Bhishma on the Fourfold Non-Violence and Meat-Eating

Verse 1 (13.176.1)

ततो युधिष्ठिरो राजा शरतल्पे पितामहम् । पुनरेव महाराज पप्रच्छ वदतांवरः ॥

tato yudhiṣṭhiro rājā śaratalpe pitāmaham | punareva mahārāja papraccha vadatāṃvaraḥ

Then King Yudhishthira, the best of speakers, questioned his grandfather on the bed of arrows once more, O great king.

Note on the text: Second line: Wikisource 'पुनरेव महाराज पप्रच्छ वदतांवरः', CE 'punar eva mahātejāḥ papraccha vadatāṃ varam'; Wikisource reading kept.

Verse 2 (13.176.2)

ऋषयो ब्राह्मणा देवाः प्रशंसन्ति महामते । अहिंसालक्षणं धर्मं वेदप्रामाण्यदर्शनात् ॥

ṛṣayo brāhmaṇā devāḥ praśaṃsanti mahāmate | ahiṃsālakṣaṇaṃ dharmaṃ vedaprāmāṇyadarśanāt

Seers, brahmins and gods, O man of great mind, praise the dharma whose mark is non-violence, because the authority of the Veda is seen in it.

Verse 3 (13.176.3)

कर्मणा न नरः कुर्वन्हिंसां पार्थिवसत्तम । वाचा च मनसा चैवं ततो दुःखात्प्रमुच्यते ॥

karmaṇā na naraḥ kurvanhiṃsāṃ pārthivasattama | vācā ca manasā caivaṃ tato duḥkhātpramucyate

A man who does no violence by deed, and likewise by word and by mind, O best of kings, is thereby freed from suffering.

Note on the text: CE 13,115.003 puts the second line as a question ('kathaṃ duḥkhāt pramucyate'); Wikisource's statement kept.

Verse 4 (13.176.4)

चतुर्विधेयं निर्दिष्टा ह्यहिंसा ब्रह्मवादिभिः । एकैकतोऽपि विभ्रष्टा न भवत्यरिसूदन ॥

caturvidheyaṃ nirdiṣṭā hyahiṃsā brahmavādibhiḥ | ekaikato'pi vibhraṣṭā na bhavatyarisūdana

This non-violence has been declared fourfold by the knowers of Brahman. If it fails in any single one of them, O slayer of foes, it does not come to be.

Note on the text: Second line differs from CE 004c ('eṣaikato 'pi vibhraṣṭā na bhavaty arisūdana'); Wikisource reading kept.

Verse 5 (13.176.5)

यथा सर्वश्चतुष्पाद्वै त्रिभिः पादैर्न तिष्ठति । तथैवेयं महीपाल कारणैः प्रोच्यते त्रिभिः ॥

yathā sarvaścatuṣpādvai tribhiḥ pādairna tiṣṭhati | tathaiveyaṃ mahīpāla kāraṇaiḥ procyate tribhiḥ

Just as no four-footed creature stands on three feet, so too, O protector of the earth, this is spoken of through three causes.

Verse 6 (13.176.6)

यथा नागपदेऽन्यानि पदानि पदगामिनाम् । सर्वाण्येवापिधीयन्ते पदजातानि कौञ्जरे ॥

yathā nāgapade'nyāni padāni padagāminām | sarvāṇyevāpidhīyante padajātāni kauñjare

As the other footprints of creatures that walk on foot are all covered over in the footprint of an elephant,

Note on the text: = CE 13,115.006a, 006c. The sentence continues in the next verse.

Verse 7 (13.176.7)

एवं लोकेष्वहिंसा तु निर्दिष्टा धर्मतः पुरा । कर्मणा लिप्यते जन्तुर्वाचा च मनसाऽपि च ॥

evaṃ lokeṣvahiṃsā tu nirdiṣṭā dharmataḥ purā | karmaṇā lipyate janturvācā ca manasā'pi ca

so in the worlds non-violence has been laid down from ancient times as dharma. A creature is stained by deed, and by word, and by mind as well.

Note on the text: Corrected कर्म्णा → कर्मणा (misprint in Wikisource; conjunct 'rm' for 'rmaṇ'; CE reads 'karmaṇā'). First line = CE 13,115.006e (Wikisource 'धर्मतः पुरा', CE 'dharmataḥ parā'); second line = CE 13,115.007a.

Verse 8 (13.176.8)

पूर्वं तु मनसा त्यक्त्वा त्यजेद्वाचाऽथ कर्मणा । हिंसां तु नोपयुञ्जीत तथा हिंसा चतुर्विधा ॥

pūrvaṃ tu manasā tyaktvā tyajedvācā'tha karmaṇā | hiṃsāṃ tu nopayuñjīta tathā hiṃsā caturvidhā

One should first give it up in the mind, then give it up in speech and in deed. One should not make use of violence; for violence is fourfold.

