Vyasa Visits the Pandavas and Praises Giving

Verse 1 (3.260.1)

वने निवसतां तेषां पाण्डवानां महात्मनाम् । वर्षाण्येकादशातीयुः कृच्छ्रेण भरतर्षभ ॥

vane nivasatāṃ teṣāṃ pāṇḍavānāṃ mahātmanām | varṣāṇyekādaśātīyuḥ kṛcchreṇa bharatarṣabha

While those great-souled Pandavas were living in the forest, eleven years went by in hardship, O bull among the Bharatas.

Verse 2 (3.260.2)

फलमूलाशनास्ते हि सुखार्हा दुःखमुत्तमम् । प्राप्तकालमनुध्यान्तः सेहिरे वरपूरुषाः ॥

phalamūlāśanāste hi sukhārhā duḥkhamuttamam | prāptakālamanudhyāntaḥ sehire varapūruṣāḥ

Living on fruits and roots, those excellent men, who deserved every comfort, bore the worst of hardships, ever mindful of the time that was to come.

Verse 3 (3.260.3)

युधिष्ठिरस्तु राजर्षिरात्मकर्मापराधजम् । चिन्तयन्स महाबाहुर्भ्रातॄणां दुःखमुत्तमम् ॥

yudhiṣṭhirastu rājarṣirātmakarmāparādhajam | cintayansa mahābāhurbhrātṝṇāṃ duḥkhamuttamam

But Yudhishthira, the mighty-armed royal sage, kept brooding on the great suffering of his brothers, which had sprung from the fault of his own deed.

Verse 4 (3.260.4)

न सुष्वाप सुखं राजा हृदि शल्यैरिवार्पितैः । दौरात्म्यमनुपश्यंस्तत्काले द्यूतोद्भवस्य हि ॥

na suṣvāpa sukhaṃ rājā hṛdi śalyairivārpitaiḥ | daurātmyamanupaśyaṃstatkāle dyūtodbhavasya hi

The king could not sleep in peace; it was as if darts were lodged in his heart, for he kept seeing the wickedness that had arisen at that time out of the dice game.

Verse 5 (3.260.5)

संस्मरन्परुषा वाचः सूतपुत्रस्य पाण्डवः । निःश्वासपरमो दीनो दध्रे कोपविषं महत् ॥

saṃsmaranparuṣā vācaḥ sūtaputrasya pāṇḍavaḥ | niḥśvāsaparamo dīno dadhre kopaviṣaṃ mahat

Remembering the harsh words of the suta's son, the Pandava, sighing deeply and wretched, carried within him a great poison of anger.

Verse 6 (3.260.6)

अर्जुनोयमजौ चोभौ द्रौपदी च यशस्विनी । स च भीमो महातेजाः सर्वेषामुत्तमो बले ॥

arjunoyamajau cobhau draupadī ca yaśasvinī | sa ca bhīmo mahātejāḥ sarveṣāmuttamo bale

Arjuna and the twins, glorious Draupadi, and Bhima of great energy, the foremost of all in strength,

Verse 7 (3.260.7)

चिरस्य जातं धर्मज्ञं सासूयमिव ते तदा । युधिष्ठिरमुदीक्षन्तः सेहुर्दुःखमनुत्तमम् ॥

cirasya jātaṃ dharmajñaṃ sāsūyamiva te tadā | yudhiṣṭhiramudīkṣantaḥ sehurduḥkhamanuttamam

looked at Yudhishthira, the eldest-born and knower of dharma, as if with some resentment at that time, and bore their unequalled suffering.

Note on the text: Removed stray wiki marks (backtick and quote mark) around the first line. Corrected सेहुर्दुखमनुत्तमम् → सेहुर्दुःखमनुत्तमम् (misprint in Wikisource; dropped visarga; the critical edition reads duḥkham). The first line is not in the critical text (it is the starred passage 3.245.6d*1175 of its apparatus); the second line is 3.245.6e.

Verse 8 (3.260.8)

अवशिष्टं त्वल्पकालं मन्वानाः पुरुषर्षभाः । वपुरन्यदिवाकार्षुरुत्साहामर्षचेष्टितैः ॥

avaśiṣṭaṃ tvalpakālaṃ manvānāḥ puruṣarṣabhāḥ | vapuranyadivākārṣurutsāhāmarṣaceṣṭitaiḥ

Thinking that only a little time remained, those bulls among men seemed to take on a different form, so charged were they with zeal, indignation and effort.

