Baka Dalbhya on Brahmins and Kings

Verse 1 (3.26.1)

वसत्सु वै द्वैतवने पाण्डवेषु महात्मसु । अनुकीर्णं महारण्यं ब्राह्मणैः समपद्यत ॥

vasatsu vai dvaitavane pāṇḍaveṣu mahātmasu | anukīrṇaṃ mahāraṇyaṃ brāhmaṇaiḥ samapadyata

While the great-souled Pandavas were living in Dvaitavana, the great forest became thronged with brahmins.

Note on the text: वै for the critical edition's atha is a recension variant and is kept.

Verse 2 (3.26.2)

ईर्यमाणेन सततं ब्रह्मघोषेण सर्वशः । ब्रह्मलोकसमं पुण्यमासीद्द्वैतवनं सरः ॥

īryamāṇena satataṃ brahmaghoṣeṇa sarvaśaḥ | brahmalokasamaṃ puṇyamāsīddvaitavanaṃ saraḥ

With the sound of Vedic recitation rising ceaselessly on every side, the holy lake of Dvaitavana became like the world of Brahma.

Verse 3 (3.26.3)

यजुषामृचां साम्नां च गद्यानां चैव सर्वशः । आसीदुच्चार्यमाणानां निःस्वनो हृदयंगमः ॥

yajuṣāmṛcāṃ sāmnāṃ ca gadyānāṃ caiva sarvaśaḥ | āsīduccāryamāṇānāṃ niḥsvano hṛdayaṃgamaḥ

The sound of the Yajus formulas, the Rik verses and the Saman chants, and of the prose passages, recited on every side, was delightful to the heart.

Verse 4 (3.26.4)

ज्याघोषश्चैव पार्थानां ब्रह्मघोषश्च धीमताम् । संसृष्टं ब्रह्मणा क्षत्रं भूय एव व्यरोचत ॥

jyāghoṣaścaiva pārthānāṃ brahmaghoṣaśca dhīmatām | saṃsṛṣṭaṃ brahmaṇā kṣatraṃ bhūya eva vyarocata

The twang of the Parthas' bowstrings and the chanting of the wise brahmins — kshatriya power joined with brahmin power — shone out all the more.

Verse 5 (3.26.5)

अथाब्रवीद्बको दाल्भ्यो धर्मराजं युधिष्ठिरम् । सन्ध्यां कौन्तेयमासीनमृषिभिः परिवारितम् ॥

athābravīdbako dālbhyo dharmarājaṃ yudhiṣṭhiram | sandhyāṃ kaunteyamāsīnamṛṣibhiḥ parivāritam

Then Baka Dalbhya spoke to Yudhishthira, the King of Dharma, the son of Kunti, as he sat at the evening twilight surrounded by seers:

Verse 6 (3.26.6)

पश्य द्वैतवने पार्थ ब्राह्मणानां तपस्विनाम् । होमवेलां कुरुश्रेष्ठ संप्रज्वलितपावकाम् ॥

paśya dvaitavane pārtha brāhmaṇānāṃ tapasvinām | homavelāṃ kuruśreṣṭha saṃprajvalitapāvakām

"See, Partha, best of the Kurus, the hour of offering of the ascetic brahmins in Dvaitavana, with their fires blazing."

Verse 7 (3.26.7)

चरन्ति धर्मं पुण्येऽस्मिंस्त्वया गुप्ता धृतव्रताः । भृगवोऽङ्गिरसश्चैव वासिष्ठाः काश्यपैः सह ॥

caranti dharmaṃ puṇye'smiṃstvayā guptā dhṛtavratāḥ | bhṛgavo'ṅgirasaścaiva vāsiṣṭhāḥ kāśyapaiḥ saha

"Under your protection men firm in their vows practise dharma in this holy place — Bhrigus and Angirases, Vasishthas together with Kashyapas,"

Verse 8 (3.26.8)

आगस्त्याश्च महाभागा आत्रेयाश्चोत्तमव्रताः । सर्वस्य जगतः श्रेष्ठा ब्राह्मणाः संगतास्त्वया ॥

āgastyāśca mahābhāgā ātreyāścottamavratāḥ | sarvasya jagataḥ śreṣṭhā brāhmaṇāḥ saṃgatāstvayā

"the illustrious Agastyas and the Atreyas of excellent vows: the best brahmins of the whole world have gathered with you."

