युधिष्ठिर उवाच विस्रम्भितोऽहं भवता धर्मान् प्रवदता विभो। प्रवक्ष्यामि तु संदेहं तन्मे ब्रूहि पितामह॥
Yudhishthira said I have been greatly assured, O you of power, by you thus discoursing to me of duties. I shall, however, express the doubts I have. Explain them to me, O grandfather.
व्रतानां किं फलं प्रोक्तं कीदृशं वा महाद्युते। नियमानां फलं किं च स्वधीतस्य च किं फलम्॥
What are the fruits, described in the scriptures, of the vows that men observe. Of what nature are the fruits, you of great splendour, of observances of other kind? What, again, are the fruits of one's Vedic studies.
दत्तस्येह फलं किं च वेदानां धारणे च किम्। अध्यापने फलं किं च सर्वमिच्छामि वेदितुम्॥
What are the fruits of gifts, and what those of keeping the Vedas in memory? What are the fruits of teaching the Vedas? I wish to know all this.
अप्रतिग्राहके किं च फलं लोके पितामह। तस्य किं च फलं दृष्टं श्रुतं यस्तु प्रयच्छति॥
What, O grandfather, are the merits of the nonacceptance of gifts in this world. What fruits does one enjoy who makes gifts of knowledge?
स्वकर्मनिरतानां च शूराणां चापि किं फलम्। शौचे च किं फलं प्रोक्तं ब्रह्मचर्ये च किं फलम्॥
What merits do persons enjoy who perform the duties of their order, as also do heroes who do not retreat from the battlefield. What are the fruits of the observance of purity and of the practice of Brahmacharya?
पितृशुश्रूषणे किं च मातृशुश्रूषणे तथा। आचार्यगुरुशुश्रूषास्वनुक्रोशानुकम्पने॥
What are the merits of serving the parents. What also are the merits of serving preceptors and teachers, and what the merits of mercy and kindness?
एतत् सर्वमशेषेण पितामह यथातथम्। वेत्तुमिच्छामि धर्मज्ञ परं कौतूहलं हि मे॥
I wish to know all this, O grandfather, in sooth and in particular, O you, who are conversant with all the scriptures Great is my curiosity.
भीष्म उवाच यो व्रतं वै यथोद्दिष्टं तथा सम्प्रतिपद्यते। अखण्डं सम्यगारभ्य तस्य लोकाः सनातनाः॥
Bhishma said He enjoys eternal regions of happiness, who, having properly commenced a Vrata (vow) completes its observance according to the scriptures.
नियमानां फलं राजन् प्रत्यक्षमिह दृश्यते। नियमानां क्रतूनां च त्वयावाप्तमिदं फलम्॥
The fruits of restraints, O king, are visible even in this world. These rewards that you have acquired are those of Niyamas and sacrifices.
स्वधीतस्यापि च फलं दृश्यतेऽमुत्र चेह च। इहलोकेऽथवा नित्यं ब्रह्मलोके च मोदते॥
The fruits of the Vedic studies are seen both in this world and the next. The person who is given to the study of the Vedas is seen to sport happily both in this world and in the region of Brahma.
दमस्य तु फलं राजञ्छृणु त्वं विस्तरेण मे। दान्ताः सर्वत्र सुखिनो दान्ताः सर्वत्र निर्वृताः॥
Listen now to me, O king, as I tell you in detail what that fruits, are of self-control. The self-controlled are happy everywhere. The selfcontrolled always enjoy that happiness which results from the absence or subjugation of desire.
यत्रेच्छागामिनो दान्ताः सर्वशत्रुनिषूदनाः। प्रार्थयन्ति च यद् दान्ता लभन्ते तन्न संशयः॥
The self-controlled can go everywhere at will. The self-controlled can destroy every enemy. Forsooth, the self-controlled succeed in getting everything they seek.
युज्यन्ते सर्वकामैर्हि दान्ताः सर्वत्र पाण्डव। स्वर्गे यथा प्रमोदन्ते तपसा विक्रमेण च॥
The self-controlled. O son of Pandu, obtain the fruition of every desire. The self-controlled and the forgiving share the happiness that men enjoy in Heaven through penances and prowess, (in arms), through gift, and through various sacrifices.
दानैर्यज्ञैश्च विविधैस्तथा दान्ताः क्षमान्विताः। दानाद् दमो विशिष्टो हि ददत् किञ्चिद् द्विजातये।।१४
Selfcontrol is more meritorious than gift. A giver, after making a gift to the Brahmanas, may yield to the influence of anger. A selfcontrolled man, however, never gives way to anger. Hence self-control is superior to gift.
