Bhishma Praises the Brahmins

Verse 1 (13.12.1)

यथैव ते नमस्कार्याः प्रोक्ताः शक्रेण मानद । एतन्मे सर्वमाचक्ष्व येभ्यः स्पृहयसे नृपः ॥

yathaiva te namaskāryāḥ proktāḥ śakreṇa mānada | etanme sarvamācakṣva yebhyaḥ spṛhayase nṛpaḥ

O giver of honour, tell me all of this: just as Shakra named those who ought to be bowed to, so tell me those, O king, for whom you yourself feel such longing.

Note on the text: The alignment found no match. Line 1 is the CE star passage 13.8.1d*0040_01 (yathaiva te namaskāryāḥ proktāḥ śakreṇa mānada); line 2 is CE 13.8.1c (etan me sarvam ācakṣva yeṣāṃ spṛhayase nṛpa), with येभ्यः for yeṣāṃ. The CE's own opening lines 13.8.1ab (ke pūjyāḥ ke namaskāryāḥ kān namasyasi bhārata) are not on the page.

Verse 2 (13.12.2)

उत्तमापद्गतस्यापि यत्र ते वर्तते मनः । मनुष्यलोके सर्वस्मिन्यदमुत्रेह चाप्युत ॥

uttamāpadgatasyāpi yatra te vartate manaḥ | manuṣyaloke sarvasminyadamutreha cāpyuta

Tell me also where your mind rests, even when you have fallen into the worst of calamities: in this whole world of men, what is good both for the next world and for this one.

Verse 3 (13.12.3)

स्पृहयामि द्विजातिभ्यो येषां ब्रह्म परं धनम् । येषां संप्रत्ययः स्वर्गस्तपःस्वाध्यायसाधनम् ॥

spṛhayāmi dvijātibhyo yeṣāṃ brahma paraṃ dhanam | yeṣāṃ saṃpratyayaḥ svargastapaḥsvādhyāyasādhanam

I long to honour the twice-born whose highest wealth is sacred knowledge, whose settled conviction is heaven, and whose means are austerity and Vedic study.

Note on the text: The alignment found no match; = CE 13.8.3 (Wikisource द्विजातिभ्यः, संप्रत्ययः, तपःस्वाध्यायसाधनम् against CE dvijātīnām, svapratyayaḥ, tapaḥsvādhyāyasādhanaḥ; recension variants, kept).

Verse 4 (13.12.4)

येषां बालाश्च वृद्धाश्च पितृपैतामहीं धुरम् । उद्वहन्ति न सीदन्ति तेभ्यो वै स्पृहयाम्यहम् ॥

yeṣāṃ bālāśca vṛddhāśca pitṛpaitāmahīṃ dhuram | udvahanti na sīdanti tebhyo vai spṛhayāmyaham

I long to honour those among whom the young and the old alike bear the burden handed down from father and grandfather, and do not falter.

Note on the text: The alignment found no match; = CE 13.8.4 (Wikisource येषां बालाश्च वृद्धाश्च, तेभ्यो against CE yeṣāṃ vṛddhāś ca bālāś ca, teṣāṃ; recension variants, kept).

Verse 5 (13.12.5)

विद्यास्वभिविनीतानां दान्तानां मृदुभाषिणाम् । श्रुतवृत्तोपपन्नानां सदाऽक्षरविदां सताम् ॥

vidyāsvabhivinītānāṃ dāntānāṃ mṛdubhāṣiṇām | śrutavṛttopapannānāṃ sadā'kṣaravidāṃ satām

I long to honour those well trained in the sciences, self-controlled and gentle in speech, endowed with learning and good conduct, the good who always know the Imperishable.

Verse 6 (13.12.6)

संसत्सु वदतां तात हंसानामिव सङ्घशः । मङ्गल्यरूपा रुचिरा दिव्यजीमूतनिःस्वनाः ॥

saṃsatsu vadatāṃ tāta haṃsānāmiva saṅghaśaḥ | maṅgalyarūpā rucirā divyajīmūtaniḥsvanāḥ

When they speak in assemblies, my child, like flocks of swans together, their words are auspicious in form, charming, and resonant as divine rain-clouds.