Verse 9 (3.26.9)

इदं तु वचनं पार्थ शृण्वेकाग्रमना मम । भ्रातृभिः सह कौन्तेय यत्त्वां वक्ष्यामि कौरव ॥

idaṃ tu vacanaṃ pārtha śṛṇvekāgramanā mama | bhrātṛbhiḥ saha kaunteya yattvāṃ vakṣyāmi kaurava

"But listen with attentive mind, Partha, son of Kunti, Kaurava, together with your brothers, to these words that I shall speak to you."

Verse 10 (3.26.10)

ब्रह्म क्षत्रेण संसृष्टं क्षत्रं च ब्रह्मणा सह । उदीर्णे दहतः शत्रून्वनानीवाग्निमारुतौ ॥

brahma kṣatreṇa saṃsṛṣṭaṃ kṣatraṃ ca brahmaṇā saha | udīrṇe dahataḥ śatrūnvanānīvāgnimārutau

"Brahmin power joined with kshatriya power, and kshatriya power joined with brahmin power — when both are roused they burn up enemies as fire and wind burn up forests."

Note on the text: Corrected ब्राह्म → ब्रह्म (misprint in Wikisource; wrong long vowel; the noun ब्रह्म "brahmin power" is required, matching ब्रह्मणा in the same line; the critical edition reads brahma). उदीर्णे (neuter dual) for udīrṇau is a recension variant and is kept.

Verse 11 (3.26.11)

नाब्राह्मणस्तात चिरं बुभूषे- । दिच्छन्निमं लोकममुं च जेतुम् । विनीतधर्मार्थमपेतमोहं । लब्ध्वा द्विजं हन्ति नृपः सपत्नान् ॥

nābrāhmaṇastāta ciraṃ bubhūṣe- | dicchannimaṃ lokamamuṃ ca jetum | vinītadharmārthamapetamohaṃ | labdhvā dvijaṃ hanti nṛpaḥ sapatnān

"A king without a brahmin should not hope to last long, my son, if he wishes to win this world and the next. Having gained a twice-born man trained in dharma and wealth and free from delusion, a king destroys his rivals."

Note on the text: Corrected इच्छन्नमं → इच्छन्निमं (misprint in Wikisource; dropped vowel sign; the critical edition reads icchann imaṃ). हन्ति for nudati is a recension variant and is kept.

Verse 12 (3.26.12)

चरन्नैःश्रेयसं धर्मं प्रजापालनकारितम् । नाध्यगच्छद्बलिर्लोके तीर्थमन्यत्र वै द्विजात् ॥

carannaiḥśreyasaṃ dharmaṃ prajāpālanakāritam | nādhyagacchadbalirloke tīrthamanyatra vai dvijāt

"Practising the dharma that leads to the highest good — the protection of his subjects — Bali found in the world no other means than the twice-born."

Note on the text: Corrected नैश्रेयसं → नैःश्रेयसं (misprint in Wikisource; dropped visarga; the word is derived from निःश्रेयस; the critical edition reads naiḥśreyasaṃ).

Verse 13 (3.26.13)

अनूनमासीदसुरस्य कामै- । र्वैरोचनेः श्रीरपि चाक्षयाऽऽसीत् । लब्ध्वा महीं ब्राह्मणसंप्रयोगा- । त्तेष्वाचरन्दुष्टमतो व्यनश्यत् ॥

anūnamāsīdasurasya kāmai- | rvairocaneḥ śrīrapi cākṣayā''sīt | labdhvā mahīṃ brāhmaṇasaṃprayogā- | tteṣvācaranduṣṭamato vyanaśyat

"The Asura Bali, son of Virochana, lacked nothing he desired, and his fortune too was inexhaustible. He won the earth through his alliance with brahmins; then he did them wrong, and for that he perished."

Note on the text: Corrected कामै-वैरोचनेः → कामैर्वैरोचनेः (misprint in Wikisource; dropped र of the sandhi form कामैः → कामैर्; the critical edition reads kāmair vairocaneḥ). Also corrected दुष्टमयथो → दुष्टमतो (not a word, and the pada runs a syllable long; the critical edition reads duṣṭam ato).