Note on the text: Corrected वपुरन्यदिवाकार्पुरु… → वपुरन्यदिवाकार्षुरु… (misprint in Wikisource; प for ष in अकार्षुः; the critical edition reads ivākārṣur).

Verse 9 (3.260.9)

कस्यचित्त्वथ कालस्य व्यासः सत्यवतीसुतः । आजगाम महायोगी पाण्डवानवलोककः ॥

kasyacittvatha kālasya vyāsaḥ satyavatīsutaḥ | ājagāma mahāyogī pāṇḍavānavalokakaḥ

After some time Vyasa, the son of Satyavati, the great yogi, came to see the Pandavas.

Verse 10 (3.260.10)

तमागतमभिप्रेक्ष्यकुन्तीपुत्रो युधिष्ठिरः । प्रत्युद्गम्य महात्मानं प्रत्यगृह्णाद्यथाविधि ॥

tamāgatamabhiprekṣyakuntīputro yudhiṣṭhiraḥ | pratyudgamya mahātmānaṃ pratyagṛhṇādyathāvidhi

Seeing him arrive, Kunti's son Yudhishthira went out to meet the great-souled one and received him with due rites.

Verse 11 (3.260.11)

तमासीनमुपासीनः शुश्रूषुर्नियतेन्द्रियः । तोषयामास शौचेन व्यासं पाण्डवनन्दनः ॥

tamāsīnamupāsīnaḥ śuśrūṣurniyatendriyaḥ | toṣayāmāsa śaucena vyāsaṃ pāṇḍavanandanaḥ

When Vyasa was seated, the joy of the Pandavas sat close by him, eager to serve and with his senses restrained, and pleased him by his purity.

Verse 12 (3.260.12)

तानवेक्ष्यकृशान्पौत्रान्वने वन्येन जीवतः । महर्षिरनुकम्पार्थमब्रवीद्बाष्पगद्गदम् ॥

tānavekṣyakṛśānpautrānvane vanyena jīvataḥ | maharṣiranukampārthamabravīdbāṣpagadgadam

Seeing his grandsons grown thin in the forest, living on what the woods provided, the great sage, out of compassion, spoke in a voice choked with tears:

Verse 13 (3.260.13)

युधिष्ठिर महाबाहो शृणु धर्मभृतांवर । नातप्ततपसो लोके प्राप्नुवन्ति महत्सुखम् । सुखदुःखे हि पुरुषः पर्यायेणोपसेवते ॥

yudhiṣṭhira mahābāho śṛṇu dharmabhṛtāṃvara | nātaptatapaso loke prāpnuvanti mahatsukham | sukhaduḥkhe hi puruṣaḥ paryāyeṇopasevate

"Yudhishthira, mighty-armed, best of those who uphold dharma, listen. In this world those who have not practised austerity do not gain great happiness. A man meets happiness and sorrow by turns.

Note on the text: Speaker: Vyasa's discourse begins here (announced in verse 12; Wikisource prints no heading and carries वैशंपायन on). Wikisource divides verses 13–18 differently from the critical edition: this verse is 3.245.12 plus the first line of 3.245.13.

Verse 14 (3.260.14)

नात्यन्तमसुखं कश्चित्प्राप्नोति पुरुषर्षभ । प्रज्ञावांस्त्वेव पुरुषः संयुक्तः परया धिया ॥

nātyantamasukhaṃ kaścitprāpnoti puruṣarṣabha | prajñāvāṃstveva puruṣaḥ saṃyuktaḥ parayā dhiyā

No one, bull among men, meets with unhappiness without end. The wise man, joined to the highest understanding,

Note on the text: Lines 3.245.13c and 3.245.14a of the critical edition (Wikisource divides these verses differently).

Verse 15 (3.260.15)

उदयास्तमयज्ञो हि न हृष्यति न शोचति । सुखमापतितं विन्दन्दुःखमापतितं सहन् ॥

udayāstamayajño hi na hṛṣyati na śocati | sukhamāpatitaṃ vindanduḥkhamāpatitaṃ sahan

knowing that all things rise and set, neither rejoices nor grieves. Taking the happiness that comes to him and bearing the sorrow that comes to him,

Note on the text: Lines 3.245.14c and 3.245.15a of the critical edition (Wikisource divides these verses differently).

Verse 16 (3.260.16)

कालप्राप्तमुपासीत सस्यानामिव कर्षकः । तपसो हि परं नास्ति तपसा विन्दते महत् ॥

kālaprāptamupāsīta sasyānāmiva karṣakaḥ | tapaso hi paraṃ nāsti tapasā vindate mahat

he should wait for what time brings, as a farmer waits for his crops. There is nothing higher than austerity; by austerity one attains the great.

