RAJADHARMANUSHASANA PARVA: Chapter 38

Vyasa ask Yudhishthira, on being asked, to enquired of Bhishma the duties of the four orders.

वैशम्पायन उवाच प्रवेशने तु पार्थानां जनानां पुरवासिनाम्। दिदृक्षूणां सहस्राणि समाजग्मुः सहस्रशः॥
Vaishampayana said Then the sons of Pritha entered the city, thousands of citizens came out to see the spectacle.

स राजमार्गः शुशुभे समलंकृतचत्वरः। यथा चन्द्रोदये राजन् वर्धमानो महोदधिः॥
The well adorned squares and streets, with the crowd of men, shone like the ocean rising at the rise of the moon.

गृहाणि राजमार्गेषु रत्नवन्ति महान्ति च। प्राकम्पन्तेव भारेण स्त्रीणां पूर्णानि भारत॥
The large palaces that stood on the streetsides, gaily decked and full of ladies seemed to shake, O Bharata, with their fair denizens.

ताः शनैरिव सव्रीडं प्रशशंसुर्युधिष्ठिरम्। भीमसेनार्जुनौ चैव माद्रीपुत्रौ च पाण्डवौ॥
With soft and modest voices they described the praises of Yudhishthira, of Bhima and Arjuna, and of the two sons of Madri.

धन्या त्वमसि पाञ्चालि या त्वं पुरुषसत्तमान्। उपतिष्ठसि कल्याणि महर्षीनिव गौतमी॥
And they said,-You deserve every praise, O blessed princess of Panchala, who wait by the side of these foremost of men like Gautaini by the side of the (seven) Rishis.

तव कर्माण्यमोघानि व्रतचर्या च भाविनि। इति कृष्णां महाराज प्रशशंसुस्तदा स्त्रियः॥
'Your acts and vows have fructified, O lady.' Thus, O king, the ladies praised the princess Krishna.

प्रशंसावचनस्तासां मिथ:शब्दैश्च भारत। प्रीतिजैश्च तदा शब्दैः पुरमासीत् समाकुलम्॥
Praises being thus chanted, O Bharata, and they conversing with one another, and for the shouts of joy (uttered by the men), the city became filled with a loud noise.

तमतीत्य यथायुक्तं राजमार्ग युधिष्ठिरः। अलंकृतं शोभमानमुपायाद् राजवेश्म ह॥
Having passed through the streets with becoming conduct, Yudhishthira then entered the beautiful palace (of the Kurus) adorned with all ornaments.

ततः प्रकृतयः सर्वाः पौरा जानपदास्तदा। ऊचुः कर्णसुखा वाचः समुपेत्य ततस्ततः॥
Approaching the palace, citizens and villagers uttered speeches that were pleasing to his ears.

दिष्ट्या जयसि राजेन्द्र शत्रूञ्छत्रुनिषूदन। दिष्ट्या राज्यं पुनः प्राप्तं धर्मेण च बलेन च।॥
'By good luck, O foremost of kings, you have defeated your enemies, O slayer of foes. By good luck, you have regained your kingdom through virtue and prowess.

भव नस्त्वं महाराज राजेह शरदां शतम्। प्रजाः पालय धर्मेण यथेन्द्रस्त्रिदिवं तथा॥
Be, O foremost of king, our monarch for a century and protect your subjects virtuously like Indra protecting the celestials'.

एवं राजकुलद्वारि मङ्गलैरभिपूजितः। आशीर्वादान् द्विजैरुक्तान् प्रतिगृह्य समन्ततः॥ प्रविश्य भवनं राजा देवराजगृहोपमम्। श्रद्धाविजयसंयुक्तं रथात् पश्चादवातरत्॥
Thus welcomed at the palace-gate with words of blessings and accepting the benedictions uttered by the Brahmanas from all sides, the king, graced with victory and the blessings of his people, entered the palace resembling the mansion of Indra himself, and then got down from his car.

