युधिष्ठिर उवाच अविरोधेन भूतानां योगः षाड्गुण्यकारकः। यः स्यादुभयभाग्धर्मस्तन्मे ब्रूहि पितामह॥ गार्हस्थ्यस्य च धर्मस्य योगधर्मस्य चोभयोः। अदूरसम्प्रस्थितयोः किंस्विच्छ्रेयः पितामह॥
Yudhishthira said You have already explained to me O grandfather, how the religion of Yoga, which produces six well-known attributes, may be adopted and practised without injuring any creature. Describe to me, O grandfather that religion which produces enjoyment and Liberation. O these two, both of which lead to the same end, which is superior?”
भीष्म उवाच उभौ धर्मो महाभागावुभौ परमदुश्चरौ। उभौ महाफलौ तौ तु सद्भिराचरितावुभौ॥
Bhishma said “Both courses of duty are highly sacred. Both are extremely difficult of performance. Both yield high fruits. Both are practised by those who are admittedly good.
अत्र ते वर्तयिष्यामि प्रामाण्यमुभयोस्तयोः। शृणुष्वैकमनाः पार्थ च्छिन्नधर्मार्थसंशयम्॥
I shall now describe to you on the authoritativeness of both these duties, for removing your doubts about their true meaning. Listen to me with rapt attention.
अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम्। कपिलस्य गोश्च संवादं तन्निबोध युधिष्ठिर॥
Regarding it is cited the old discourse between Kapila and the cow. Listen to it, O Yudhishthira.
आम्नायमनुपश्यन् हि पुराणं शाश्वतं ध्रुवम्। नहुषः पूर्वमालेभे त्वष्टुर्गामिति नः श्रुतम्॥
We have heard that in days of yore when the god Tashtri came to the palace of king Nahusha, the latter, for satisfying the duties of hospitality, was on the point of slaying a cow in accordance with the true, ancient, and eternal injunction of the Vedas.
तां नियुक्तामदीनात्मा सत्त्वस्थः संयमे रतः। ज्ञानवान् नियताहारो ददर्श कपिलस्तथा॥ स बुद्धिमुत्तमां प्राप्तो नैष्ठिकीमकुतोभयाम्। सतीमशिथिला सत्यां वेदा इत्यब्रवीत् सकृत्॥ तां गाषिः स्यूमरश्मिः प्रविश्य यतिमब्रवीत्। हंहो वेदा यदि मता धर्माः केनापरे मताः॥
Seeing that cow tied for slaughter, Kapila of liberal soul, ever following Sattvika duties, always engaged in controlling his senses, endued with true knowledge, and sparing in diet, having gained an excellent understanding that was characterised by faith, perfectly fearless, beneficial, firm, and ever directed towards truth, uttered-Alas, ye Vedas!-At that time a Rishi by name Syumarashmi, entering the form of that cow, addressed the Yati Kapila, saying,-Silence, O Kapila! If the Vedas are censurable, whence have those other duties come to regarded as authoritative.
तपस्विनो धृतिमन्तः श्रुतिविज्ञानचक्षुषः। सर्वमाष हि मन्यन्ते व्याहृतं विदितात्मनः॥
Men given to penances and endued with intelligence, and who have the Shrutis and knowledge for their eyes, consider the injunctions of the Vedas, which have been declared through and compiled by the Rishis, to be the words of God himself.
तस्यैवं गततृष्णस्य विज्वरस्य निराशिषः। का विवक्षास्ति वेदेषु निरारम्भस्य सर्वतः॥
What can a person say regarding the contents of the Vedas when these are the words of the Supreme Being himself, who is shorn of the desire of fruit, who is without the fever, who is addicted to nothing, and who is shorn of all exertion.
कपिल उवाच नाहं वेदान् विनिन्दामि न विवक्ष्यामि कर्हिचित्। पृथगाश्रमिणां कर्माण्येकार्थानीति नः श्रुतम्॥
Kapila said-I do not censure the Vedas, I do not wish to disparage them. We have heard that the different classes of duty laid down for the different modes of life, all lead to the same end.
गच्छत्येव परित्यागी वानप्रस्थश्च गच्छति। गृहस्थो ब्रह्मचारी च उभौ तावपि गच्छतः॥
The Sanyasin attains to a high end. The herinit also attains to a hight end. Both the other two, also, viz., the house-holder and the Brahmacharin, attain to the same end.