Note on the text: Lines 3.245.15c and 3.245.16a of the critical edition (Wikisource divides these verses differently).

Verse 17 (3.260.17)

नासाध्यं तपसः किंचिदिति बुध्यस्व भारत । सत्यमार्जवमक्रोधः संविभागो दमः शमः ॥

nāsādhyaṃ tapasaḥ kiṃciditi budhyasva bhārata | satyamārjavamakrodhaḥ saṃvibhāgo damaḥ śamaḥ

Know, Bharata, that nothing is beyond the reach of austerity. Truth, straightforwardness, freedom from anger, sharing, self-restraint, calm,

Note on the text: Corrected बुध्यस् → बुध्यस्व (misprint in Wikisource; dropped akshara; the critical edition reads budhyasva). Lines 3.245.16c and 3.245.17a of the critical edition (Wikisource divides these verses differently).

Verse 18 (3.260.18)

अनसूयाऽविहिंसा च शौचमिन्द्रियसंयमः । साधनानि महाराज नराणां पुण्यकर्मणाम् ॥

anasūyā'vihiṃsā ca śaucamindriyasaṃyamaḥ | sādhanāni mahārāja narāṇāṃ puṇyakarmaṇām

freedom from envy, non-violence, purity and control of the senses: these, great king, are the means of men whose deeds are holy.

Note on the text: Lines 3.245.17c and 3.245.17e of the critical edition (Wikisource divides these verses differently).

Verse 19 (3.260.19)

अधर्मरुचयो मूढास्तिर्यग्गतिपरायणाः । कृच्छ्रां योनिमनुप्राप्ता न सुखं विन्दते जनाः ॥

adharmarucayo mūḍhāstiryaggatiparāyaṇāḥ | kṛcchrāṃ yonimanuprāptā na sukhaṃ vindate janāḥ

The deluded, who delight in adharma and are headed for the state of beasts, fall into painful births; such people find no happiness.

Note on the text: Corrected अनाः → जनाः (misprint in Wikisource; dropped akshara ज; the critical edition reads vindate janāḥ).

Verse 20 (3.260.20)

इह यत्क्रियते कर्म तत्परत्रोपभुज्यते । मूलसिक्तस्य वृक्षस्य फलं शाखासु दृश्यते । तस्माच्छरीरं युञ्जीत तपसा नियमेन च ॥

iha yatkriyate karma tatparatropabhujyate | mūlasiktasya vṛkṣasya phalaṃ śākhāsu dṛśyate | tasmāccharīraṃ yuñjīta tapasā niyamena ca

Whatever deed is done here is enjoyed in the next world. The fruit of a tree watered at the root is seen on its branches. Therefore one should yoke the body to austerity and discipline.

Note on the text: Removed stray wiki marks (backtick and quote mark) around the starred line. The middle line is not in the critical text; it is the starred passage 3.245.19b*1177 of its apparatus.

Verse 21 (3.260.21)

यथाशक्ति प्रयच्छेत संपूज्याभिप्रणम्य च । काले प्राप्ते च हृष्टात्मा राजन्विगतमत्सरः ॥

yathāśakti prayaccheta saṃpūjyābhipraṇamya ca | kāle prāpte ca hṛṣṭātmā rājanvigatamatsaraḥ

One should give according to one's means, after honouring the recipient and bowing to him, when the right time has come, O king, with a glad heart and free of envy.

Verse 22 (3.260.22)

सत्यवादी लभेतायुरनायासमथार्जवम् । अक्रोधनोऽनसूयश्च निर्वृतिं लभते पराम् ॥

satyavādī labhetāyuranāyāsamathārjavam | akrodhano'nasūyaśca nirvṛtiṃ labhate parām

The truthful man gains long life, freedom from toil and an upright nature; one who is free of anger and envy gains the supreme peace.

Verse 23 (3.260.23)

दान्तः शमपरः शश्वत्परिक्लेशं न विन्दति । न च तप्यति दान्तात्मा दृष्ट्वा परगतां श्रियम् ॥

dāntaḥ śamaparaḥ śaśvatparikleśaṃ na vindati | na ca tapyati dāntātmā dṛṣṭvā paragatāṃ śriyam

The self-controlled man, ever intent on calm, meets with no affliction, and he whose self is restrained does not burn when he sees another's good fortune.

