 12-282-006

तस्माद्गुणेषु रज्येथा मा दोषेषु कदाचन
अनित्यमिह मर्त्यानां जीवितं हि चलाचलम्

MN DUTT: 08-120-006

तस्माद् गुणेषु रज्येथा मा दोषेषु कदाचन
अनित्यमिह मानां जीवितं हि चलाचलम्

M. N. Dutt: 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.

BORI CE: 12-282-007

सुखे वा यदि वा दुःखे वर्तमानो विचक्षणः
यश्चिनोति शुभान्येव स भद्राणीह पश्यति

MN DUTT: 08-120-007

सुखे वा यदि वा दुःखे वर्तमानो विचक्षणः
यश्चिनोति शुभान्येव स तन्त्राणीह पश्यति

M. N. Dutt: That wise man who, in happiness as also in misery, acquire only what is good, is considered as a true observer of the scriptures.

BORI CE: 12-282-008

धर्मादपेतं यत्कर्म यद्यपि स्यान्महाफलम्
न तत्सेवेत मेधावी न तद्धितमिहोच्यते

MN DUTT: 08-120-008

धर्मादपेतं यत् कर्म यद्यपि स्यान्महाफलम्
न तत् सेवेत मेधावी न तद्धितमिहोच्यते

M. N. Dutt: That man who is gifted with intelligence would never do an act which is alienated from virtue, however great may that advantages be of that act. Indeed, such an act is not considered as truly wholesome.

BORI CE: 12-282-009

यो हृत्वा गोसहस्राणि नृपो दद्यादरक्षिता
स शब्दमात्रफलभाग्राजा भवति तस्करः

MN DUTT: 08-120-009

यो हत्वा गोसहस्राणि नृपो दद्यादरक्षिता
स शब्दमात्रफलभाग् राजा भवति तस्करः

M. N. Dutt: 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.

BORI CE: 12-282-010

स्वयंभूरसृजच्चाग्रे धातारं लोकपूजितम्
धातासृजत्पुत्रमेकं प्रजानां धारणे रतम्

MN DUTT: 08-120-010

स्वयम्भूरसृजच्चाग्रे धातारं लोकसत्कृतम्
धातासृजत् पुत्रमेकं लोकानां धारणे रतम्

M. N. Dutt: 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.

BORI CE: 12-282-011

तमर्चयित्वा वैश्यस्तु कुर्यादत्यर्थमृद्धिमत्
रक्षितव्यं तु राजन्यैरुपयोज्यं द्विजातिभिः

MN DUTT: 08-120-011

M. N. Dutt: 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.

BORI CE: 12-282-012

अजिह्मैरशठक्रोधैर्हव्यकव्यप्रयोक्तृभिः
शूद्रैर्निर्मार्जनं कार्यमेवं धर्मो न नश्यति

MN DUTT: 08-120-012

अजिौरशठक्रोधैर्हव्यकव्यप्रयोक्तृभिः
शूद्रनिर्मार्जनं कार्यमेवं धर्मो न नश्यति

M. N. Dutt: 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.

BORI CE: 12-282-013

अप्रनष्टे ततो धर्मे भवन्ति सुखिताः प्रजाः
सुखेन तासां राजेन्द्र मोदन्ते दिवि देवताः

MN DUTT: 08-120-013

अप्रणष्टे ततो धर्मे भवन्ति सुखिताः प्रजाः
सुखेन तासां राजेन्द्र मोदन्ते दिवि देवताः

M. N. Dutt: 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.

BORI CE: 12-282-014

तस्माद्यो रक्षति नृपः स धर्मेणाभिपूज्यते
अधीते चापि यो विप्रो वैश्यो यश्चार्जने रतः

BORI CE: 12-282-015

यश्च शुश्रूषते शूद्रः सततं नियतेन्द्रियः
अतोऽन्यथा मनुष्येन्द्र स्वधर्मात्परिहीयते

MN DUTT: 08-120-014

तस्माद् यो रक्षति नृपः स धर्मेणेति पूज्यते
अधीते चापि यो विप्रो वैश्यो यश्चार्जने रतः
यश्च शुश्रूषते शूद्रः सततं नियतेन्द्रियः
अतोऽन्यथा मनुष्येन्द्र स्वधर्मात् परिहीयते

M. N. Dutt: 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.

BORI CE: 12-282-016

प्राणसंतापनिर्दिष्टाः काकिण्योऽपि महाफलाः
न्यायेनोपार्जिता दत्ताः किमुतान्याः सहस्रशः

MN DUTT: 08-120-015

प्राणसंतापनिर्दिष्टाः काकिण्योऽपि महाफलाः
न्यायेनोपार्जिता दत्ता: किमुतान्याः सहस्रशः

M. N. Dutt: Keeping aside gifts by thousands, even twenty cowries that one may give painfully, having acquired them righteously, will yield great benefit.

BORI CE: 12-282-017

सत्कृत्य तु द्विजातिभ्यो यो ददाति नराधिप
यादृशं तादृशं नित्यमश्नाति फलमूर्जितम्

MN DUTT: 08-120-016

सत्कृत्य हि द्विजातिभ्यो यो ददाति नराधिपः
यादृशं तादृशं नित्यमश्नाति फलमूर्जितम्

M. N. Dutt: Those persons, O king, who make gifts to Brahmanas after respecting them duly, reap excellent fruits proportionate to those gifts.

BORI CE: 12-282-018

अभिगम्य दत्तं तुष्ट्या यद्धन्यमाहुरभिष्टुतम्
याचितेन तु यद्दत्तं तदाहुर्मध्यमं बुधाः

MN DUTT: 08-120-017

अभिगम्य च तत् तुष्ट्या दत्तमाहुरभिष्टुतम्
याचितेन तु तद् दत्तं तदाहुर्मध्यमं बुधाः

M. N. Dutt: 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.

BORI CE: 12-282-019

अवज्ञया दीयते यत्तथैवाश्रद्धयापि च
तदाहुरधमं दानं मुनयः सत्यवादिनः

MN DUTT: 08-120-018

अवज्ञया दीयते यत् तथैवाश्रद्धयापि वा
तमाहुरधमं दानं मुनयः सत्यवादिनः

M. N. Dutt: That gift, however, which is made contemptuously and without any respect, is said to be very inferior. This is what the truthful sages say.

BORI CE: 12-282-020

अतिक्रमे मज्जमानो विविधेन नरः सदा
तथा प्रयत्नं कुर्वीत यथा मुच्येत संशयात्

MN DUTT: 08-120-019

अतिक्रामेन्मज्जमानो विविधेन नरः सदा
तथा प्रयत्नं कुर्वीत यथा मुच्येत संश्रयात्

M. N. Dutt: 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.

BORI CE: 12-282-021

दमेन शोभते विप्रः क्षत्रियो विजयेन तु
धनेन वैश्यः शूद्रस्तु नित्यं दाक्ष्येण शोभते

MN DUTT: 08-120-020

M. N. Dutt: 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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