युधिष्ठिर उवाच पापस्य यदधिष्ठानं यतः पापं प्रवर्तते। एतदिच्छाम्यहं श्रोतुं तत्त्वेन भरतर्षभ॥
Yudhishthira said-I wish, O foremost of Bharata's race, to hear fully the source from which sin proceeds and the basis upon which it depends.
भीष्म उवाच पापस्य यदधिष्ठानं तच्छृणुष्व नराधिप। एको लोभो महाग्राहो लोभात् पापं प्रवर्तते॥
Bhishma said Hear, O king, what is the origin of sin! Covetousness alone is a great destroyer. From covetousness originates sin.
अतः पापमधर्मश्च तथा दुःखमनुत्तमम्। निकृत्या मूलमेतद्धि येन पापकृतो जनाः॥
Sin and impiety proceed from this source, along with great misery. This covetousness is the root of also all the cunning and hypocrisy in the world. It is covetousness that makes men perpetrate sin.
लोभात् क्रोधः प्रभवति लोभात् कामः प्रवर्तते। लोभान्मोहच माया च मानः स्तम्भः परासुता॥ अक्षमा ह्रीपरित्यागः श्रीनाशो धर्मसंक्षयः। अभिध्याप्रख्यता चैव सर्वं लोभात् प्रवर्तते॥
From covetousness originates anger, from covetousness grows lust; and it is covetousness which begets loss of judgement, decision, pride, haughtiness, malice, vindictiveness shamelessness, loss of prosperity, loss of virtue, anxiety, and infamy.
अत्यागश्चातितर्षश्च विकर्मसु च याः क्रियाः। कुलविद्यामदश्चैव रूपैश्वर्यमदस्तथा॥ सर्वभूतेष्वभिद्रोहः सर्वभूतेष्वसत्कृतिः। सर्वभूतेष्वविश्वासः सर्वभूतेष्वनार्जवम्॥ हरणं परवित्तानां परदाराभिमर्शनम्। वाग्वेगो मनसो वेगो निन्दावेगस्तथैव च॥ उपस्थोदरयोर्वेगो मृत्युवेगश्च दारुणः। ईर्ष्यावेगश्च बलवान् मिथ्यावेगश्च दुर्जयः॥ रसवेगश्च दुर्वार्यः श्रोत्रवेगश्च दुःसहः। कुत्सा विकत्था मात्सर्यं पापं दुष्करकारिता॥
Covetousness also begets miserliness, cupidity, inclination for every sort of improper deed, pride of birth, pride of learning, pride of beauty, pride of riches, mercilessness for all creatures, malevolence towards all, trustlessness in respect of all, insincerity towards all, appropriation of other people's property, ravishment of other people's wives, harshness of speech, anxiety, desire to speak ill of others, strong lustful desire, gluttony, liability to premature death, strong inclination to malice, strong desire for falsehood, irrepressible desire for indulging the passions, insatiable desire for indulging the ear, evilspeaking, bostfulness, arrogance, neglect of duties, rashness, and perpetration of every kind of evil deed.
साहसानां च सर्वेषामकार्याणां क्रियास्तथा। जातौ बाल्ये च कौमारे यौवने चापि मानवाः॥
Men are unable, whether infants or youths or men, to cast off covetousness in life. Such is the nature of covetousness that it never disappears even with the loss of life.
न संत्यजन्त्यात्मकर्म यो न जीर्यति जीर्यतः। यो न पूरयितुं शक्यो लोभः प्राप्त्या कुरूद्वह॥
Like the ocean that can never be filled by the continued flow of even numberless rivers of immeasurable depths, covetousness is incapable of being conquered by any number of acquisitions.
नित्यं गम्भीरतोयाभिरापगाभिरिवोदधिः। न प्रहृष्यति यो लाभैः कामैर्यश्च न तृष्यति॥ यों न देवैर्न गन्धर्नासुरैर्न महोरगैः। ज्ञायते नृप तत्त्वेन सर्वैर्भूतगणैस्तथा॥
That covetousness, however, which is never satisfied by acquisitions and satiated by the fulfilment of desires, that the real nature of which is not known to the gods, the Gandharvas, the Asuras, the great snakes, and, in fact, to all beings, that irresistible passion, together with that foolishness which draws the heart to the unrealities of the world, should always be conquered by a person of purified soul.
स लोभः सह मोहेन विजेतव्यो जितात्मना। दम्भो द्रोहश्च निन्दा च पैशुन्यं मत्सरस्तथा॥
Pride, malice, slander, wiliness and incapacity to hear other people's good, are vices, O Kuru chief, that are to be seen in persons of impure soul under the influence of covetousness.
भवन्त्येतानि कौरव्य लुब्धानामकृतात्मनाम्। सुमहान्त्यपि शास्त्राणि धारयन्ति बहुश्रुताः॥
Even highly learned men who recollect all the scriptures, and who are capable of removing the doubts of others, appear very weak in this matter and feel great misery for this passion.
छेत्तारः संशयानां च क्लिश्यन्तीहाल्पबुद्धयः। द्वेषक्रोधप्रसक्ताश्च शिष्टाचारबहिष्कृताः॥ अन्तःक्रूरा वाङ्मधुराः कूपाश्छन्नास्तृणैरिवा
Covetous men are swayed by malice and spite. They are beyond the range of good conduct. Wily as they are in their hearts, their speeches are sweet. They are like dark pits whose mouths are covered with grass.
धर्मवैतं सिकाः क्षुद्रा मुष्णन्ति ध्वजिनो जगत्॥ कुर्वते च बहून् मार्गांस्तान् हेतुबलमाश्रिताः। सतां मार्गान् विलुम्पन्ति लोभाज्ञानेषु निष्ठिताः॥
They dress themselves in the hypocritical garb of religion, Low minded as they are, they rob the world, showing the standard of religion and virtue. Depending upon the strength of palpable reasons, they create various divisions in religion. Being anxious to serve cupidity, they destroy the ways of righteousness.
