Mahabharata, Book 12, Section CXXXIVशान्तिपर्व

Kisari Mohan Ganguli’s English prose (1883–96), beside the Sanskrit of adhyāya 12.134.

134Sanskrit adhyāya 12.134 · Sanskrit source · English source

Sanskrit

भीष्म उवाच।
`अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम्।'
अत्र कामन्दवचनं कीर्तयन्ति पुराविदः।
प्रत्यक्षावेव धर्मार्थौ क्षत्रियस्य विजानतः।।
तौ तु न व्यवधातव्यौ परोक्षा धर्मयातना।
अधर्मो धर्म इत्येतद्यथा वृक्षफलं तथा।।
धर्माधर्मफले जातु ददर्शेह न कश्चन।
वुभूषेद्बलमेवैतत्सर्वं बलवतो वशे।।
श्रियं बलममात्यांश्च बलवानिह विन्दति।
यो ह्यनाढ्यः स पतितस्तदुच्छिष्टं यदल्पकम्।।
बह्वपथ्ये बलवति न किंचित्क्रियते भयात्।
उभौ सत्याधिकारौ तौ त्रायेते महतो भयात्।।
अति धर्माद्बलं मन्ये बलाद्धर्मः प्रवर्तते।
बले प्रतिष्ठितो धर्मो धरण्यामिव जंगमः।।
धूमो वायोरिव वशे बलं धर्मोऽनुवर्तते।
अनीश्वरो बलं धर्मो द्रुमं वल्लीव संश्रिता।।
वशे बलवतां धर्मः सुखं भोगवतामिव।
नास्त्यसाध्यं बलवतां सर्वं बलवता जितम्।।
दुराचारः क्षीणबलः परिमाणं न गच्छति।
अथ तस्मादुद्विजते सर्वो लोको वृकादिव।।
अपध्वस्तो ह्यवमतो दुःखं जीवति जीवितम्।
जीवितं यदधिक्षिप्तं यथैव मरणं तथा।।
यदेवमाहुः पापेन चारित्रेण विवक्षितम्।
सुभृशं तप्यते तेन वाक्‌शल्येन परिक्षतः।।
अत्रैतदाहुराचार्याः पापस्य परिमोक्षणे।
त्रयीं विद्यामुपासीत तथोपासीत वै द्विजान्।।
प्रसादयेन्मधुरया वाचा चाप्यथ कर्मणा।
महामनाश्चैव भवेद्विवहेच्च महाकुले।।
इत्यस्तीति वदेदेव परेषां कीर्तयेद्गुणान्।
जपेदुदकशीलः स्यात्पेशलो नातिजल्पकः।।
ब्रह्म क्षत्रं संप्रविशेद्बहु कृत्वा सुदुष्करम्।
उच्यमानो हि लोकेन बहु तत्तदचिन्तयन्।।
उपप्राप्यैवमाचारं क्षिप्रं बहुमतो भवेत्।
सुखं च वित्तं भुञ्जीत वृत्तेनैकेन गोपयेत्।।
`अपि तेभ्यो मृगान्हत्वा नयेच्च सततं वने।
यस्मिन्न प्रतिगृह्णन्ति दस्युभोजनशङ्कया।'
लोके च लभते पूजां परत्रेह महत्फलम्।।
।। इति श्रीमन्महाभारते शान्तिपर्वणि
आपद्धर्मपर्वणि चतुस्त्रिंशदधिशततमोऽध्यायः।। 134।।

English Ganguli

"'Bhishma said, "In this connection, persons acquainted with the scriptures declare this text in respect of duty, viz., for a Kshatriya possessed of intelligence and knowledge, (the earning of) religious merit and (the acquisition of) wealth, constitute his obvious duties. He should not, by subtle discussions on duty and unseen consequences in respect of a future world, abstain from accomplishing those two duties. As it is useless to argue, upon seeing certain foot-prints on the ground, whether they are wolf's or not, even so is all discussion upon the nature of righteousness and the reverse. Nobody in this world ever sees the fruits of righteousness and unrighteousness. A Kshatriya, therefore, should seek the acquisition of power. He that is powerful is master of everything. Wealth leads to the possession of an army. He that is powerful[404] obtains intelligent advisers. He that is without wealth is truly fallen. A little (of anything in the world) is regarded as the dirty remnant of a feast.[405] If a strong man does even many bad acts, nobody, through fear, says or does anything (for censuring or checking him). If Righteousness and Power be associated with Truth, they can then rescue men from great perils. If, however, the two be compared, Power will appear to be superior to Righteousness. It is from Power that Righteousness springs. Righteousness rests upon Power as all immobile things upon the earth. As smoke depends upon the wind (for its motion), even so Righteousness depends upon Power. Righteousness which is the weaker of the two depends for its support upon a tree. Righteousness is dependent on them that are powerful even as pleasure is dependent upon them that are given to enjoyment. There is nothing that powerful men cannot do. Everything is pure with them that are powerful. A powerless man, by committing evil acts can never escape. Men feel alarmed at his conduct even as they are alarmed at the appearance of a wolf. One fallen away from a state of affluence leads a life of humiliation and sorrow. A life of humiliation and reproach is like death itself. The learned have said that when in consequence of one's sinful conduct one is cast off by friends and companions, one is pierced repeatedly by the wordy darts of others and one has to burn with grief on that account. Professors of scriptures have said with respect to the expiation of sinfulness that one should (if stained with sinfulness) study the three Vedas, wait upon and worship the Brahmanas, gratify all men by looks, words, and acts, cast off all meanness, marry in high families, proclaim the praises of others while confessing one's own worthlessness, recite mantras, perform the usual water-rites, assume a mildness of behaviour, and abstain from speaking much, and perform austere penances, seek the refuge of Brahmanas and Kshatriyas. Indeed, one who has committed many evil acts, should do all this, without being angry at the reproaches uttered by men. By conducting one's self in this way, one may soon become cleansed of all his sins and regain the regard of the world. Indeed, one wins great respect in this world and great rewards in the next, and enjoys diverse kinds of happiness here by following such conduct and by sharing his wealth with others."'"