युधिष्ठिर उवाच विद्या तपश्च दानं च किमेतेषां विशिष्यते। पृच्छामि त्वां सतां श्रेष्ठ तन्मे ब्रूहि पितामह॥
Yudhishthira said Which amongst these three is superior, viz.,. knowledge, Penances, and Gifts? I ask foremost of pious men. Tell me this, O grandfather.
भीष्म उवाच अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम्। मैत्रेयस्य च संवादं कृष्णद्वैपायनस्य च।॥
Bhishma said Regarding it is cited the old conversation between Maitreya and Krishna Dvaipayana.
कृष्णद्वैपायनो राजन्नज्ञातचरितं चरन्। वाराणस्यामुपातिष्ठन्मैत्रेयं स्वैरिणीकुले॥
Once on a time Krishna Dvaipayana, O king, while wandering over the world in disguisc, proceeded to Varanasi and waited tipon Maitreya who belonged by birth to a race of ascetics.
तमुपस्थितमासीनं ज्ञात्वा स मुनिसत्तम। अर्चित्वा भोजयामास मैत्रेयोऽशनमुत्तमम्॥
Seeing Vyasa arrive, that foremost of Rishis viz., Maitreya, gave him a seat and after adoring him with due rites, entertained him with excellent food.
तदन्नमुत्तमं भुक्त्वा गुणवत् सार्वकामिकम्। प्रतिष्ठमानोस्मयत प्रीतः कृष्णो महामनाः॥
Having eaten that good food which was very wholesome and which gave every kind of ratification the great Krishna become highly pleased and as he sat there, he even laughed aloud.
तमुत्स्मयन्तं सम्प्रेक्ष्य मैत्रेयः कृष्णमब्रवीत्। कारणं ब्रूहि धर्मात्मन् व्यस्मयिष्ठाः कुतश्च ते॥
Seeing Krishna laugh, Maitreya addressed him. saying Tell me, O Righteous souled one, what the reason is of your laughter! You are an ascetic, gifted with power to control your emotions. Great joy, it appears has come over yoll.
तपस्विनो धृतिमतः प्रमोदः समुपागतः। एतत् पृच्छामि ते विद्वन्नभिवाद्य प्रणम्य च॥
Saluting you and adoring you with bent head, I ask you this viz., what the power is of my penances and what the high blessedness is that is yours.
आत्मनश्च तपोभाग्यं महाभाग्यं तवेह च। पृथगाचरतस्तात पृथगात्मसुखात्मनोः। अल्पान्तरमहं मन्ये विशिष्टमपि चान्वयात्॥
The acts I do are different from those of yours. You are already emancipated though alive. I however am not yet freed. For all that, I think that there is not much difference between you and me. I am, again distinguished by birth.
व्यास उवाच अतिच्छन्दातिवादाभ्यां स्मयोऽयं समुपागतः। असत्यं वेदवचनं कस्माद् वेदोऽनृतं वेदत्॥
Vyasa said This wonder that has filled me, has originated from an ordinance which appears like a hyperbole for the comprehension of the people. The declaration of the Vedas seems to be untrue. But why should the Vedas say an untruth?
त्रीण्येव तु पदान्याहुः पुरुषस्योत्तमं व्रतम्। न दुह्येच्चैव दद्याच्च सत्यं चैव परं वदेत्॥
It has been said that there are three roads which form the best vows of a man. One should never injure; one should always tell the truth; and one should make gift.
इति वेदोक्तमृषिभिः पुरस्तात् परिकल्पितम्। इदानीं चैव नः कृत्यं पुरस्ताच्च परिश्रुतम्॥
The Rishis of old said this, following the ordinances laid down in the Vedas. These injunctions of yore, should certainly be followed by us even in our times.
अल्पोऽपि तादृशो दायो भवत्युत महाफलः। तृषिताय च ते दत्तं हृदयेनानसूयता॥
Even a small gift, made under the circumstances laid down, yields great fruits. You have given a little water with a sincere heart to a thirsty man.
तृषितस्तृषिताय त्वं दत्त्वैतद् दर्शनं मम। अजैषीमहतो लोकान् महायज्ञैरिव प्रभो॥
Yourself thirsty and hungry, you have by giving me such food, conquered many high regions of happiness, O powerful one, as one does by many sacrifices.
ततो दानपवित्रेण प्रीतोऽस्मि तपसैव च। पुण्यस्यैव हि ते सत्त्वं पुण्यस्यैव च दर्शनम्॥
I am greatly delighted with your very sacred gift as also with your penances. Your power is that of virtue. Your appearance is that of virtue.