प्रविश्याभ्यन्तरं श्रीमान् दैवतान्यभिगम्य च। पूजयामास रत्नैश्च गन्धमाल्यैश्च सर्वशः॥
Entering the palace, Yudhishthira approached the tutelary deities and adored them with gems and scents and garlands.

निश्चक्राम ततः श्रीमान् पुनरेव महायशाः। ददर्श ब्राह्मणांश्चैव सोऽभिरूपानवस्थितान्॥
Endued with great fame and prosperity, the king came out once more and saw a number of Brahmanas waiting with sacred articles in their hands.

स संवृतस्तदा विप्रैराशीर्वादविवक्षुभिः। शुशुभे विमलश्चन्द्रस्तारागणवृतो यथा॥
Surrounded by those Brahmanas desirous of uttering blessings on him, the king shone beautiful like the spotless moon in the midst of the stars.

तांस्तु वै पूजयामास कौन्तेयो विधिवद् द्विजान्। धौम्यं गुरुं पुरस्कृत्य ज्येष्ठं पितरमेव च।॥ सुमनोमोदकै रत्नैर्हिरण्येन च भूरिणा। गोभिर्वस्त्रैश्च राजेन्द्र विविधैश्च किमिच्छकैः॥
Accompanied by his priest Dhaumya and his eldest uncle, the son of Kunti gladly adored, with due rites, those Brahmanas with sweets, gems, and profuse gold, and kine and dresses, O king, and with various other articles that each desired.

ततः पुण्याहघोषोऽभूद् दिवं स्तब्ध्वेव भारत। सुहृदां प्रीतिजननः पुण्यः श्रुतिसुखावहः॥
Then loud acclamations of—This is a blessed day,-arose, filling the entire sky, O Bharata. That sacred sound which was sweet to the ear was highly gratifying to the friends and well-wishers of the Pandavas.

हंसवद् विदुषां राजन् द्विजानां तत्र भारती। शुश्रुवे वेदविदुषां पुष्कलार्थपदाक्षरा॥
The king heard that sound uttered by those learned Brahmanas loud and clear like the sound of swans. He listened also to the melodious and significant speeches, of those persons well read in the Vedas.

ततो दुन्दुभिनिर्घोषः शङ्खानां च मनोरमः। जयं प्रवदतां तत्र स्वनः प्रादुरभून्नृप॥
Then arose, O king, the peal of drums and the pleasant blare of conchs, indicative of triumph.

निःशब्दे च स्थिते तत्र ततो विप्रजने पुनः। राजानं ब्राह्मणच्छद्या चार्वाको राक्षसोऽब्रवीत्॥
Some time after, when the Brahmanas had become silent, a Rakshasa of the name of Charvaka, who had disguised himself as a Brahmana, addressed the king.

तत्र दुर्योधनसखा भिक्षुरूपेण संवृतः। साक्षः शिखी त्रिदण्डी च धृष्टो विगतसाध्वसः॥ वृतः सर्वैस्तथा विप्रैराशीर्वादविवक्षुभिः। परःसहनै राजेन्द्र तपोनियमसंवृतः॥
He was a friend of Duryodhana and stood there under the disguise of a religious mendicant. With a rosary, with a tuft of hair on his head, and with a staff in his hand, he stood proudly and fearlessly in the midst of all those Brahmanas that had come there in thousands for uttering for blessings, (upon the king) O king, and all of whom had practised penances and vows.

स दुष्टः पापमाशंसुः पाण्डवानां महात्मनाम्। अनामन्त्र्यैव तान् विप्नांस्तमुवाच महीपतिम्॥
That wicked Rakshasa, desirous of doing evil to the high-souled Pandavas, and without having consulted those Brahmanas, said these words to the king.

चार्वाक उवाच इमे प्राहुर्द्विजाः सर्वे समारोप्य वचो मयि। धिग् भवन्तं कुनृपतिं ज्ञातिघातिनमस्तु वै॥
Charvaka said Making me their spokesman all these Brahmanas, are saying,-Fie on you. You are a wicked king. You are a destroyer of kinsmen.

