युधिष्ठिर उवाच इमे वै मानवाः सर्वे धर्म प्रति विशङ्किताः। कोऽयं धर्मः कुतो धर्मस्तन्मे ब्रूहि पितामह॥ धर्मस्त्वयमिहार्थः किमुत्रार्थोऽपि वा भवेत्। उभयार्थो हि वा धर्मस्तन्मे ब्रूहि पितामह॥
Yudhisthira said All men who live on this Earth, are filled with doubts regarding the nature .or righteousness. Who is this that is called Righteousness? Whence also does Righteousness come? come? Tell me this, O Grandfather! Is Righteousness for this world or for the next world? Or, is it for both here and hereafter? Tell me this, O grandfather?"
भीष्म उवाच सदाचारः स्मृतिर्वेदास्त्रिविधं धर्मलक्षणम्। चतुर्थमर्थमित्याहुः कवयो धर्मलक्षणम्॥
The practices of the good, the Smritis and the Vedas, are the three marks of righteousness. Besides these, the learned have said that the object (of doing works) is the fourth mark.
अपि झुक्तानि धाणि व्यवस्यन्त्युत्तरावरे। लोकयात्रार्थमेवेह धर्मस्य नियमः कृतः॥
The Rishis of old have said what acts are righteous and also classificd them as superior or inferior in point of merit. The rules of righteousness have been sanctioned for the conduct of the affairs of the world.
उभयत्र सुखोदर्क इह चैव परत्र च । अलध्वा निपुणं धर्मं पाप: पापेन युज्यते॥
In both the worlds, here and hereafter, righteousness begets happiness as its fruit. A sinful person, unable to acquire merit by subtile ways, becomes sullied with sin only.
न च पापकृतः पापान्मुच्यन्ते केचिदापदि। अपापवादी भवति यथा भवति धर्मकृत्। धर्मस्य निष्ठा त्वाचारस्तमेवाश्रित्य भोत्स्यसे॥
Some hold that sinful wights can never be purged of their sins. In times of difficulty a person by even speaking an untruth acquires the merit of speaking the truth. So a person who performs a sinful act acquires by that very means the merit of having done a pious act. Conduct is the refuge of righteousness. Helped by it you should know what righteousness is.
यथा धर्मसमाविष्टो धानं गृह्णाति तस्करः। रमते निर्हरन् स्तेनः परवित्तमराजके॥
The very thief, stealing others things, spends them in acts of seeming virtue. During anarchy, the thief takes great pleasure in approaching what belongs to others.
यदास्य तद्धरन्त्यन्ये तदा राजानमिच्छति। तदा तेषां स्पृहयते ये वै तुष्टाः स्वकैर्धनैः॥
When others, however, rob him of what he has gained by robbery, he then seeks a king. At even such a time, when he is highly indignant for his rights of property being violated, he secretly hankers after the riches of those who are contented with their own.
अभीतः शुचिरभ्येति राजद्वारमशङ्कितः। न हि दुश्चरितं किंचिदन्तरात्मनि पश्यति॥
Fearlessly and without a doubt in his mind he goes to the king's palace, with a mind purged of every sin. Within even his own heart he does not see mark of any evil act.
सत्यस्य वचनं साधु न सत्याद् विद्यते परम्। सत्येन विधृतं सर्वं सर्वं सत्ये प्रतिष्ठितम्॥
To speak the truth is meritorious. There is nothing superior to truth. Everything is supported by truth, and everything depends upon truth.
अपि पापकृतो रौद्राः कृत्वा पृथक् पृथक्। अद्रोहमविसंवादं प्रवर्तन्ते तदाश्रयाः॥ ते चेन्मिथोऽधृतिं कुर्युविनश्येयुरसंशयम्।
Even the sinful and dreadful persons swearing to keep the truth amongst themselves, do away with all grounds of quarrel and in a body perform their (sinful) deeds, depending upon truth. If they behaved falsely towards one another, they would, forsooth, he destroyed.
न हर्तव्यं परधनमिति धर्मः सनातनः॥ मन्यन्ते बलवन्तस्तं दुर्बलैः सम्प्रवर्तितम्।
One should not take other's properties. That is an eternal duty. Powerful men consider it as one that has been introduced by the weak.
यदा नियतिदौर्बल्यमथैषामेव रोचते॥ न ह्यत्यन्तं बलवन्तो भवन्ति सुखिनोऽपि वा।
When, however, ill luck overtakes, these men they the approve of this injunction. Again, they who surpass others in strength or power do not necessarily become happy.