दाता कुप्यति नो दान्तस्तस्माद् दानात् परं दमः। यस्तु दद्यादकुप्यन् हि तस्य लोकाः सनातनाः॥ क्रोधो हन्ति हि यद् दानं तस्माद् दानात् परं दमः। अदृश्यानि महाराज स्थानान्ययुतशो दिवि॥ ऋषीणां सर्वलोकेषु याहीतो यान्ति देवताः।
That man who makes gifts without yielding to anger, succeeds in acquiring eternal regions of happiness. Anger destroys the merit of a gift. Hence self-control is superior to gift. There are ten thousand invisible places, O monarch, in Heaven. Existing in all the regions of Heaven, these places belong to the Rishis. Persons, leaving this world, attain to them and become changed into deities.
दमेन यानि नृपते गच्छन्ति परमर्षयः॥ कामयाना महत्स्थानं तस्माद् दानात् परं दमः।
O king, the great Rishis repair there, helped only by their self-control, and as the end of their efforts to attain to a region of superior happiness, Hence, self-control is superior to gift.
अध्यापकः परिक्लेशादक्षयं फलमश्नुते॥ विधिवत् पावकं हुत्वा ब्रह्मलोके नराधिप।
The person who becomes a preceptor, and who duly adores the fire taking leave of all his miseries in this world, enjoy endless happiness O King in the region of Brahma.
अधीत्यापि हि यो वेदान् न्यायविद्ध्यः प्रयच्छति।।१९ गुरुकर्मप्रशंसी तु सोऽपि स्वर्गे महीयते।
That man who having himself read the Vedas, imparts a knowledge thereof to righteous disciples, and who praises the acts of his own preceptor, acquires great honors in Heaven.
क्षत्रियोऽध्ययने युक्तो यजने दानकर्मणि। युद्धे यश्च परित्राता सोऽपि स्वर्गे महीयते॥
That Kshatriya who is given to the studies of the Vedas, to the celebration of sacrifices, to the making of gifts, and who rescues the lives of others in battle, similarly acquires great honors in Heaveri.
वैश्यः स्वकर्मनिरतः प्रदानाल्लभते महत्। शूद्रः स्वकर्मनिरतः स्वर्गे शुश्रूषयार्च्छति॥
The Vaishya who, observes the duties of his caste, makes gifts, reaps as the fruit of those gifts, a crowning reward. The Shudra who duly observes the duties of his order, acquires Heaven as the reward of such services.
शूरा बहुविधाः प्रोक्तास्तेषामर्थांस्तु मे शृणु। शूरान्वयानां निर्दिष्टं फलं शूरस्य चैव हि॥
Various kinds of heroes have been spoken of. Listen to me as I explain to you what the rewards are that they attain to. The rewards are fixed of a hero belonging to a heroic race.
यज्ञशूरा दमे शूराः सत्यशूरास्तथापरे। युद्धशूरास्तथैवोक्ता दानशूराश्च मानवाः॥
There are heroes of sacrifice, heroes of selfcontrol, heroes of truth, and others equally entitled to the name of hero. There are heroes of battle, and heroes of gift or liberality among men.
सांख्यशूराश्च बहवो योगशूरास्तथापरे। अरण्ये गृहवासे च त्यागे शूरास्तथापरे॥
There are many persons who may be called the heroes of the Shankhya faith, there are many others that are called heroes of Yoga. There are others who are considered as heroes in the forest-life, of domesticity, and of renunciation.
बुद्धिशूरास्तथा चान्ये क्षमाशूरास्तथापरे। आर्जवे च तथा शूराः शमे वर्तन्ति मानवाः।
Likewise, there are others who are called heroes of the intellect, and also heroes of forgiveness. There are other men who live in tranquillity and who are considered as heroes of virtue.
तैस्तैश्च नियमैः शूरा बहवः सन्ति चापरे। वेदाध्ययनशूराश्च शूराश्चाध्यापने रताः॥
There are various other kinds of heroes who practise various other kinds of vows and observances. There are heroes given to the study of the Vedas, and heroes devoted to the teaching of the same.
गुरुशुश्रूषया शूराः पितृशुश्रूषयापरे। मातृशुर्षया शूरा भैक्ष्यशूरास्तथापरे॥
There are, again, men who come to be regarded as heroes for the devotion with which they wait upon and serve their preceptors, as indeed, heroes in respect of the respect they show for their fathers. There are heroes in obedience to mothers, and heroes in the life of mendicancy they lead.
अरण्ये गृहवासे च शूराश्चातिथिपूजने। सर्वे यान्ति पराँल्लोकान् सर्वकर्मफलनिर्जितान्॥
There are heroes in the matter of hospitality to guests, whether living as hermits or as house-holders. All these heroes attain to very superior regions of happiness which are, of course, acquired by them as the rewards of their own deeds.