Note on the text: Removed stray wiki marks (opening backtick). First line = CE 13,115.008a (Wikisource 'त्यजेद्वाचाऽथ कर्मणा', CE 'tathā vācātha karmaṇā'); second line = CE star line 13,115.009b*0572_01.

Verse 9 (13.176.9)

काये मनसि वाक्येऽपि दोषा ह्येते प्रकीर्तिताः । न भक्षयति यो मांसं त्रिविधं स विमुच्यते ॥

kāye manasi vākye'pi doṣā hyete prakīrtitāḥ | na bhakṣayati yo māṃsaṃ trividhaṃ sa vimucyate

These faults are declared to lie in the body, in the mind and also in speech. One who does not eat meat is freed from them in all three ways.

Note on the text: Removed stray wiki marks (closing quote mark and opening bracket '['). First line = CE star line 13,115.009b*0572_02; second line = CE star line 13,115.008b*0571_01 (Wikisource 'न भक्षयति यो मांसं त्रिविधं स विमुच्यते', CE 'na bhakṣayeta yo māṃsaṃ trividhaṃ sa vimucyate'). Not in the critical edition's numbered text.

Verse 10 (13.176.10)

त्रिकारणं तु निर्दिष्टं श्रूयते ब्रह्मवादिभिः । मनो वाचि तथाऽऽस्वादे दोषा ह्येषु प्रतिष्ठिताः ॥

trikāraṇaṃ tu nirdiṣṭaṃ śrūyate brahmavādibhiḥ | mano vāci tathā''svāde doṣā hyeṣu pratiṣṭhitāḥ

It is heard that the knowers of Brahman have declared it to have three causes: the faults rest in these, in the mind, in speech, and in tasting.

Note on the text: Removed stray wiki marks (closing bracket ']' and doubled danda). First line = CE 13,115.008c; second line = CE 13,115.009a.

Verse 11 (13.176.11)

न भक्षयन्त्यतो मांसं तपोयुक्ता मनीषिणः । दोषांस्तु भक्षणे राजन्मांसस्येह निबोध मे ॥

na bhakṣayantyato māṃsaṃ tapoyuktā manīṣiṇaḥ | doṣāṃstu bhakṣaṇe rājanmāṃsasyeha nibodha me

For this reason wise men rich in austerity do not eat meat. Hear from me, O king, the faults of eating meat here in the world.

Note on the text: First line = CE 13,115.009c; second line = CE 13,115.010a.

Verse 12 (13.176.12)

पुत्रमांसोपमं जानन्खादते यो विचेतनः । मांसं मोहसमायुक्तः पुरुषः सोऽधमः स्मृतः ॥

putramāṃsopamaṃ jānankhādate yo vicetanaḥ | māṃsaṃ mohasamāyuktaḥ puruṣaḥ so'dhamaḥ smṛtaḥ

The fool who eats meat, knowing it to be like the flesh of his own son, in delusion, is called the lowest of men.

Note on the text: Corrected पुत्र मांसोपमं → पुत्रमांसोपमं (misprint in Wikisource; stray space splitting the compound; CE reads 'putramāṃsopamaṃ'). First line = CE 13,115.010c; second line = CE star line 13,115.010d*0573_01 (Wikisource 'मोहसमायुक्तः', CE 'mohasamāviṣṭaḥ'; variant, kept).

Verse 13 (13.176.13)

पितृमातृसमायोगे पुत्रत्वं जायते यथा । हिंसां कृत्वाऽवशः पापो भूयिष्ठं जायते तथा ॥

pitṛmātṛsamāyoge putratvaṃ jāyate yathā | hiṃsāṃ kṛtvā'vaśaḥ pāpo bhūyiṣṭhaṃ jāyate tathā

As a son is born from the union of father and mother, so the helpless sinner who has committed violence is, for the most part, born again.

Note on the text: First line = CE 13,115.011a (words in the other order: CE 'mātāpitṛsamāyoge'); second line = CE star line 13,115.011b*0574_01.

Verse 14 (13.176.14)

रसश्च हृदि जिह्वाया ज्ञानं प्रज्ञायते यथा । तथा शास्त्रेषु नियतं रागो ह्यास्वादिताद्भवेत् ॥

rasaśca hṛdi jihvāyā jñānaṃ prajñāyate yathā | tathā śāstreṣu niyataṃ rāgo hyāsvāditādbhavet

As the taste of the tongue and its knowledge are perceived in the heart, so, as the scriptures hold, craving arises surely from what has been tasted.

Note on the text: First line parallels CE 13,115.011c (variant wording); second line = CE 13,115.011e.

Verse 15 (13.176.15)

संस्कृतासंस्कृताः पक्वा लवणालवणास्तथा । प्रजायन्ते यथा भावास्तथा चित्तं निरुध्यते ॥

saṃskṛtāsaṃskṛtāḥ pakvā lavaṇālavaṇāstathā | prajāyante yathā bhāvāstathā cittaṃ nirudhyate

According as foods come to be, whether prepared or unprepared, cooked, salted or unsalted, so the mind is bound to them.