Verse 14 (3.26.14)

नाब्राह्मणं भूमिरियं सभूति- । र्वर्णं द्वितीयं भजते चिराय । समुद्रनेमिर्नमते तु तस्मै । यं ब्राह्मणः शास्ति नयैर्विनीतम् ॥

nābrāhmaṇaṃ bhūmiriyaṃ sabhūti- | rvarṇaṃ dvitīyaṃ bhajate cirāya | samudranemirnamate tu tasmai | yaṃ brāhmaṇaḥ śāsti nayairvinītam

"This earth with all her riches does not long stay with the second class, the kshatriya, if he has no brahmin. But the ocean-girdled earth bows down to the king whom a brahmin instructs and who is schooled in statecraft."

Note on the text: विनीतम् (agreeing with यं) for the critical edition's vinītaḥ is a recension variant and is kept.

Verse 15 (3.26.15)

कुञ्जरस्येव संग्रामे परिगृह्याङ्कुशग्रहम् । ब्राह्मणैर्विप्रहीनस्य क्षत्रस्य क्षीयते बलम् ॥

kuñjarasyeva saṃgrāme parigṛhyāṅkuśagraham | brāhmaṇairviprahīnasya kṣatrasya kṣīyate balam

"As an elephant's strength in battle fails when its driver with the goad is taken away, so the strength of a kshatriya bereft of brahmins wanes."

Note on the text: Corrected कुञ्चरस्य → कुञ्जरस्य (misprint in Wikisource; च for ज; the critical edition reads kuñjarasya). Also corrected ब्राह्माणैः → ब्राह्मणैः (stray vowel sign; the critical edition reads brāhmaṇair).

Verse 16 (3.26.16)

ब्रह्मण्यनुपमा दृष्टिः क्षात्रमप्रतिमं बलम् । तौ यदा चरतः सार्धं तदा लोकः प्रसीदति ॥

brahmaṇyanupamā dṛṣṭiḥ kṣātramapratimaṃ balam | tau yadā carataḥ sārdhaṃ tadā lokaḥ prasīdati

"Matchless is the vision found in the brahmin, unequalled the strength of the kshatriya; when the two go together, then the world is at peace."

Note on the text: Corrected ब्राह्मण्यनुपमा → ब्रह्मण्यनुपमा (misprint in Wikisource; wrong long vowel; the locative ब्रह्मणि "in the brahmin" is meant; the critical edition reads brahmaṇy anupamā). Also corrected प्रसीदती → प्रसीदति (wrong long vowel; the critical edition reads prasīdati). तदा for atha is a recension variant and is kept.

Verse 17 (3.26.17)

यथा हि सुमहानग्निः कक्षं दहति सानिलः । तथा दहति राजन्यो ब्राह्मणेन समं रिपुम् ॥

yathā hi sumahānagniḥ kakṣaṃ dahati sānilaḥ | tathā dahati rājanyo brāhmaṇena samaṃ ripum

"As a great fire fanned by the wind burns up dry brush, so a kshatriya joined with a brahmin burns up his enemy."

Verse 18 (3.26.18)

ब्राह्मणेष्वेव मेधावी बुद्धिपर्येषणं चरेत् । अलब्धस्य च लाभाय लब्धस्य परिवृद्धये ॥

brāhmaṇeṣveva medhāvī buddhiparyeṣaṇaṃ caret | alabdhasya ca lābhāya labdhasya parivṛddhaye

"A wise king should seek counsel among brahmins, to gain what he does not have and to increase what he has."

Verse 19 (3.26.19)

अलब्धलाभाय च लब्धवृद्धये । यथार्हतीर्थप्रतिपादनाय । यशस्विनं वेदविदं विपश्चितं । बहुश्रुतं ब्राह्मणमेव वासयेत् ॥

alabdhalābhāya ca labdhavṛddhaye | yathārhatīrthapratipādanāya | yaśasvinaṃ vedavidaṃ vipaścitaṃ | bahuśrutaṃ brāhmaṇameva vāsayet

"To gain what has not been gained and increase what has, and to bestow gifts on worthy recipients, he should keep near him a brahmin who is renowned, versed in the Veda, wise and deeply learned."