किं तेन स्याद्धि कौन्तेय कृत्वेमं ज्ञातिसंक्षयम्। घातयित्वा गुरूंश्चैव मृतं श्रेयो न जीवितम्॥
What will you gain, O son of Kunti, by having thus exterminated your race? Having killed also your elders and preceptor, it is proper for you to cast away your life.

इति ते वै द्विजाः श्रुत्वा तस्य दुष्टस्य रक्षसः। विव्यथुश्चुक्रुशुश्चैव तस्य वाक्यप्रधर्षिताः॥
'Hearing these words of that wicked Rakshasa, the Brahmanas there were greatly moved. Cut to the quick by that speech, they set up a loud uproar.

ततस्ते ब्राह्मणाः सर्वे स च राजा युधिष्ठिरः। वीडिताः परमोद्विग्नास्तूष्णीमासन् विशाम्पते॥
And all those Brahmanas, with king Yudhishthira, O king, became silent from anxiety and shame.

युधिष्ठिर उवाच प्रसीदन्तु भवन्तो मे प्रणतस्याभियाचतः। प्रत्यासन्नव्यसनिनं न पां धिक्कर्तुमर्हथ।॥
Yudhishthira said I bow down to you and solicit you humbly, to be pleased with me. You should not cry fie on me. I shall soon cast off my life. not

वैशम्पायन उवाच ततो राजन् ब्राह्मणास्ते सर्व एव विशाम्पते। ऊचुनैतद् वचोऽस्माकं श्रीरस्तु तव पार्थिव॥
Vaishampayana said O lord of men, then all those Brahmanas, loudly said,-These are our words. Prosperity to you, O king.

जजुश्चैव महात्मानस्ततस्तं ज्ञानचक्षुषा। ब्राह्मणा वेदविद्वांसस्तपोभिर्विमलीकृताः॥
Those great persons, well read in the Vedas, with understandings rendered clear by penances, then learnt the disguise of the speaker by means of their spiritual sight.

ब्राह्मणा ऊचु: एव दुर्योधनसखा चार्वाको नाम राक्षसः। परिव्राजकरूपेण हितं तस्य चिकीर्षति॥
This is the Rakshasa Charvaka, the friend of Duryodhana. Having put on the guise of a religious mendicant, he seeks the well-being of his friend Duryodhana.

वयं ब्रूमो न धर्मात्मन् व्येतु ते भयमीदृशम्। उपतिष्ठतु कल्याणं भवन्तं भ्रातृभिः सह॥
We have not, O you righteous soul, said anything of the kind. Drive away your anxiety. May prosperity be with you and your brothers.

वैशम्पायन उवाच ततस्ते ब्राह्मणाः सर्वे हुंकारैः क्रोधमूर्छिताः। निर्भर्त्सयन्तः शुचयो निजघ्नुः पापराक्षसम्॥
Vaishampayana said Those Brahmanas then, beside themselves with anger, uttered the sound hum. Freed off of all sins, they censured the sinful Rakshasa and killed him there.

पपात विनिर्दग्धस्तेजसा ब्रह्मवादिनाम्। महेन्द्राशनिनिर्दग्धः पादपोऽङ्कुरवानिव॥
Consumed by by the power of those Brahmavadins, Charvaka fell down dead, like a tree with all its blasted spouts by the thunder of Indra.

पूजिताश्च ययुर्विप्रा राजानमभिनन्द्य तम्। राजा च हर्षमापेदे पाण्डवः ससुहृज्जनः॥
Duly adored the Brahmanas went away, having pleased the king with their blessing. The royal son of Pandu also, with all his friends, became highly happy. tree with all its blasted spouts by the thunder of Indra.

पूजिताश्च ययुर्विप्रा राजानमभिनन्द्य तम्। राजा च हर्षमापेदे पाण्डवः ससुहृज्जनः॥
Duly adored the Brahmanas went away, having pleased the king with their blessing. The royal son of Pandu also, with all his friends, became highly happy.