Note on the text: Parallels CE 13,115.012 with variants (Wikisource 'संस्कृतासंस्कृताः पक्वा', 'प्रजायन्ते'; CE 'asaṃskṛtāḥ saṃskṛtāś ca', 'prajñāyante'); Wikisource reading kept.

Verse 16 (13.176.16)

भेरीमृदङ्गशब्दांश्च तन्त्रीशब्दांश्च पुष्कलान् । निषेविष्यन्ति वै मन्दा मांसभक्षाः कथं नराः ॥

bherīmṛdaṅgaśabdāṃśca tantrīśabdāṃśca puṣkalān | niṣeviṣyanti vai mandā māṃsabhakṣāḥ kathaṃ narāḥ

How can dull men who eat meat ever enjoy the sounds of kettledrums and mridangas, and the many sounds of stringed instruments?

Note on the text: First line differs from CE 13,115.013a ('bherīśaṅkhamṛdaṅgādyāṃs'); second line as CE 013c.

Verse 17 (13.176.17)

परेषां धनधान्यानां हिंसकाः स्तावकास्तथा । प्रशंसकाश्च मांसस्य नित्यं स्वर्गे बहिष्कृताः ॥

pareṣāṃ dhanadhānyānāṃ hiṃsakāḥ stāvakāstathā | praśaṃsakāśca māṃsasya nityaṃ svarge bahiṣkṛtāḥ

Destroyers of the wealth and grain of others, flatterers, and those who praise meat are always shut out from heaven.

Note on the text: Corrected हिसकाः → हिंसकाः (misprint in Wikisource; dropped anusvara; CE reads 'hiṃsakāḥ'). Removed stray wiki marks (opening backtick). = CE star passage 13,115.013d*0575_01-02; not in the critical edition's numbered text.

Verse 18 (13.176.18)

अचिन्तितमनिर्दिष्टमसङ्कल्पितमेव च । रसगृद्ध्याऽभिभूता ये प्रशंसन्ति फलार्थिनः ॥

acintitamanirdiṣṭamasaṅkalpitameva ca | rasagṛddhyā'bhibhūtā ye praśaṃsanti phalārthinaḥ

Those who, overcome by greed for flavour and eager for reward, praise what was never thought of, never prescribed, never intended,

Note on the text: = CE 13,115.014a, 014c (variant in the second line: Wikisource 'रसगृद्ध्याऽभिभूता ये', CE 'rasaṃ gṛddhyābhibhūtā vai'). The sentence continues in the next verse.

Verse 19 (13.176.19)

प्रशंसा ह्येव मांसस्य दोषकल्पफलान्विता ॥

praśaṃsā hyeva māṃsasya doṣakalpaphalānvitā

for the praise of meat itself carries a fruit akin to that of a fault.

Note on the text: One-line verse as printed on the page (13-176-19a) = CE 13,115.014e ('praśaṃsā hy eva māṃsasya doṣakarmaphalānvitā'); Wikisource reads दोषकल्पफलान्विता for CE 'doṣakarma-', kept as good Sanskrit.

Verse 20 (13.176.20)

भस्म विष्ठा कृमिर्वाऽपि निष्ठा यस्येदृशी ध्रुवा । स कायः परपीडाभिः कथं धार्योविपश्चिता ॥

bhasma viṣṭhā kṛmirvā'pi niṣṭhā yasyedṛśī dhruvā | sa kāyaḥ parapīḍābhiḥ kathaṃ dhāryovipaścitā

How can a wise man sustain, through the torments of others, a body whose certain end is ash, excrement or worms?

Note on the text: Removed stray wiki marks (opening backtick). = CE star passage 13,115.014f*0576_01-02; not in the critical edition's numbered text.

Verse 21 (13.176.21)

जीवितं हि परित्यज्य बहवः साधवो जनाः । स्वमांसैः परमांसानि परिपाल्य दिवं गताः ॥

jīvitaṃ hi parityajya bahavaḥ sādhavo janāḥ | svamāṃsaiḥ paramāṃsāni paripālya divaṃ gatāḥ

Many good people, giving up their own lives and protecting the bodies of others with their own flesh, have gone to heaven.

Verse 22 (13.176.22)

एवमेषा महाराज चतुर्भिः कारणैः स्मृता । अहिंसा तव निर्दिष्टा सर्वधर्मानुसंहिता ॥

evameṣā mahārāja caturbhiḥ kāraṇaiḥ smṛtā | ahiṃsā tava nirdiṣṭā sarvadharmānusaṃhitā

Thus, O great king, this non-violence has been explained to you as resting on four causes; it is joined with all the dharmas.

Note on the text: = CE 13,115.016a, 016c with variants (Wikisource 'स्मृता', 'सर्वधर्मानुसंहिता'; CE 'vṛtā', 'sarvadharmārthasaṃhitā'); Wikisource reading kept.