धर्मस्य ह्रियमाणस्य लोभग्रस्तैर्दुरात्मभिः। या या विक्रियते संस्था ततः सापि प्रपद्यते॥
When wicked men under the influence of covetousness practise for the inere show of righteousness, the result is that the desecrations committed by them, soon become current among men.
दर्पः क्रोधो मदः स्वप्नो हर्षः शोकोऽतिमानिता। एव एव हि कौरव्य दृश्यन्ते लुब्धबुद्धिषु॥
Pride, anger, arrogance, insensibility, fits of joy and sorrow, and self-conceit, all these, O descendant of Kuru, are to be seen in persons under the influence of covetousness.
एतानशिष्टान् बुध्यस्व नित्यं लोभसमन्वितान्। शिष्टांस्तु परिपृच्छेथा यान् वक्ष्यामि शुचिव्रतान्॥
They who are always under the influence of covetousness are wicked. I shall now tell you of those about whom you ask,—those who are called good and whose practices are pure.
येष्वावृत्तिभयं नास्ति परलोकभयं न च। नामिषेषु प्रसंगोऽस्ति न प्रियेष्वप्रियेषु च॥ शिष्टाचारः प्रियो येषु दमो येषु प्रतिष्ठितः। सुखं दुःखं समं येषां सत्यं येषां परायणम्॥ दातारो न ग्रहीतारो दयावन्तस्तथैव च। पितृदेवातिथेयाश्च नित्योधुक्तास्तथैव च॥ सर्वोपकारिणो वीराः सर्वधर्मानुपालकाः। सर्वभूतहिताश्चैव सर्वदेयाश्च भारत॥
They who fear no obligation of returning to this world (after death), they who have no fear of the next world, they who do not take animal food and who have no liking for what is agreeable and no dislike for what is otherwise, they to whom good conduct is always dear, they who practise self-restraint, they who consider pleasure and pain as same, they who have truth for their refuge, they who give but not take, they who have mercy, they who adore, Pitris, gods, and guests, they who are always ready to work (for the behoof of others), they who are universal benefactors, they who are endued with great courage (of mind), they who follow all the duties sanctioned by the scriptures, they who are devoted to the well-being of all, they who can give their all and sacrifice their very lives for others, are considered as good and virtuous, O Bharata.
न ते चालयितुं शक्या धर्मव्यापारकारिणः। न तेषां भिद्यते वृत्तं यत्पुरा साधुभिः कृतम्॥
Those promoters of virtue cannot be seduced from the path of virtue. Their conduct, in imitation of that of virtuous men of yore, can never be otherwise.
न त्रासिनो न चपला न रौद्राः सत्पथे स्थिताः। ते सेव्याः साधुभिर्नित्यं येष्वहिंसा प्रतिष्ठिता॥
They are perfectly fearless; they are tranquil; they are mild; and they always follow the right path. Full of mercy, they are always adored by the good.
कामक्रोधव्यपेता ये निर्ममा निरहंकृताः। सुव्रताः स्थिरमर्यादास्तानुपास्व च पृच्छ च॥
They are free from lust and anger. They are not attached to any worldly object. They have no pride. They observe excellent vows. They always command respect. Do you, therefore, always attend them and seek instruction from them.
न धनार्थं यशोऽर्थं वा धर्मस्तेषां युधिष्ठिर। अवश्यं कार्य इत्येव शरीरस्य क्रियास्तथा।॥
They never acquire virtue, O Yudhishthira, for the sake of riches or of fame. They acquire error it only, because they know it as a duty like that of supporting the body.
न भयं क्रोधचापल्ये न शोकस्तेषु विद्यते। न धर्मध्वजिनश्चैव न गुह्यं कञ्चिदास्थिताः॥
Fear, anger, restlessness, and sorrow do not live in them. They carry no external garb of religion for misleading their fellow-men. They observe no mystery.
येष्वलोभस्तथामोहो ये च सत्यार्जवे स्थिताः। तेषु कौन्तेय रज्येथा येषां न भ्रश्यते पुनः॥
They are perfectly contended. They have of judgement originating from covetousness. They always follow truth and sincerity. Their hearts never deviate from righteousness. You should always respect them, O son of Kunti!
ये न हृष्यन्ति लाभेषु नालाभेषु व्यथन्ति च। निर्ममा निरहंकाराः सत्त्वस्थाः समदर्शिनः॥
They are never overjoyed at any acquisition or pained at any loss. Without being attached to anything, and shorn of pride, they are devoted to the quality of Goodness, and they regard all impartially.
लाभालाभौ सुखदुःखे च तात प्रियाप्रिये मरणं जीवितं च। समानि येषां स्थिरविक्रमाणां बुभुत्सतां सत्त्वपथे स्थितानाम्॥
Gain and loss, happiness and misery, the agreeable and the disagreeable, life and death, are held in equal estimation by those men of firm mind, engaged in acquiring (divine) knowledge, and wending the path of tranquility and righteousness.
धर्मप्रियांस्तान्सुमहानुभावान् दान्तोऽप्रमत्तश्च समर्चयेथाः। दैवान्सर्वे गुणवन्तो भवन्ति शुभाशुभे वाक्प्रलापास्तथान्ये॥
Keeping your senses under control and without yielding to carelessness, you should always adore those great persons who bear such love for virtue. O blessed one, one's words always yield good only through the favour of the gods. Under other circumstances, words beget evil consequence. words always yield good only through the favour of the gods. Under other circumstances, words beget evil consequence.