Verse 7 (13.12.7)

सम्यगुच्चरिता वाचः श्रूयन्ते हि युधिष्ठिर । शुश्रूषमाणे नृपतौ प्रेत्य चेह सुखावहाः ॥

samyaguccaritā vācaḥ śrūyante hi yudhiṣṭhira | śuśrūṣamāṇe nṛpatau pretya ceha sukhāvahāḥ

Those words, rightly uttered, are heard, Yudhishthira, and they bring happiness here and hereafter to a king who listens to them with devotion.

Verse 8 (13.12.8)

ये चापि तेषां श्रोतारः सदा सदसि सम्मताः । विज्ञानगुणसम्पन्नास्तेभ्यश्च स्पृहयाम्यहम् ॥

ye cāpi teṣāṃ śrotāraḥ sadā sadasi sammatāḥ | vijñānaguṇasampannāstebhyaśca spṛhayāmyaham

And I long to honour also those who listen to them, who are always respected in the assembly and endowed with the quality of discernment.

Verse 9 (13.12.9)

सुसंस्कृतानि प्रयताः शुचीनि गुणवन्ति च । ददत्यन्नानि तृप्त्यर्थं ब्राह्मणेभ्यो युधिष्ठिर । ये चापि सततं राजंस्तेभ्यश्च स्पृहयाम्यहम् ॥

susaṃskṛtāni prayatāḥ śucīni guṇavanti ca | dadatyannāni tṛptyarthaṃ brāhmaṇebhyo yudhiṣṭhira | ye cāpi satataṃ rājaṃstebhyaśca spṛhayāmyaham

And, Yudhishthira, I long to honour those, O king, who with restraint ever give Brahmins well-prepared, pure and wholesome food, to satisfy them.

Note on the text: Corrected युधिष्ठर → युधिष्ठिर (misprint in Wikisource; dropped vowel sign, as in the critical edition's yudhiṣṭhira). Three-line verse, as on the page and in the CE.

Verse 10 (13.12.10)

शक्यं ह्येवाहवे योद्धुं न दातुमनसूयितुम् ॥

śakyaṃ hyevāhave yoddhuṃ na dātumanasūyitum

For it is possible to fight in battle, but not to give without envy.

Note on the text: The alignment found no match. The page prints a single line here (labelled 13-12-10a); it is CE 13.8.10a (śakyaṃ hy evāhave yoddhuṃ na dātum anasūyitam; CE anasūyitam against Wikisource अनसूयितुम्, a variant, kept). The CE's verse 13.8.10 has three lines; Wikisource sets its other two as verse 11.

Verse 11 (13.12.11)

शूरा वीराश्च शतशः सन्ति लोके युधिष्ठिर । तेषां संख्यायमानानां दानशूरो विशिष्यते ॥

śūrā vīrāśca śataśaḥ santi loke yudhiṣṭhira | teṣāṃ saṃkhyāyamānānāṃ dānaśūro viśiṣyate

There are heroes and brave men in the world by the hundred, Yudhishthira; when they are counted, the hero in giving stands out above them all.

Note on the text: The alignment found no match. Lines = CE 13.8.10c and 13.8.10e (śūrā vīrāś ca śataśaḥ santi loke yudhiṣṭhira / teṣāṃ saṃkhyāyamānānāṃ dānaśūro viśiṣyate); the CE's verse 13.8.10 is the three lines of Wikisource verses 10 and 11 together.

Verse 12 (13.12.12)

भद्रं तु जन्म सम्प्राप्य भूयो ब्राह्मणको भवेत् । बन्धुमध्ये कुले जातः सुदुरापमवाप्नुयात् ॥

bhadraṃ tu janma samprāpya bhūyo brāhmaṇako bhavet | bandhumadhye kule jātaḥ sudurāpamavāpnuyāt

Having obtained a good birth, one may become a Brahmin once more; born into a family among one's own kin, one may attain what is very hard to gain.

Note on the text: Removed the stray backtick and closing quote with the doubled danda (`…।।') by which Wikisource marks this as an addition. Not in the critical edition's constituted text: the CE star passage 13.8.11d*0042_01-02 (bhadraṃ tu janma saṃprāpya bhūyo brāhmaṇako bhavet / bandhumadhye kule jātaḥ sudurāpam avāpnuyāt); Wikisource prints it before the verse it follows in the CE.