देवयाना हि पन्थानश्चत्वारः शाश्वता मता: एषां ज्याय: कनीयस्त्वं फलेषूक्तं बलाबलम्॥
All the four modes of life have always been considered as Deva-yana ways. The respective strength or weakness of these, are represented by their respective superiority or inferiority, has been declared in the character of their respective ends.
एवं विदित्वा सर्वार्थानारभेतेति वैदिकम्। नारभेतेति चान्यत्र नैष्ठिकी श्रूयते श्रुतिः॥
Knowing these, perform acts which lead to heaven and other blessings,—this is a Vedic declaration.-Do not perform acts,—this also is another obligatory declaration of the Vedas.
अनालम्भे ह्यदोषः स्यादालम्भे दोष उत्तमः। एवं स्थितस्य शास्त्रस्य दुर्विज्ञेयं बलाबलम्॥
If abstention from acts produces merit, then their performance must be highly reprehensible. When the scriptures say this, the strength or weakness of particular sayings must be difficult to determine.
यद्यत्र किञ्चित् प्रत्यक्षमहिंसायाः परं मतम्। ऋते त्वागमशास्त्रेभ्यो ब्रूहि तद् यदि पश्यसि॥
If you know of any class of duty which is superior to the religion of harmlessness, and which depends upon direct evidence instead of that of the scriptures, do you then describe them to me,
स्यूमरश्मिरुवाच स्वर्गकामो यजेतेति सततं श्रूयते श्रुतिः। फलं प्रकल्प्य पूर्वं हि ततो यज्ञः प्रतायते॥
One should celebrate sacrifices from desire of heaven'-we always hear this Shruti. Thinking first of the fruit, one makes preparations for sacrifice.
अजश्चाश्वश्च मेषश्च गौश्च पक्षिगणाश्च ये। ग्राम्यारण्याचौषधयः प्राणस्यानमिति श्रुतिः॥
Goat, horse, sheep, cow, all sorts of birds, domestic or wild, and herbs and plants, constitute the food of living creatures. We have heard this.
तथैवान्नं ह्यहरहः सायंप्रातर्निरूप्यते। पशवश्चाथ धान्य च यज्ञस्याङ्गमिति श्रुतिः॥
Food again ought to be taken day after day morning and evening. Again the Shruti says that aniinals and grain form the limbs of Sacrifice.
एतानि सह यज्ञेन प्रजापतिकल्पयत्। तेन प्रजापतिर्देवान् यज्ञेनायजत प्रभुः॥
The Lord of the universe created them along with Sacrifice. The powerful Lord of all creatures made the god celebrate sacrifices with their help.
तदन्योन्यवराः सर्वे प्राणिनः सप्त सप्तधा। यज्ञेषूपाकृतं विश्वं प्राहुरुत्तमसंज्ञितम्॥
Altogether seven (domestic) and seven (wild animals are declared fit for sacrifice. Instead of all being equally fit, each succeeding one is inferior to the preceding one. The Vedas again say that the whole universe is appointed for sacrifice. The Vedas have appointed Purusha for the same purpose.
एतच्चैवाभ्यनुज्ञातं पूर्वैः पूर्वतरैस्तथा। को जातु न विचिन्वीत विद्वान् स्वां शक्तिमात्मनः।।२३।
This again has been sanctioned by men of ancient times. What learned man is there who does not sclect, according to his own power, individuals from among living creatures for sacrifice?
पशवश्च मनुष्याश्च दुमाश्चौषधिभिः सह। स्वर्गमेवाभिकाङ्क्षन्ते न च स्वर्गस्ततो मखात्॥
The inferior animals, human beings, trees and herbs, all desire for the attainment of heaven. There is no means, however, except sacrifice, by which they can acquire the fruition of that desire.
ओषध्यः पशवो वृक्षा वीरुदाज्यं पयो दधि। हविर्भूमिर्दिशः श्रद्धा कालश्चैतानि द्वादश॥ ऋचो यजूंषि सामानि यजमानश्च षोडश। अग्नि यो गृहपतिः स सप्तदश उच्यते॥ अङ्गान्येतानि यज्ञस्य यज्ञो मूलमिति श्रुतिः। आज्येन पयसा दधा शकृताऽऽमिक्षया त्वचा॥ वालैः शृङ्गेण पादेन सम्भवत्येव गौमखम्। एवं प्रत्येकशः सर्वं यद् यदस्य विधीयते॥ यज्ञं वहन्ति सम्भूय सहत्विग्भिः सदक्षिणैः। संहृत्यैतानि सर्वाणि यज्ञं निवर्तयन्त्युत॥
The deciduous herbs, animals, trees, creepers, clarified butter, milk, curds, meat and other selected things land, the points of the horizon, faith, and time which forms the twelfth, the Richs, the Yajushes, the Samans, and the sacrificer himself froming the sixteenth, and Fire which should be known as the householder, these seventeen are said to be the linbs of Sacrifice. Sacrifice, the Shruti says, is the root of the world and its movement. With clarified butter, milk, curds, dung, curds mixed with milk, skin, the hair in her tail, horns, and hoofs, the cow alone is able to supply all the necessaries of sacrifice. For particular sacrifices are sanctioned particular ones, Ritwijas and presents together sustain Sacrifices. By collecting these things together, people celebrate sacrifices.