Verse 24 (3.260.24)

संविभक्ता च दाता च भोगवान्सुखवान्नरः । भवत्यहिंसकश्चैव परमारोग्यमश्नुते ॥

saṃvibhaktā ca dātā ca bhogavānsukhavānnaraḥ | bhavatyahiṃsakaścaiva paramārogyamaśnute

The man who shares and gives becomes rich in enjoyments and happiness, and he who harms no one enjoys perfect health.

Verse 25 (3.260.25)

मान्यं मानयिता जन्म कुले महति विन्दति । विन्दते सुखमत्यर्थमिह लोके परत्र च । व्यसनैर्न तुसंयोगं प्राप्नोति विजितेन्द्रियः ॥

mānyaṃ mānayitā janma kule mahati vindati | vindate sukhamatyarthamiha loke paratra ca | vyasanairna tusaṃyogaṃ prāpnoti vijitendriyaḥ

He who honours those worthy of honour is born into a great family and finds great happiness in this world and the next; and the man who has conquered his senses never meets with calamity.

Note on the text: Removed stray wiki marks (backtick and quote mark) around the starred line. The middle line is not in the critical text; it is the starred passage 3.245.24b*1178 of its apparatus.

Verse 26 (3.260.26)

शुभानुशयबुद्धिर्हि संयुक्तः कालधर्मणा । प्रादुर्भवति तद्योगात्कल्याणमतिरेव सः ॥

śubhānuśayabuddhirhi saṃyuktaḥ kāladharmaṇā | prādurbhavati tadyogātkalyāṇamatireva saḥ

One whose mind is inclined to the good, when he meets with death, is born again through that bond as a man of auspicious mind."

Verse 27 (3.260.27)

भगवन्दानधर्माणां तपसो वा महामुने । किंस्विद्बहुगुणं प्रेत्य किं वा दुष्करमुच्यते ॥

bhagavandānadharmāṇāṃ tapaso vā mahāmune | kiṃsvidbahuguṇaṃ pretya kiṃ vā duṣkaramucyate

"Lord, great sage, between the dharma of giving and austerity, which brings the greater merit after death, and which is said to be the harder?"

Note on the text: Corrected दानधर्माणआं → दानधर्माणां (misprint in Wikisource; stray vowel letter आ; the critical edition reads dānadharmāṇāṃ).

Verse 28 (3.260.28)

दानान्न दुष्करं तात पृथिव्यामस्ति किंचन । अर्थे च महती तृष्णा स च दुःखेन लभ्यते ॥

dānānna duṣkaraṃ tāta pṛthivyāmasti kiṃcana | arthe ca mahatī tṛṣṇā sa ca duḥkhena labhyate

"Nothing on earth, my son, is harder than giving. Men's craving for wealth is great, and wealth is won only with pain.

Verse 29 (3.260.29)

राजन्प्रत्यक्षमेवैतद्दृश्यते लोकसाक्षिकम् । परित्यज्य प्रियान्प्राणान्प्रविशन्ति रणाजिरम् । तथैव प्रतिपद्यन्ते समुद्रमटवीं तथा ॥

rājanpratyakṣamevaitaddṛśyate lokasākṣikam | parityajya priyānprāṇānpraviśanti raṇājiram | tathaiva pratipadyante samudramaṭavīṃ tathā

This, O king, is plain to see, with the whole world as witness: giving up their dear lives, men plunge into the field of battle, and in the same way they venture into the ocean and the forest.

Note on the text: Removed stray wiki marks (backtick and quote mark) around the starred line. The first line is not in the critical text; it is the starred passage 3.245.27d*1179 of its apparatus. The rest corresponds to 3.245.28 in a variant reading (with तथैव प्रतिपद्यन्ते, as in 3.245.28c*1180).

Verse 30 (3.260.30)

कृषिगोरक्ष्यमित्येके प्रतिपद्यन्ति मानवाः । पुरुषाः प्रेष्यतामेके निर्गच्छन्ति धनार्थिनः ॥

kṛṣigorakṣyamityeke pratipadyanti mānavāḥ | puruṣāḥ preṣyatāmeke nirgacchanti dhanārthinaḥ

Some men take up farming and the keeping of cattle, and some go out into service in search of wealth.

Verse 31 (3.260.31)

तस्माद्दुःखार्जितस्यैव परित्यागः सुदुष्करः । सुदुष्करतरं दानं तस्माद्दानं मतं मम ॥

tasmādduḥkhārjitasyaiva parityāgaḥ suduṣkaraḥ | suduṣkarataraṃ dānaṃ tasmāddānaṃ mataṃ mama

Therefore to give up what has been won with such pain is very hard. Giving is harder than the hardest, and so in my view giving is the highest.