Verse 13 (13.12.13)

धन्यः स्यां यद्यहं भूयः सौम्यब्राह्मणकोऽपि वा । कुले जातो धर्मगतिस्तपोविद्यापरायणः ॥

dhanyaḥ syāṃ yadyahaṃ bhūyaḥ saumyabrāhmaṇako'pi vā | kule jāto dharmagatistapovidyāparāyaṇaḥ

I would count myself blessed, gentle one, if I were born again even as a humble Brahmin, in a family devoted to dharma and given to austerity and learning.

Note on the text: Corrected ब्राह्मणकोपि → ब्राह्मणकोऽपि (misprint in Wikisource; missing avagraha, as in the critical edition's brāhmaṇako 'pi).

Verse 14 (13.12.14)

न मे त्वत्तः प्रियतरो लोकेऽस्मिन्पाण्डुनन्दन । त्वत्तश्चापि प्रियतरा ब्राह्मणा एव भारत ॥

na me tvattaḥ priyataro loke'sminpāṇḍunandana | tvattaścāpi priyatarā brāhmaṇā eva bhārata

No one in this world is dearer to me than you, son of Pandu; yet Brahmins, O Bharata, are dearer to me even than you.

Verse 15 (13.12.15)

यथा मम प्रियतमास्त्वत्तो विप्राः कुरूत्तम । तेन सत्येन गच्छेयं लोकान्यत्र स शन्तनुः ॥

yathā mama priyatamāstvatto viprāḥ kurūttama | tena satyena gaccheyaṃ lokānyatra sa śantanuḥ

By the truth that Brahmins are dearest to me, even more than you, best of the Kurus, may I reach the worlds where Shantanu is.

Verse 16 (13.12.16)

न मे पिता प्रियतरो ब्राह्मणेभ्यस्तथाऽभवत् । न मे पितुः पिता वाऽपि ये चान्येऽपि सुहृञ्जनाः ॥

na me pitā priyataro brāhmaṇebhyastathā'bhavat | na me pituḥ pitā vā'pi ye cānye'pi suhṛñjanāḥ

Neither my father nor my father's father was ever dearer to me than the Brahmins, nor were any of my other friends and kinsmen.

Note on the text: Corrected ब्रह्मणेभ्यः → ब्राह्मणेभ्यः (misprint in Wikisource; missing long ā, as in the critical edition's brāhmaṇebhyas).

Verse 17 (13.12.17)

न हि मे वृजिनं किञ्चिद्विद्यते ब्राह्मणेष्विह । अणु वा यदि वा स्थूलं विद्यते साधुकर्मसु ॥

na hi me vṛjinaṃ kiñcidvidyate brāhmaṇeṣviha | aṇu vā yadi vā sthūlaṃ vidyate sādhukarmasu

There is no offence of mine against Brahmins to be found here, slight or great, in dealing with those of virtuous deeds.

Verse 18 (13.12.18)

कर्मणा मनसा वाऽपि वाचा वाऽपि परंतप । यन्मे कृतं ब्राह्मणेभ्यस्तेनाद्य न तपाम्यहम् ॥

karmaṇā manasā vā'pi vācā vā'pi paraṃtapa | yanme kṛtaṃ brāhmaṇebhyastenādya na tapāmyaham

Whatever I have done for Brahmins, scorcher of foes, by deed, thought or word, because of that I am not tormented now.

Note on the text: The alignment found no match; = CE 13.8.16 (Wikisource ब्राह्मणेभ्यः against CE brāhmaṇeṣu; recension variant, kept).

Verse 19 (13.12.19)

ब्रह्मण्य इति मामाहुस्तया वाचाऽस्मि तोषितः । एतदेव पवित्रेभ्यः सर्वेभ्यः परमं स्मृतम् ॥

brahmaṇya iti māmāhustayā vācā'smi toṣitaḥ | etadeva pavitrebhyaḥ sarvebhyaḥ paramaṃ smṛtam

They call me devoted to Brahmins, and by that word I am gladdened; this is held to be the highest of all purifiers.

