वैशम्पायन उवाच अर्जुनस्य वचः श्रुत्वा नकुलो वाक्यमब्रवीत्। राजानमभिसम्प्रेक्ष्य सर्वधर्मभृतां वरम्॥ अनुरुथ्य महाप्राज्ञो भ्रातुश्चित्तमरिन्दम। व्यूढोरस्को महाबाहुस्ताम्रास्यो मितभाषिता॥
Vaishampayana said, Hearing these words of Arjuna, O chastiser of foes, the mighty-armed and broad chested, Nakula, temperate in speech and possessed of great wisdom, with copper coloured face, looked at the king, that foremost of all righteous persons, and spoke the these words, assailing his brother's heart (with reason).
नकुल उवाच विशाखयूपे देवानां सर्वेषामग्नयश्चिताः। तस्माद् विद्धि महाराज देवाः कर्मफले स्थिताः॥
Nakula said Even the gods had placed their fires in the reign called Vishakha-yupa, Know, therefore, O king, that the gods themselves depend upon the fruits of action!
अनास्तिकानां भूतानां प्राणदाः पितरश्च ये। तेऽपि कर्मैव कुर्वन्ति विधि सम्प्रेक्ष्य पार्थिव॥
Observing the Vedic ordinances (of the Creator as declared in the Vedas), the Pitris, who support (by rain) the lives of even all disbelievers, are, O king, engaged in action.
वेदवादापविद्धांस्तु तान् विद्धि भृशनास्तिकान्। न हि वेदोक्तमुत्सृज्य विप्रः सर्वेषु कर्मसु॥ देवयानेन नाकस्य पृष्ठमाप्नोति भारत। अत्याश्रमानयं सर्वानित्याहुर्वेदनिश्चयाः॥
They are, indeed, consummate atheists who do not accept the injunction of the Vedas (which inculcate action). By following Vedic injunctions in all his acts, the person that is learned in the Vedas, attains, O Bharata, to the highest region of heaven by the way of the deities. All persons acquainted with Vedas have declared the life of a householder to be superior to all the (other) modes of life.
ब्राह्मणाः श्रुतिसम्पन्नास्तान् निबोध नराधिप। वित्तानि धर्मलब्धानि ऋतुमुख्येष्ववासृजन्॥ कृतात्मा स महाराज स वै त्यागी स्मृतो नरः॥
O king, the person who in sacrifices give away his fairly acquired wealth to these Brahmanas who are well conversant with the Vedas, and contracts his soul, is, O monarch, regarded as the true Renouncer.
अनवेक्ष्य सुखादानं तथैवोर्ध्वं प्रतिष्ठितः। आत्मत्यागी महाराज स त्यागी तामसो मतः॥
He, however, who, disregarding the life of a householder, the source of much happiness, adopts the next mode of life,-Renunciation, O monarch, is Renouncer possessed by the quality of darkness.
अनिकेतः परिपतन् वृक्षमूलाश्रयो मुनिः। अपाचकः सदा योगी स त्यागी पार्थ भिक्षुकः॥
That man who is houseless, who roves over the world like a mendicant who has the foot of a tree for his refuge, who observes the vow of silence, never cooks for himself, and tries to control his senses, is, O Partha, a Renouncer observing the vow of mendicancy.
क्रोधहर्षावनादृत्य पैशुन्यं च विशेषतः। विप्रो वेदानधीते यः स त्यागी पार्थ उच्यते॥
That Brahmana who, disregarding anger and joy, and especially deceitfulness, always devotes his time to the study of the Vedas, is a Renouncer observing the vow of mendicancy.
आश्रमांस्तुलया सर्वान् धृतानाहुर्मनीषिणः। एकतश्च त्रयो राजन् गृहस्थाश्रम एकतः॥
The four different modes of life were at one time weighed in the balance. The wise have said, O king, that when the life of a householder was placed on one scale, it required the three others to balance it.
