शौनक उवाच तस्मात् तेऽहं प्रवक्ष्यामि धर्ममावृतचेतसे। श्रीमान् महाबलस्तुष्टः स्वयं धर्ममवेक्षसे॥
Shaunaka said I shall for these reasons describe to you virtue, you whose heart has been exceedingly agitated. Endued with knowledge, great strength, and a contented heart, you seek virtue of your own accord.
पुरस्ताद् दारुणो भूत्वा सुचित्रतरमेव तत्। अनुगृह्णाति भूतानि स्वेन वृत्तेन पार्थिवः॥
First becoming exceedingly stern, a king then shows mercy and does good to all creatures by his acts. This is certainly very wonderful.
कृत्स्नं नूनं स दहति इति लोको व्यवस्यति। यत्र त्वं तादृशो भूत्वा धर्ममेवानुपश्यसि॥
People say that that king who begins with sternness consumes the entire world. You were stern before. But you now seck righteousness.
हित्वा तु सुचिरं भक्ष्यं भोज्यांश्च तप आस्थितः। इत्येतदभिभूतानामद्भुतं जनमेजय॥
Forsaking luxurious food and all articles of enjoyment, you are now practising rigid penances for a long time. All this, O Janamejaya, is sure to appear wonderful to those kings who are sunk in sin.
योऽदुर्लभो भवेद् दाता कृपणो वा तपोधनः। अनाश्चर्यं तदित्याहु तिदूरेण वर्तते॥
It is not at all wonderful that he who has wealth should become liberal, or that he who has wealth of asceticism should become unwilling to spend it. It has been said that the one does not live far off from the other.
एतदेव हि कार्पण्यं समग्रमसमीक्षितम्। यचेत्सममीक्षयैव स्याद्भवेत्तस्मिस्ततो गुणः॥
An ill-judged thing produces enough of miserics. That, on the other hand, which is done with the help of sound judgement yields excellent results.
यज्ञो दानं दया वेदाः सत्यं च पृथिवीपते। पञ्चैतानि पवित्राणि षष्ठं सुचरितं तपः॥ तदेव राज्ञां परमं पवित्रं जनमेजया
Sacrifice, gift, mercy, the Vedas, and truth, O king,-these five,-are purifying. The sixth is penance well-practised. This last, O Janamejaya, is highly purifying for kings.
तेन सम्यग्गृहीतेन श्रेयांसं धर्ममाप्स्यसि॥ पुण्यदेशाभिगमन पवित्रं परमं स्मृतम्।
By following it duly, you are sure to acquire great merit and blessedness. Pilgrimage to sacred places has also been described to be highly purifying
अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीमां गाथां गीतां ययातिना॥ यो मर्त्यः प्रतिपद्येत आयुर्जीवितमात्मनः। यज्ञमेकान्ततः कृत्वा तत् संन्यस्य तपश्चरेत्॥
Regarding it is cited the following verse sung by Yayati-That mortal who would acquire life and longevity should, after having celebrated sacrifices with devotion, renounce them and practise penances.
पुण्यमाहुः कुरुक्षेत्रं कुरुक्षेत्रात् सरस्वतीम्। सरस्वत्याश्च तीर्थानि तीर्थेभ्यश्च पृथूदकम्॥ यत्रावगाह्य पीत्वा च नैनं श्वोमरणं तपेत्। महासरः पुष्कराणि प्रभासोत्तरमानसे॥
The field of Kuru has been described to be sacred. The river Sarasvati is considered more so. The Tirthas of the Sarasvati are inore sacred than the Sarasvati herself; and the Tirtha called Prithudaka is more sacred than all the Tirthas of the Sarasvati. One that has bathed in Prithudaka and drunk its waters will not have to be sorry for a premature death.
कालोदकं च गन्तासि लब्धायुर्जीविते पुनः। सरस्वतीदृषद्वत्योः संगमो मानसः सरः॥ स्वाध्यायशीलः स्थानेषु सर्वेषु समुपस्पृशेत्। त्यागधर्मः पवित्राणां संन्यासं मनुरब्रवीत्॥
You should go to Mahasaras, to all the Tirthas known by the name of Pushkara, to Prabhasa, to the northern lake Manasa, and to Kalodaka. You will then regain life and acquire longevity. Lake Manasa is where the Sarasvati and the Drishadvati join each other. A person endued with Vedic lore should bathe in these places. Manu has said that liberality is the highest of all duties, and that renunciation is better than liberality.
अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीमा गाथाः सत्यवता कृताः। यथा कुमारः सत्यो वै नैव पुण्यो न पापकृत्॥
Regarding it is cited the following verse composed by Satyavat (One should act) as a child full of simplicity and shorn of either merit or sin.
न ह्यस्ति सर्वभूतेषु दुःखमस्मिन् कुतः सुखम्। एवं प्रकृतिभूतानां सर्वसंसर्गयायिनाम्॥
For all creatures there is in this world neither misery nor happiness. Such is the true nature of all living creatures.
त्यजतां जीवितं श्रेयो निवृत्ते पुण्यपापके। यत्त्वेव राज्ञो ज्यायिष्ठं कार्याणां तद् ब्रवीमि ते ॥
Of all creatures, they are superior who have betaken themselves to renunciation and abstained from acts both meritorious and sinful, I shall now tell you those acts which are best for a king.
बलेन संविभागैश्च जय स्वर्ग जनेश्वर। यस्यैव बलमोजश्च स धर्मस्य प्रभुर्नरः॥
By showing your power and liberality do you conquer heaven, O king. that man who is endued with might and energy acquired righteousness.
ब्राह्मणानां सुखार्थं हि त्वं पाहि वसुधां नृप। यथैवैतान् पुराऽऽक्षेप्सीस्तथैवैतान् प्रसादय॥
Do you govern the Earth, O king, for the sake of the Brahmanas and for the sake of happiness. You used formerly to blame the Brahmanas. Do you please them now.
अपि धिक्रियमाणोऽपि त्यज्यमानोऽप्यनेकधा। आत्मनो दर्शनाद् विप्रान्न हन्तास्मीति मार्गया घटमानः स्वकार्येषु कुरु निःश्रेयसं परम्॥
Though they have censured you and though they have deserted you, do you still, guided by knowledge of self, solemnly promise never to injure them, Engaged in becoming acts, try to do what is for your highest good.
हिमाग्निघोरसदृशो राजा भवति कश्चन। लांगलाशनिकल्पो वा भवेदन्यः परंतप॥
Amongst kings some one becomes as cool as snow; some one, as fierce as fire; some one becomes like a plough; and some one, again, becomes like a thunder-bolt.
न विशेषेण गन्तव्यमविच्छिन्नेन वा पुनः। न जातु नाहमस्मीति सुप्रसक्तमसाधुषु।॥
He who wishes to prevent self-destruction, should never mix with wicked persons for general or particular purposes.
विकर्मणा तप्यमानः पापाद् विपरिमुच्यते। नैतत् कार्यं पुनरिति द्वितीयात् परिमुच्यते॥
From a sinful act committed only once, one may clear himself by repenting for it. From an act committed twice, one may purify himself by vowing never to repeat the act.
करिष्ये धर्ममेवेति तृतीयात् परिमुच्यते। शुचिस्तीर्थान्यनुचरन् बहुत्वात्परिमुच्यते॥
From such an act committed thrice, one may purify himself by determining to act virtuously all along afterwards. By committing such an act again and again, one may purify himself by visiting sacred places.
कल्याणमनुकर्तव्यं पुरुषेण बुभूषता। ये सुगन्धीनि सेवन्ते तथागन्धा भवन्ति ते॥ ये दुर्गन्धीनि सेवन्ते तथागन्धा भवन्ति ते!
One who wishes to acquire prosperity should do all that yields blessedness. They who live amidst fragrance themselves become fragrant by virtue thereof. They, on the other hand, who live in the midst of foul smell themselves become foui.
तपश्चर्यापरः सद्यः पापाद् विपरिमुच्यते॥ संवत्सरमुपास्याग्निमभिशस्तः प्रमुच्यते।
One who practises ascetic austerities is soon purged of all one's sins. By adoring the sacrificial fire for a year, one sullied by various sins becomes purified.