यज्ञार्थानि हि सृष्टानि यथार्था श्रूयते श्रुतिः। एवं पूर्वतरा: सर्वे प्रवृत्ताश्चैव मानवाः॥
This Shruti, quite of a piece with the truth, is heard that all things have been created for the celebration of Sacrifice. It was thus that all men of yore undertook the celebration of sacrifices.
न हिनस्ति नारभते नाभिद्रुह्यति किंचन। यज्ञो यष्टव्य इत्येव यो यजत्यफलेप्सया॥
Regarding that person, however, who celebrates sacrifices, because of the belief that sacrifices should be celebrated not for the sake of fruit or reward, it is seen that he does not injure any creature or treat any one with hostility, or engage in the performance of any worldly work.
यज्ञाङ्गान्यपि चैतानि यज्ञोक्तान्यनुपूर्वशः। विधिना विधियुक्तानि धारयन्ति परस्परम्॥
The things named above as the limbs of sacrifice, and those that have been mentioned as necessary in sacrifices and that are indicated in the ordinances, all maintain one another when used according to the approved ritual.
आम्नायमाएं पश्यामि यस्मिन् वेदाः प्रतिष्ठिताः। तं विद्वांसोऽनुपश्यन्ति ब्राह्मणस्यानुदर्शनात्॥
I see also the Smritis compiled by the Rishis, into which the Vedas have been introduced. Learned men regard them as authoritative on account of their following the Brahmanas.
ब्राह्मणप्रभवो यज्ञो ब्राह्मणार्पण एव च। अनुयज्ञं जगत् सर्वं यज्ञश्चानुजगत् सदा॥
Sacrifices have the Brahmanas for their progenitor, and truly they depend upon the Brahmanas. The whole universe depends upon sacrifices, and sacrifice depends upon the universe.
ओमिति ब्रह्मणो योनिनमः स्वाहा स्वधा वषट्। यस्यैतानि प्रयुज्यन्ते यथाशक्ति कृतान्यपि॥ न तस्य त्रिषु लोकेषु परलोकभयं विदुः। इति वेदा वदन्तीह सिद्धाश्च परमर्षयः॥
The syllable OM is the root from which the Vedas have originated. He has no fear about next life in all the three worlds, who has uttered for him the syllables 'OM, Namas, Svaha, Svadha, and Vashat, and who has according to his means, celebrated sacrifices and other rites. The Vedas and sages crowned with ascetic success, and the foremost of Rishis declare thus.
ऋचो यजूंषि सामानि स्तोभाश्च विधिचोदिताः। यस्मिन्नेतानि सर्वाणि भवन्तीह स वै द्विजः॥
He, indeed, is a Brahmana in whom are the Riches, the Yajushes, the Samans, and the explctives necessary for completing the rhythm of the Samans according to the rules laid down in Vedic grammars.
अग्न्याधेये यद् भवति यच्च सोमे सुते द्विज यच्चेतरैर्महायज्ञैर्वेद तद् भगवान् पुनः॥
You know, O worshipful Brahmana, what are the fruits of Agnihotra, of the Somasacrifice, and of the other great sacrifices.
तस्माद् ब्रह्मन् यजेच्चैव याजयेच्चाविचारयन्। यजतः स्वर्गविधिना प्रेत्य स्वर्गफलं महत्॥
I, therefore, hold that one should sacrifice and assist at other people's sacrifices, without any hesitation whatsoever. One who celebrates sacrifices leading to heaven (such as Yotishtoma, etc.,) acquires great rewards in the next world in the form of heavenly bliss.
नायं लोकोऽस्त्ययज्ञानां परचेति विनिश्चयः। वेदवादविदश्चैव प्रमाणमुभयं तदा॥
This is certain, viz., that they who do not celebrate sacrifices have neither this world nor the next. They who are really conversant with the sayings of the Vedas consider both kinds of declarations as equally authoritative.