समीक्ष्य तुलया पार्थ कामं स्वर्गं च भारत। अयं पन्था महर्षीणामियं लोकविदां गतिः॥
Marking the result of this examination by scales, O Partha, and seeing further, O Bharata, that the life of a householder alone contained both heaven and pleasure, the great Rishis and the persons conversant with the ways of the world followed it.
इति यः कुरुते भावं स त्यागी भरतर्षभ। न य: परित्यज्य गृहान् वनमेति विमूढवत्॥
He, therefore,O foremost of Bharata's race, who follows this mode of life, thinking it to be his duty and abandoning all desire for fruit, is a true Renouncer, and not that man who having clouded understanding goes to the forest abandoning home.
यदा कामान् समीक्षेत धर्मवैतंसिको नरः। अथैनं मृत्युपाशेन कण्ठे बध्नाति मृत्युराट्॥
A person, again, who, putting on the external marks of righteousness, fails to conquer his desires even while living in the forest, is bound by Death with his deadly fetters round the neck.
अभिमानकृतं कर्म नैतत् फलवदुच्यते। त्यागयुक्तं महाराज सर्वमेव महाफलम्॥
Acts which are the outcome of vanity product no fruit. Those acts however, O monarch, which are the outcome of the spirit of Renunciation, always bear abundant fruits.
शमो दमस्तथा धैर्यं सत्यं शौचमथार्जवम्। यज्ञो धृतिश्च धर्मश्च नित्यमा! विधिः स्मृतः॥
Tranquillity, self-restraint, fortitude, truth, purity, simplicity, sacrifices, perseverance, and righteousness,-these are always the virtues recommended by the Rishis.
पितृदेवातिथिकृते समारम्भोऽत्र शस्यते। अत्रैव हि महाराज त्रिवर्गः केवलं फलम्॥
The householder performs acts intended for Pitris, gods, and guests, this mode of life alone, O monarch, contains the threefold objects.
एतस्मिन् वर्तमानस्य विधावप्रतिषेधिते। त्यागिनः प्रसृतस्येह नोच्छित्तिर्विद्यते क्वचित्॥
The Renouncer that rigidly follows this mode of life, in which one is free to do all acts, has not to meet ruin either here or hereafter.
असृजद्धि प्रजा राजन् प्रजापतिरकल्मषः। मां यक्ष्यन्तीति धर्मात्मा यज्ञैर्विविधदक्षिणैः॥
The holy Lord of all creatures, of righteous soul, created creatures with the purpose that they would worship him by sacrifices with profuse presents.
वीस्थश्चैव वृक्षांश्च यज्ञार्थं वै तथौषधीः। पशृंश्चैव तथा मेध्यान् यज्ञार्थानि हवींषि च॥
Creepers, trees, deciduous herbs, and clean animals, and clarified butter, were created as materials of sacrifice.
गृहस्थाश्रमिणस्तच्च यज्ञकर्म विरोधकम्। तस्माद् गार्हस्थ्यमेवेह दुष्करं दुर्लभं तथा॥
To a householder the performance of sacrifice is fraught with impediments. For this, that mode of life is described as exceedingly difficult and unattainable.
तत् सम्प्राप्य गृहस्था ये पशुधान्यधनान्विताः। न यजन्ते महाराज शाश्वतं तेषु किल्बिषम्॥
The householders, who, possessed of wealth and corn and animals, do not perform sacrifices commit, o king, eternal sin.
स्वाध्याययज्ञा ऋषयो ज्ञानयज्ञास्तथा परे। अथापरे महायज्ञान् मनस्येव वितन्वते॥
Amongst Rishis, there are some who consider the study of the Vedas to be a some sacrifice; and who consider contemplation to be a great sacrifice which they perform in their minds.
एवं मनःसमाधानं मार्गमातिष्ठतो नृप। द्विजातेर्ब्रह्मभूतस्य स्पृहयन्ति दिवौकसः॥
The very gods, O king, seek the companionship of such a holy person, who on account of his following such a way which consists in the concentration of the mind, has become equal to Brahma.
स रत्नानि विचित्राणि संहृतानि ततस्ततः। मखेष्वनभिसंत्यज्य नास्तिक्यमभिजल्पसि॥
By refusing to spend in Sacrifice the various kinds of wealth which you have collected from your enemies, you are only displaying your want of faith!