Verse 20 (13.12.20)

पश्यामि लोकानमलाञ्शुचीन्ब्राह्मणतोषणात् । तेषु मे तात गन्तव्यमह्नाय च चिराय च ॥

paśyāmi lokānamalāñśucīnbrāhmaṇatoṣaṇāt | teṣu me tāta gantavyamahnāya ca cirāya ca

By pleasing Brahmins I see spotless, pure worlds; to those I must go, dear child, whether soon or after a long time.

Verse 21 (13.12.21)

यथा भर्त्राश्रयो धर्मः स्त्रीणां लोके युधिष्ठिर । स देवः सा गतिर्नान्या क्षत्रियस्य तथा द्विजाः ॥

yathā bhartrāśrayo dharmaḥ strīṇāṃ loke yudhiṣṭhira | sa devaḥ sā gatirnānyā kṣatriyasya tathā dvijāḥ

As a woman's dharma in the world rests on her husband, Yudhishthira, so that he is her god and her only refuge, so for a Kshatriya it is the twice-born.

Note on the text: The alignment found no match; = CE 13.8.19 (Wikisource भर्त्राश्रयो against CE patyāśrayo; recension variant, kept). Corrected युदिष्ठिर → युधिष्ठिर (misprint in Wikisource; द for ध).

Verse 22 (13.12.22)

क्षत्रियः शतवर्षी च दशवर्षी द्विजोत्तमः । पितापुत्रौ च विज्ञेयौ तयोर्हि ब्राह्मणो गुरुः ॥

kṣatriyaḥ śatavarṣī ca daśavarṣī dvijottamaḥ | pitāputrau ca vijñeyau tayorhi brāhmaṇo guruḥ

A Kshatriya of a hundred years and a Brahmin of ten are to be regarded as father and son; and of the two, the Brahmin is the superior.

Verse 23 (13.12.23)

नारी तु पत्यभावे वै देवरं कुरुते पतिम् । पृथिवी ब्राह्मणालाभे क्षत्रियं कुरुते पतिम् ॥

nārī tu patyabhāve vai devaraṃ kurute patim | pṛthivī brāhmaṇālābhe kṣatriyaṃ kurute patim

When she has no husband, a woman takes her husband's brother as her lord; so when there is no Brahmin to be had, the Earth takes a Kshatriya as her lord.

Verse 24 (13.12.24)

ब्राह्मणानुज्ञया ग्राह्यं राज्यं च सपुरोहितैः । तद्रक्षणेन स्वर्गोऽस्य तत्कोपान्नरकोऽक्षयः ॥

brāhmaṇānujñayā grāhyaṃ rājyaṃ ca sapurohitaiḥ | tadrakṣaṇena svargo'sya tatkopānnarako'kṣayaḥ

A kingdom is to be taken with the Brahmins' leave, together with the household priests; by guarding them heaven is the king's, and by their anger there is endless hell.

Note on the text: Removed the stray backtick and closing quote with the doubled danda (`…।।') by which Wikisource marks this as an addition. Not in the critical edition's constituted text: the CE star passage 13.8.21d*0043_01-02 (brāhmaṇānujñayā grāhyaṃ rājyaṃ ca sapurohitaiḥ / tadrakṣaṇena svargo 'sya tatkopān narako 'kṣayaḥ).

Verse 25 (13.12.25)

पुत्रवच्चैव ते रक्ष्या उपास्या गुरुवच्च ते । अग्निवच्चोपचार्या वै ब्राह्मणाः कुरुसत्तम ॥

putravaccaiva te rakṣyā upāsyā guruvacca te | agnivaccopacāryā vai brāhmaṇāḥ kurusattama

You should protect Brahmins like sons, wait on them like a teacher, and tend them like the sacred fire, best of the Kurus.

Note on the text: Corrected कुरुसत्तम् → कुरुसत्तम (misprint in Wikisource; stray virama, as in the critical edition's kurusattama).

Verse 26 (13.12.26)

ऋजून्सतः सत्यशीलान्सर्वभूतहिते रतान् । आशीविषानिव क्रुद्धान्द्विजान्परिचरेत्सदा ॥

ṛjūnsataḥ satyaśīlānsarvabhūtahite ratān | āśīviṣāniva kruddhāndvijānparicaretsadā

One should always wait on the twice-born, upright, good, truthful by nature and devoted to the welfare of all beings, as one would on angry venomous snakes.