Verse 32 (3.260.32)

विशेषस्त्वत्र विज्ञेयो न्यायेनोपार्जितं धनम् । पात्रे काले च देशे च प्रयतः प्रतिपादयेत् ॥

viśeṣastvatra vijñeyo nyāyenopārjitaṃ dhanam | pātre kāle ca deśe ca prayataḥ pratipādayet

But here a distinction must be understood: wealth gained by just means should be bestowed, with care, on a worthy recipient, at the right time and in the right place.

Note on the text: Corrected विसेषस्त्वत्र → विशेषस्त्वत्र (misprint in Wikisource; स for श; the critical edition reads viśeṣas tv atra).

Verse 33 (3.260.33)

अन्यायात्समुपात्तेन दानधर्मौ धनेन यः । कुरुते न स कर्तारं त्रायते महतो भयात् ॥

anyāyātsamupāttena dānadharmau dhanena yaḥ | kurute na sa kartāraṃ trāyate mahato bhayāt

Whoever practises giving and dharma with wealth gained unjustly finds that they do not save the doer from great danger.

Note on the text: Corrected धनन → धनेन (misprint in Wikisource; dropped vowel sign; the critical edition reads dhanena).

Verse 34 (3.260.34)

पात्रे दानं स्वल्पमपि काले दत्तं युधिष्ठिर । मनसा हि विशुद्धेन प्रेत्यानन्तफलं स्मृतम् ॥

pātre dānaṃ svalpamapi kāle dattaṃ yudhiṣṭhira | manasā hi viśuddhena pretyānantaphalaṃ smṛtam

A gift, however small, given to a worthy recipient at the right time, Yudhishthira, with a pure mind, is said to bear endless fruit after death.

Verse 35 (3.260.35)

श्रद्धा धर्मानुगा देवी पावनी विश्वधारिणी । सवित्री प्रसवित्री च संसारार्णवतारिणी ॥

śraddhā dharmānugā devī pāvanī viśvadhāriṇī | savitrī prasavitrī ca saṃsārārṇavatāriṇī

Faith is a goddess who follows dharma; she purifies and sustains the world. She is mother and begetter, and she carries men across the ocean of worldly existence.

Note on the text: Removed stray wiki marks (backtick and quote mark). Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); neither verses 35–36 nor the first line of verse 37 appear in its text or apparatus.

Verse 36 (3.260.36)

श्रद्धया धार्यते धर्मो महद्भिर्नार्थदर्शिभिः । सधना अपिराजानो निःश्रद्धा नरकं गताः ॥

śraddhayā dhāryate dharmo mahadbhirnārthadarśibhiḥ | sadhanā apirājāno niḥśraddhā narakaṃ gatāḥ

Dharma is upheld by faith, by the great, not by those who look only to wealth. Kings without faith have gone to hell even with all their riches,

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension).

Verse 37 (3.260.37)

निष्किंचनाश्च मुनयः श्रद्धावन्तो दिवं गताः । देशे काले च पात्रे च मुद्गलः श्रद्धयाऽन्वितः । व्रीहिद्रोणं प्रदायाथ परं पदमवाप्तवान् ॥

niṣkiṃcanāśca munayaḥ śraddhāvanto divaṃ gatāḥ | deśe kāle ca pātre ca mudgalaḥ śraddhayā'nvitaḥ | vrīhidroṇaṃ pradāyātha paraṃ padamavāptavān

while penniless sages full of faith have gone to heaven. Mudgala, full of faith, gave a drona of rice at the right place and time to a worthy recipient, and so reached the highest state.

Note on the text: Removed a stray closing quote mark. The first line is not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the second and third lines are the starred passage 3.245.33d*1183 of its apparatus, not its text.

Verse 38 (3.260.38)

अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम् । व्रीहिद्रोणपरित्यागाद्यत्फलं प्राप मुद्गलः ॥

atrāpyudāharantīmamitihāsaṃ purātanam | vrīhidroṇaparityāgādyatphalaṃ prāpa mudgalaḥ

On this they relate an ancient story: the fruit that Mudgala obtained by giving away a drona of rice."

Note on the text: Corrected उदाहरन्तीमतिहासं → उदाहरन्तीममितिहासं (misprint in Wikisource; dropped akshara म; the critical edition reads udāharantīmam itihāsaṃ).