धारणं सर्ववेदानां सर्वतीर्थावगाहनम्। सत्यं च ब्रुवतो नित्यं समं वा स्यान्न वा समम्॥
Keeping all the Vedas in memory, or ablutions performed in all the sacred waters, may or may not be equal to telling the Truth every day in one's life.
अश्वमेधसहस्रं च सत्यं च तुलया धृतम्। अश्वमेधसहस्राद्धि सत्यमेव विशिष्यते॥
A thousand Horse-sacrifices and Truth were once weighed in the balance. It was seen that Truth weighed heavier than a thousand. Horsesacrifices.
सत्येन सूर्यस्तपति सत्येनाग्निः प्रदीप्यते। सत्येन मरुतो वान्ति सर्वं सत्ये प्रतिष्ठितम्॥
It is by Truth that the Sun is giving heat it is by Truth that fire bums up it is by Truth that the winds blow; indeed, everything rests upon Truth;
सत्येन देवाः प्रीयन्ते पितरो ब्राह्मणास्तथा। सत्यमाहुः परो धर्मस्तस्मात् सत्यं न लड्वयेत्॥
It is Truth that pleases the deities, the departed Manes, and the Brahmanas, Truth has been said to be the highest duty. Therefore, no one should ever transgress Truth.
मुनयः सत्यनिरता मुनयः सत्यविक्रमा:। मुनयः सत्यशपथास्तस्मात् सत्यं विशिष्यते॥ सत्यवन्तः स्वर्गलोके मोदन्ते भरतर्षभ।
The Munis are all given to Truth. Their prowess depends upon Truth. They also swear by Truth. Hence Truth is pre-eminent. All truthful men, O chief of Bharata's race, succeed by their truthfulness in acquiring Heaven and sporting there in happiness.
दमः सत्यफलावाप्ति रुक्ता सर्वात्मना मया॥ असंशयं विनीतात्मा स वै स्वर्गे महीयते।
Selfcontrol is the attainment of the reward tha: attaches to Truth. I have described it with my whole heart. The man of humble heart who is endued with self-control, forsooth, acquires great honors in Heaven.
ब्रह्मचर्यस्य च गुणं शृणु त्वं वसुधाधिप।॥ आजन्ममरणाद् यस्तु ब्रह्मचारी भवेदिह। न तस्य किंचिदप्राप्यमिति विद्धि नराधिप।॥ बयः कोट्यस्त्वृषीणां तु ब्रह्मलोके वसन्त्युत।
Listen now to me, o king as I explain to you the merits of Brahmacharya. That man who practises the vow of Brahmacharya from his birth to the time of his Death, know, O king, has nothing unattainable! Many millions of Rishis are living in the region of Brahma.
सत्ये रतानां सततं दान्तानामूर्ध्वरेतसाम्॥ ब्रह्मचर्यं दहेद् राजन् सर्वपापान्युपासितम्। ब्राह्मणेन विशेषेण ब्राह्मणो ह्याग्निरुच्यते॥ प्रत्यक्षं हि तथा ह्येतद् ब्राह्मणेषु तपस्विषु।
All of them, while here, were given to Truth, and self-control, and had their vital seed drawn up. The vow of Brahmacharya, O king, duly observed by a Brahmana, is sure to dissipate all his sins. The Brahmana is said to be a burning fire. In those Brahmanas that are given to penances, the deity of fire becomes visible.
बिभेति हि यथा शक्रो ब्रह्मचारिप्रधर्षितः॥ तद् ब्रह्मचर्यस्य फलमृषीणामिह दृश्यते।
If a Brahmacharin gives way to anger on account of any slight, the chief of the deities himself trambles in fear. This is the visible fruit of the vow of Brahamacharya that is observed by the Rishis.
मातापित्रोः पूजने यो धर्मस्तमपि मे शृणु॥ शुश्रूषते य: पितरं न चासूयेत् कदाचन। मातरं भ्रातरं वापि गुरुमाचार्यमेव च।॥ तस्य राजन् फलं विद्धि स्वर्लोके स्थानमर्चितम्। न च पश्येत नरकं गुरुशुश्रूषयाऽऽत्मवान्॥
Listen to me, O Yudhishthira, what the merit is of the worship of the father and the mother. He who dutifully serves his father without ever provO king him in anything, or similarly serves his mother or (elder) brother or other senior or preceptor, it should be known, O king, acquires a residence in Heaven. The man of purified soul, on account of such service done to his seniors, has never to even see Hell.