Note on the text: Corrected बहुश्रुं → बहुश्रुतं (misprint in Wikisource; dropped akshara, the pada is a syllable short; the critical edition reads bahuśrutaṃ). वासयेत् for vāsaya is a recension variant and is kept.

Verse 20 (3.26.20)

ब्राह्मणेषूत्तमा भक्तिस्तव नित्यं युधिष्ठिर । तेन ते सर्वलोकेषु दीप्यते प्रथितं यशः ॥

brāhmaṇeṣūttamā bhaktistava nityaṃ yudhiṣṭhira | tena te sarvalokeṣu dīpyate prathitaṃ yaśaḥ

"Your devotion to brahmins, Yudhishthira, has always been of the highest; because of it your fame shines far and wide in all the worlds."

Verse 21 (3.26.21)

ततस्ते ब्राह्मणाः सर्वे बकं दाल्भ्यमपूजयन् । युधिष्ठिरे स्तूयमाने भूयः सुमनसोऽभवन् ॥

tataste brāhmaṇāḥ sarve bakaṃ dālbhyamapūjayan | yudhiṣṭhire stūyamāne bhūyaḥ sumanaso'bhavan

Then all those brahmins honoured Baka Dalbhya, and as Yudhishthira was praised they were gladder still at heart.

Note on the text: Corrected दाल्भ्यमंपूजयन् → दाल्भ्यमपूजयन् (misprint in Wikisource; stray anusvara; the critical edition reads dālbhyam apūjayan). Also corrected युधिष्ठिरं → युधिष्ठिरे (the locative absolute with स्तूयमाने is required; the critical edition reads yudhiṣṭhire).

Verse 22 (3.26.22)

द्वैपायनो नारदश्च जामदग्न्यः पृथुश्रवाः । इन्द्रद्युम्नो भालुकिश्च कृतचेताः सहस्रपात् ॥

dvaipāyano nāradaśca jāmadagnyaḥ pṛthuśravāḥ | indradyumno bhālukiśca kṛtacetāḥ sahasrapāt

Dvaipayana, Narada, Jamadagnya, Prithushravas, Indradyumna, Bhaluki, Kritachetas, Sahasrapat,

Verse 23 (3.26.23)

कर्णश्रवाश्च मुञ्जश्च लवणाश्वश्च काश्यपः । हारीतः स्थूणकर्णश्च अग्निवेश्योऽथ शौनकः ॥

karṇaśravāśca muñjaśca lavaṇāśvaśca kāśyapaḥ | hārītaḥ sthūṇakarṇaśca agniveśyo'tha śaunakaḥ

Karnashravas, Munja, Lavanashva, Kashyapa, Harita, Sthunakarna, Agniveshya and Shaunaka,

Verse 24 (3.26.24)

कृतवाक्च सुवाक्चैव बृहदश्वो विभावसुः । ऊर्ध्वरेता वृषामित्रः सुहोत्रो होत्रवाहनः ॥

kṛtavākca suvākcaiva bṛhadaśvo vibhāvasuḥ | ūrdhvaretā vṛṣāmitraḥ suhotro hotravāhanaḥ

Kritavak, Suvak, Brihadashva, Vibhavasu, Urdhvaretas, Vrishamitra, Suhotra and Hotravahana —

Note on the text: Corrected सुवाश्चैव → सुवाक्चैव (misprint in Wikisource; श्च for क्च; the name is Suvak, paired with Kritavak; the critical edition reads suvāk caiva). Also corrected बृहदश्चो → बृहदश्वो (श्च for श्व in the name Brihadashva; the critical edition reads bṛhadaśva). कृतवाक् and विभावसुः for the critical edition's ṛtavāk and ṛtāvasuḥ are recension variants and are kept.

Verse 25 (3.26.25)

एते चान्ये च बहवो ब्राह्मणाः संशितव्रताः । अजातशत्रुमानर्चुः पुरंदरमिवर्षयः ॥

ete cānye ca bahavo brāhmaṇāḥ saṃśitavratāḥ | ajātaśatrumānarcuḥ puraṃdaramivarṣayaḥ

these and many other brahmins of strict vows honoured Ajatashatru, as the seers honour Purandara.