Mahabharata, Book 12, Section XLशान्तिपर्व

Kisari Mohan Ganguli’s English prose (1883–96), beside the Sanskrit of adhyāya 12.40.

40Sanskrit adhyāya 12.40 · Sanskrit source · English source

Sanskrit

वैशंपायन उवाच।
प्रकृतीनां च तद्वाक्यं देशकालोपबृंहितम्।
श्रुत्वा युधिष्ठिरो राजाऽथोत्तरं प्रत्यभाषत।।
धन्याः पाण्डुसुता नूनं येषां ब्राह्मणपुङ्गवाः।
तथ्यान्वाप्यथवाऽतथ्यान्गुणानाहुः समागताः।।
अनुग्राह्या वयं नूनं भवतामिति मे मतिः।
यदेवं गुणसंपन्नानस्मान्ब्रूथ विमत्सराः।।
धृतराष्ट्रो महाराजः पिता नो दैवतं परम्।
शासनेऽस्य प्रिये चैव स्थेयं मत्प्रियकाङ्क्षिभिः।।
एतदर्थं हि जीवामि कृत्वा ज्ञातिवधं महत्।
अस्य शुश्रूषणं कार्यं मया नित्यमतन्द्रिणा।।
यदि चाहमनुग्राह्यो भवतां सुहृदां तथा।
धृतरा यथापूर्वं वृत्तिं वर्तितुमर्हथ।।
एष नाथो हि जगतो भवतां च मया सह।
अस्य प्रसादे पृथिवी पाण्डवाः सर्व एव च।।
एतन्मनसि कर्तव्यं भवद्भिर्वचनं मम।
अनुज्ञाप्याथ तान्राजा यथेष्टं गम्यतामिति।।
पौरजानपदान्सर्वान्विसृज्य कुरुनन्दनः।
यौवराज्येन कौन्तेयं भीमसेनमयोजयत्।।
मन्त्रे च निश्चये चैव षाङ्गुण्यस्य च चिन्तने।
विदुरं बुद्धिसंपन्नं प्रीतिमान्स समादिशत्।।
कृताकृतपरिज्ञाने तथाऽऽयव्ययचिन्तने।
संजयं योजयामास वृद्धं सर्वगुणैर्युतम्।।
बलस्य परिमाणे च भक्तवेतनयोस्तथा।
नकुलं व्यादिशद्राजा कर्मणां चान्ववेक्षणे।।
परचक्रोपरोधे च दृप्तानां चावमर्दने।
युधिष्ठिरो महाराज फल्गुनं व्यादिदेश ह।।
द्विजानां देवकार्येषु कार्येष्वन्येषु चैव ह।
धौम्यं पुरोधसां श्रेष्ठं नित्यमेव समादिशत्।।
सहदेवं समीपस्थं नित्यमेव समादिशत्।
तने गोप्यो हि नृपतिः सर्वावस्थो विशांपते।।
यान्यानमन्यद्योग्यांश्च येषु येष्विह कर्मसु।
तांस्तांस्तेष्वेव युयुजे प्रीयमाणो महीपतिः।।
विदुरं संजयं चैव युयुत्सुं च महामतिम्।
अब्रवीत्परवीरघ्नो धर्मात्मा धर्मवत्सलः।।
उत्थायोत्थाय तत्कार्यमस्य राज्ञः पितुर्मम।
सर्वं भवद्भिः कर्तव्यमप्रमत्तैर्यथा मम।।
पौरजानपदानां च यानि कार्याणि नित्यशः।
राजानं समनुज्ञाप्य तानि कार्याणि धर्मतः।।
।। इति श्रीमन्महाभारते शान्तिपर्वणि
राजधर्मपर्वणि चत्वारिंशोऽध्यायः।। 40।।

English Ganguli

"Vaisampayana said, 'Then Devaki's son Janardana of universal knowledge addressed king Yudhishthira who stood there with his brothers, saying, "In this world, O sire, Brahmanas are always the objects of worship with me. They are gods on earth having poison in their speech, and are exceedingly easy to gratify. Formerly, in the Krita age, O king, a Rakshasa of the name of Charvaka, O mighty-armed one, performed austere penances for many years in Vadari. Brahman repeatedly solicited him to ask for boons. At last the Rakshasa solicited the boon, O Bharata, of immunity from fear at the hand of every being in the universe. The Lord of the universe gave that high boon of immunity from fear at the hands of all creatures, subject to the only limitation that he should be careful of how he offended the Brahmanas. Having obtained that boon, the sinful and mighty Rakshasa of fierce deeds and great prowess began to give pain to the gods. The gods, persecuted by the might of the Rakshasa, assembling together, approached Brahman, for compassing their foe's destruction. The eternal and unchangeable god answered them, O Bharata, saying, 'I have already arranged the means by which the death of this Rakshasa may soon be brought about. There will be a king of the name of Duryodhana. Among men, he will be the friend of this wight. Bound by affection towards him, the Rakshasa will insult the Brahmanas. Stung by the wrong he will inflict upon them, the Brahmanas, whose might consists in speech, will in wrath censure him at which he will meet with destruction.' Even that Rakshasa Charvaka, O foremost of kings, slain by the curse of the Brahmanas, lies there deprived of life. Do not, O bull of Bharata's race, give way to grief. The kinsmen, O king, have all perished in the observance of Kshatriya duties. Those bulls among Kshatriyas, those high-souled heroes, have all gone to heaven. Do thou attend to thy duties now. O thou of unfading glory, let no grief be thine. Stay thy foes, protect thy subjects, and worship the Brahmanas."'"