पुण्यस्यैवाभिगन्धस्ते मन्ये कर्मविधानजम्। अधिकं मार्जनात् तात तथा चैवानुलेपनात्॥ शुभं सर्वपवित्रेभ्यो दानमेव परं द्विजा नो चेत् सर्वपवित्रेभ्यो दानमेव परं भवेत्॥
The fragrance of virtue, is about you. I think that all your acts are performed according to the ordinance. O son, gift is superior to ablutions in sacred waters and to the accomplishment of all Vedic vows. Indeed, O Brahmana, gift is inore auspicious than all religious rites. If it be not more meritorious than all religious rites, there can be no question about its superiority.
यानीमान्युत्तमानीह वेदोक्तानि प्रशंससि। तेषां श्रेष्ठतरं दानमिति मे नात्र संशयः॥
All those rites laid down in the Vedas which you highly speak of, do not equal a gift for, gift is undoubtedly fraught with very superior merit.
दानकृद्भिः कृतः पन्था येन यान्ति मनीषिणः। ते हि प्राणस्य दातारस्तेषु धर्मः प्रतिष्ठितः॥
The road that has been made by those men, who make gifts is the road that is trodden by the wise. They who make gifts are considered as givers of even the life-breaths. The duties that forin virtue are established in them.
यथा वेदाः स्वधीताश्च यथा चेन्द्रियसंयमः। सर्वत्यागो यथा चेह तथा दानमनुत्तमम्॥
As the Vedas when well-studied, as the controlling of the senses, as a life of universal Renunciation, so is gift which is fraught with very superior merit.
त्वं हि तात महाबुद्धे सुखमेष्यसि शोभनम्। सुखात् सुखतरप्राप्तिमाप्नुते मतिमान्नरः॥
You, O son will rise from joy to greater joy (for performing the duty of making gifts.). The intelligent man certainly rises from joy to greater joy.
तन्नः प्रत्यक्षमेवेदमुपलभ्यमसंशयम्। श्रीमन्तः प्राप्नुवन्त्यर्थान् दानं यज्ञं तथा सुखम्॥
We have undoubtedly seen many instances of this men gifted with prosperity succeed in acquiring riches, making gifts celebrating sacrifices, and acquiring happiness as the result thereof.
सुखादेव परं दुःखं दुःखादप्यपरं सुखम्। दृश्यते हि महाप्राज्ञ नियतं वै स्वभावतः॥
It is always observed, O you of great wisdom to happen naturally that happiness is followed by misery, and misery is followed by happiness.
त्रिविधानीह वृत्तानि नरस्याहुर्मनीषिणः। पुण्यमन्यत् पापमन्यन्न पुण्यं न च पापकम्॥
Wise men have said that human beings in this world have three kinds of conduct. Some are righteous; some are sinful; and some are neither righteous nor sinful.
न वृत्तं मन्यते तस्य मन्यते न च पातकम्। तथा स्वकर्मनिर्वृत्तं न पुण्यं न च पापकम्॥
The conduct of the person who is devoted to Brahman is not considered either way. His sins are never considered as sins. So also the man who is devoted to the duties laid down for him, is considered as neither pious nor sinful.
यज्ञदानतपःशीला नरा वै पुण्यकर्मिणः। येऽभिद्रुह्यन्ति भूतानि ते वै पापकृतो जनाः॥
Those men who are devoted to sacrifices, gifts, and penances, are considered as pious. These, however who injure other creatures and are unfriendly to them are considered sinful.
द्रव्याण्याददते चैव दुःखं यान्ति पतन्ति च। ततोऽन्यत् कर्म यत्किचिन्न पुण्यं न च पातकम्॥२६
There are some men who appropriate others properties. These certainly fall into Hell and meet with misery. All other acts that men do are indifferent, being considered as neither righteous nor sinful.
रमस्वैधस्व मोदस्व देहि चैव यजस्व च। न त्वामभिभविष्यन्ति वैद्या न च तपस्विनः॥
Do you sport and grow and rejoice and make gifts and celebrated sacrifices. Neither men of knowledge nor those gifted with penances will then be able to get the better of you.
रमस्वैधस्व मोदस्व देहि चैव यजस्व च। न त्वामभिभविष्यन्ति वैद्या न च तपस्विनः॥
Do you sport and grow and rejoice and make gifts and celebrated sacrifices. Neither men of knowledge nor those gifted with penances will then be able to get the better of you.