त्रीणि वर्षाण्युपास्याग्निं भ्रूणहा विप्रमुच्यते।।२७ महासरः पुष्कराणि प्रभासोत्तरमानसे। अभ्येत्य योजनशतं भ्रूणहा विप्रमुच्यते॥ यावतः प्राणिनो हन्यात् तज्जातीयांस्तु तावतः प्रमीयमानानुन्मोच्य प्राणिहा विप्रमुच्यते॥
One guilty of foeticide is purified by adoring the fire for three years. One guilty for foeticide becomes purifies at even a hundred Yojanas from Mahasara, or the Tirthas called Pushkara, or Prabhasa, or Manasa on the north, if only he sets out for any of them. A slayer of creatures is purged of his sins by saving from impending danger as many creatures of that particular kind as have been killed by him.
अपि चाप्सु निमज्जेत जपंस्त्रिरघमर्षणम्। यथाश्वमेधावभृथस्तथा तन्मनुरब्रवीत्॥
Manu has said that by diving in water after reciting thrice the sin-destroying Mantras, one rcaps the fruits of the final bath in a Horsesacrifice.
तत्क्षिप्रं नुदते पापं सत्कारं लभते यथा। अपि चैनं प्रसीदन्ति भूतानि जडमूकवत्॥
Such an act very soon purifies one of all his sins, and he becomes, once again, the esteemed of the world. All creatures obey such a person, like helpless idiots.
बृहस्पति देवगुरुं सुरासुराः सर्वे समेत्याभ्यनुयुज्य राजन्। धर्म्यं फलं वेत्थ फलं महर्षे तथैव तस्मिन्नरके पारलोक्ये॥
Approaching, in days of yore, the celestial preceptor Brihaspati, the gods and Asuras, O king, humbly enquired of him, saying,-You are cognisant, O great Rishi, of the fruits of virtue, as also the fruits of those other acts which lead to hell in the next world.
उभे तु यस्य सदृशे भवेतां किंस्वित्तयोस्तत्र जयोथ न स्यात्। आचक्ष्व नः पुण्यपैलं महर्षे कथं पापं नुदते धर्मशीलः।।३३।
Can not that person free himself from both virtue and sin who regards the two (happiness and inisery) equally? Tell us, O great Rishi, what are the fruits of righteousness, and how does a virtuous person remove his sins!
बृहस्पतिरुवाच कृत्वा पापं पूर्वमबुद्धिपूर्व पुण्यानि चेत्कुरुते बुद्धिपूर्वम्। स तत्पापं नुदते कर्मशीलो वासो यथा मलिनं क्षारयुक्तम्॥
Brihaspati answered If, having committed sin through foolishness, one performs meritorious acts understanding their nature, he succeeds, by such righteousness, in cleansing himself from sin even as a piece of dirty cloth is washed clean by some saline substance.
पापं कृत्वाभिमन्येत नाहमस्मीति पूरुषः। तच्चिकीर्षति कल्याणं श्रद्दधानोऽनसूयकः॥
One should not brag after having committed sin. By having faith and by freeing one's self from malice, one acquires blessedness.
छिद्राणि विवृतान्येव साधूनां चावृणोति यः। यः पापं पुरुषः कृत्वा कल्याणमभिपद्यते॥
That person who screens the faults of good men, even when exposed, acquires blessedness even after committing sins.
यथाऽऽदित्यः प्रातरुद्यंस्तमः सर्वं व्यपोहति। कल्याणमाचरन्नेवं सर्वपापं व्यपोहति॥
As the sun rising on the morning removes all darkness, so does one dissipate all his sins by acting virtuously.
भीष्म उवाच एवमुक्त्वा तु राजानमिन्द्रोतो जनमेजयम्। याजयामास विधिवद् वाजिमेधेन शौनकः॥
Bhishma said Having said these words to king Janamejaya, Indrota, the son of Shaunaka, assisted him in the celebration of the Horsesacrifice.
ततः स राजा व्यपनीतकल्मष: श्रेयोवृतः प्रज्वलिताग्निरूपवान्। विवेश राज्यं स्वममित्रकर्षणो यथा दिवं पूर्णवपुर्निशाकरः॥
Purged of his sins, and regaining blessedness, the king shone like a burning fire, and that slayer of enemies then entered his kingdom like moon in his full form entering the celestial region. and that slayer of enemies then entered his kingdom like moon in his full form entering the celestial region.