Note on the text: Corrected ऋजुन् → ऋजून् (misprint in Wikisource; short u for the accusative plural ṛjūn, as in the critical edition).

Verse 27 (13.12.27)

तेजसस्तपसश्चैव नित्यं बिभ्येद्युधिष्ठिर । उभे चैते परित्याज्ये तेजश्चैव तपस्तथा ॥

tejasastapasaścaiva nityaṃ bibhyedyudhiṣṭhira | ubhe caite parityājye tejaścaiva tapastathā

One should always fear both fiery energy and austerity, Yudhishthira; both of these, energy and austerity alike, are to be avoided.

Verse 28 (13.12.28)

व्यवसायस्तयोः शीघ्रमुभयोरेव विद्यते । हन्युः क्रुद्धा महाराज ब्राह्मणा ये तपस्विनः ॥

vyavasāyastayoḥ śīghramubhayoreva vidyate | hanyuḥ kruddhā mahārāja brāhmaṇā ye tapasvinaḥ

Both have a swift power to act; when angered, O great king, ascetic Brahmins can destroy.

Verse 29 (13.12.29)

दूरतो मातृवत्पूज्या विप्रदाराः सुरक्षया । अकोपनापराधेन भूयो नरकमश्नुते ॥

dūrato mātṛvatpūjyā vipradārāḥ surakṣayā | akopanāparādhena bhūyo narakamaśnute

The wives of Brahmins are to be honoured from a distance, like mothers, and carefully guarded; by wronging one who is slow to anger, a man reaches hell all the more.

Note on the text: Removed the stray backtick opening the passage (printed before दूरतो; the page has no closing quote). Not in the critical edition's constituted text: line 1 is the CE star line 13.8.24b*0044_01 (dūrato mātṛvat pūjyā vipradārāḥ surakṣayā) and line 2 is the CE star line 13.8.25d*0045_01 (akopanāparādhena bhūyo narakam aśnute); Wikisource joins them as one verse.

Verse 30 (13.12.30)

भूयः स्यादुभयं दत्तं ब्राह्मणाद्यदकोपनात् । कुर्यादुभयतः शेषं दत्तशेषं न शेषयेत् ॥

bhūyaḥ syādubhayaṃ dattaṃ brāhmaṇādyadakopanāt | kuryādubhayataḥ śeṣaṃ dattaśeṣaṃ na śeṣayet

From a Brahmin who is not provoked to anger, more of the pair would be bestowed; let a remainder be left on both sides, but let him not leave a remainder of what has been given.

Verse 31 (13.12.31)

दण्डपाणिर्यथा गोष्ठं पालो नित्यं हि रक्षयेत् । ब्राह्मणेषु स्थितं ब्रह्म क्षत्रियः परिपालयेत् ॥

daṇḍapāṇiryathā goṣṭhaṃ pālo nityaṃ hi rakṣayet | brāhmaṇeṣu sthitaṃ brahma kṣatriyaḥ paripālayet

As a herdsman, staff in hand, constantly guards the cattle-pen, so should a Kshatriya protect the sacred learning that rests in Brahmins.

Note on the text: The alignment found no match; = CE 13.8.27 (Wikisource गोष्ठं, रक्षयेत्, ब्राह्मणेषु स्थितं ब्रह्म against CE goṣu, sthiro bhavet, brāhmaṇān brahma ca tathā; recension variants, kept).

Verse 32 (13.12.32)

पितेव पुत्रान्रक्षेथा ब्राह्मणान्ब्रह्मतेजसः । गृहे चैषामवेक्षेथाः किंस्विदस्तीति जीवनम् ॥

piteva putrānrakṣethā brāhmaṇānbrahmatejasaḥ | gṛhe caiṣāmavekṣethāḥ kiṃsvidastīti jīvanam

Protect Brahmins, radiant with sacred power, as a father protects his sons, and look into their households to see whether they have anything to live on.

Note on the text: The alignment found no match; = CE 13.8.28 (Wikisource किंस्विदस्ति against CE kaccid astīha; recension variant, kept). After this verse the CE prints a long inline Appendix I passage (App. I No. 1, 13.8.28d@001_0000-0163), which Wikisource continues in adhyayas 13-18.