कुटुम्बमास्थिते त्यागं न पश्यामि नराधिप। राजसूयाश्वमेधेषु सर्वमेधेषु वा पुनः॥
I have never seen O monarch, a king living as a householder renouncing his wealth in any other way except 'in the Rajasuya, the Ashvamedha, and other kinds of Sacrifice!
ये चान्ये ऋतवस्तात ब्राह्मणैरभिपूजिताः। तैर्यजस्व महीपाल शक्रो देवपतिर्यथा॥
Like Shakra, the king of gods, O sire, perform those other sacrifices that are lauded by the Brahmanas!
राज्ञः प्रमाददोषेण दस्युभिः परिमुष्यताम्। अशरण्यः प्रजानां यः स राजा कलिरुच्यते॥
The king, through whose negligence the subjects are plundered by robbers, and who does not offer protection to those whom he is called upon to rule is said to be the personated Kali.
अश्वान् गाश्चैव दासीश्च करेणूश्च स्वलंकृताः। ग्रामाजनपदांश्चैव क्षेत्राणि च गृहाणि च॥ अप्रदाय द्विजातिभ्यो मात्सर्याविष्टचेतसः। वयं ते राजकलयो भविष्याम विशाम्पते॥
If, without giving away horses and kine, and female slaves and elephants adorned with trappings, and villages, and populous countries, and fields, and houses, to Brahmanas, we retire into the forest with hearts not overflowing with friendly feelings towards kinsmen, even we shall be, O king, like so many Kali Kshatriyas.
अदातारो शरण्याश्च राजकिल्विषभागिनः। दोषाणामेव भोक्तारो न सुखानां कदाचन॥
Kshatriyas who do not practise charity and give protection (to others), commit sin. Woe to thein hereafter and not bliss.
अनिष्ट्वा च महायज्ञैरकृत्वा च पितृस्वधाम्। तीर्थेष्वनभिसम्लुत्य प्रव्रजिष्यसि चेत् प्रभो॥ छिन्नाभ्रमिव गन्तासि विलयं मारुतेरितम्। लोकयोरुभयोर्धष्टो ह्यन्तराले व्यवस्थितः॥
If, O lord, without celebrating great sacrifices and the rites in honour of your deceased manes, and if, without bathing in sacred waters, you lead the life of a mendicant, you will then meet with destruction like a sinall cloud, separated from a mass and driven by the winds. You will then fall off from both worlds and will be born in the Pishacha order.
अन्तर्बहिश्च यत् किंचिन्मनोव्यासङ्गकारकम्। परित्यज्य भवेत् त्यागी न हित्वा प्रतितिष्ठति॥
A person becomes a true Renouncer by casting off internal and external attachments, and not simply by leaving home for dwelling in the forest,
एतस्मिन् वर्तमानस्य विधावप्रतिषेधिते। ब्राह्मणस्य महाराज नोच्छित्तिर्विद्यते क्वचित्॥
A Brahmana who follows all the ordinances in which there are no obstacles, does not fall off from this or the other world.
निहत्य शत्रूस्तरसा समृद्धान् शक्रो यथा दैत्यबलानि संख्ये। कः पार्थ शोचेन्निरतः स्वधर्मे पूर्वैः स्मृते पार्थिव शिष्टजुष्टे॥
Observing the duties of one's own order, respected by the ancients and practised by the best of men,-who is there, ( Partha, that would grieve, o king, for having killed in battle his enemies elated with prosperity, like Shakra killing the forces of the Daityas?
क्षात्रेण धर्मेण पराक्रमेण जित्वा महीं मन्त्रविद्ध्यः प्रदाय। नाकस्य पृष्ठेऽसि नरेन्द्र गन्ता न शोचितव्यं भवताद्य पार्थ॥
Having, while observing Kshatriya duties, subjugated the world by the help of your prowess, and having made presents unto persons conversant with the Vedas, you can, O king, go to regions higher than heaven itself. You should not, O Partha, indulge in grief.'