तस्मादनार्जवे बुद्धिर्न कार्या ते कदाचन॥ असाधुभ्योऽस्य न भयं न चौरेभ्यो न राजतः। अकिंचित् कस्यचित् कुर्वन् निर्भयः शुचिरावसेत्॥
Therefore, do not ever think of doing a wrong act. One behaving in this way has no fear of dishonest men or thieves, or the king. Not having injured any one, such a man lives fearlessly and with a pure heart.
सर्वतः शङ्कते स्तेनो मृगो ग्राममिवेयिवान्। बहुधाऽऽचरितं पापमन्यत्रैवानुपश्यति॥
A thief fears every body, like a deer driven from the forest into the midst of an inhabited village. He considers other people as sinful as himself.
मुदितः शुचिरभ्येति सर्वतो निर्भयः सदा। न हि दुश्चरितं किंचिदात्मनोऽन्येषु पश्यति॥
A pure-hearted person is always filled with cheerfulness and has no fear from any where. Such a person never sees his own misconduct in other persons.
दातव्यमित्ययं धर्म उक्तो भूतहिते रतैः। तं मन्यन्ते धनयुताः कृपणैः सम्प्रवर्तितम्॥
Persons who do good to all creatures have said that charity is another high duty. The rich people think that this duty has been laid down by the poor.
यदा नियतिकार्पण्यमथैषामेव रोचते। न हत्यन्तं धन्वन्तो भवन्ति सुखिनोऽपि वा॥
When, however, those wealthy men become poor on account of some bad turn of fortune, they then appreciate the practice of charity. Men who are highly rich do not necessarily experience happiness.
यदन्यैर्विहितं नेच्छेदात्मनः कर्म न तत् परेषु कुर्वीत जानन्नप्रिययात्मनः॥
A person should never do that to others which he does not like to be done to him by others, knowing how painful it is to himself.
पूरुषः। योऽन्यस्य स्यादुपपतिः स कं किं वक्तुमर्हति। यदन्यस्य ततः कुर्यान्न मृष्येदिति मे मतिः॥
What can a man seeking another man's wife say to another man? It is seen, however, that even such a man, when he sees his wife with another person, becomes unable to forgive the act.
जीवितुं यः स्वयं चेच्छेत् कथं सोऽन्यं प्रघातयेत्। यद् यदात्मनि चेच्छेत तत् परस्यापि चिन्तयेत्॥
How can a person who wishes to himself take breath think of preventing another by a murderous act from doing the same? Whatever wishes one cherishes about his own self, one should certainly cherish regarding another.
अतिरिक्तैः संविभजेद् भोगैरन्यानकिंचनान्। एतस्मात् कारणाद् धात्रा कुसीदं सम्प्रवर्तितम्॥
With his surplus riches he should remove the wants of the poor. Therefore the Creator ordained the practice of multiplying one's wealth.
यस्मिस्तु देवाः समये संतिष्ठेरंस्तथा भवेत्। अथवा लाभसमये स्थितिधर्मेऽपि शोभना॥
One should walk along that road by proceeding along which he may hope to meet with the gods; or, at such times when wealth is acquired, the duties of sacrifice and gift are highly spoken of.
सर्वं प्रियाभ्युपगतं धर्ममाहुर्मनीषिणः। पश्यैतं लक्षणोद्देशं धर्माधर्मे युधिष्ठिर॥
The sages have said that righteousness consists in the performance of objects by means of agreeable means. See, O Yudhisthira, that this is the standard that has been upheld in pointing out the marks of virtue and sin.
लोकसंग्रहसंयुक्तं विधात्रा विहितं पुरा। सूक्ष्मधर्मार्थनियतं सतां चरितमुत्तमम्॥
In days of yore the Creator ordained virtue gifting it with the power of holding the world together. The excellent conduct of the good, is subjected to restraints for acquiring virtue which depends upon many delicate considerations.
धर्मलक्षणमाख्यातमेतत् ते कुरुसत्तम। तस्मादनार्जवे बुद्धिर्न ते कार्या कथंचन॥
The marks of virtue have now been described to you, O best of Kuru's race? Do not, therefore, at any time think of doing a wrong act.
धर्मलक्षणमाख्यातमेतत् ते कुरुसत्तम। तस्मादनार्जवे बुद्धिर्न ते कार्या कथंचन॥
The marks of virtue have now been described to you, O best of Kuru's race? Do not, therefore, at any time think of doing a wrong act.