Arjuna's Tale of Indra and the Ascetics

Verse 1 (12.11.1)

अत्रैवोदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम् । तापसैः सह संवादं शक्रस्य भरतर्षभ ॥

atraivodāharantīmamitihāsaṃ purātanam | tāpasaiḥ saha saṃvādaṃ śakrasya bharatarṣabha

On this point they cite an ancient tale, O best of the Bharatas: the conversation of Indra with some ascetics.

Verse 2 (12.11.2)

शक्यं पुनररण्येषु सुखमेतेन जीवितुम् । केचिद्गृहान्परित्यज्य वनमभ्यागमन्द्विजाः । अजातश्मश्रवो मन्दाः कुले जाताः प्रवव्रजुः ॥

śakyaṃ punararaṇyeṣu sukhametena jīvitum | kecidgṛhānparityajya vanamabhyāgamandvijāḥ | ajātaśmaśravo mandāḥ kule jātāḥ pravavrajuḥ

"One can live happily in the forests in this way." Some brahmins left their homes and went to the forest, foolish youths with no beards yet, who, though born in good families, had gone forth as wanderers.

Note on the text: Removed the stray backticks and quote mark around line 1 (a line the page prints in quotation marks as a loose interpolation). Line 1 is not in the critical edition (vulgate recension only; it echoes 10.22a); lines 2–3 are CE 12.11.2a, 2c, which the alignment left unmatched.

Verse 3 (12.11.3)

धर्मोऽयमिति मन्वानाः समृद्धा धर्मचारिणः । त्यक्त्वा भ्रातॄन्पितॄंश्चैव तानिन्द्रोऽन्वकृपायत ॥

dharmo'yamiti manvānāḥ samṛddhā dharmacāriṇaḥ | tyaktvā bhrātṝnpitṝṃścaiva tānindro'nvakṛpāyata

Thinking, "This is dharma," those prosperous men, practising dharma, left their brothers and fathers, and Indra took pity on them.

Note on the text: Recension variant of CE 12.11.3 (the critical edition reads dharmo 'yam iti manvānā brahmacarye vyavasthitāḥ / tyaktvā gṛhān pitṝṃś caiva tān indro 'nvakṛpāyata); line 2 differs in its first half only.

Verse 4 (12.11.4)

स तान्बभाषे मघवान्पक्षीभूत्वा हिरण्मयः । सुदुष्करं मनुष्यैस्तु यत्कृतं विघसाशिभिः ॥

sa tānbabhāṣe maghavānpakṣībhūtvā hiraṇmayaḥ | suduṣkaraṃ manuṣyaistu yatkṛtaṃ vighasāśibhiḥ

Indra, the bounteous, became a golden bird and said to them, "What a hard thing these men have done, who eat only the remnants!"

Note on the text: Line 1 is narration by Arjuna; line 2 is Indra's speech (no heading printed).

Verse 5 (12.11.5)

पुण्यं भवति कर्मैषां प्रशस्तं चैव जीवितम् । सिद्धार्थास्ते गतिं मुख्यां प्राप्ताः कर्मपरायणाः ॥

puṇyaṃ bhavati karmaiṣāṃ praśastaṃ caiva jīvitam | siddhārthāste gatiṃ mukhyāṃ prāptāḥ karmaparāyaṇāḥ

"Their work is meritorious and their way of life praiseworthy. They have reached their aim and attained the highest goal, devoted as they are to action."

Note on the text: Speaker: Indra in the form of the golden bird (the previous verse introduces his speech; the page prints no heading, and the input had Arjuna).

Verse 6 (12.11.6)

अहो बतायं शकुनिर्विघसाशान्प्रशंसति । अस्मान्नूनमयं शास्ति वयं च विघसाशिनः ॥

aho batāyaṃ śakunirvighasāśānpraśaṃsati | asmānnūnamayaṃ śāsti vayaṃ ca vighasāśinaḥ

"Ah! This bird is praising those who eat remnants. Surely he means to instruct us, for we are eaters of remnants ourselves."

Verse 7 (12.11.7)

नाहं युष्मान्प्रशंसामि पङ्कदिग्धान्रजस्वलान् । उच्छिष्टभोजिनो मन्दानन्ये वै विघसाशिनः ॥

nāhaṃ yuṣmānpraśaṃsāmi paṅkadigdhānrajasvalān | ucchiṣṭabhojino mandānanye vai vighasāśinaḥ

"I am not praising you, who are smeared with mud and covered with dust, foolish eaters of leavings. The eaters of remnants are others."

Verse 8 (12.11.8)

इदं श्रेयः परमिति वयमेवममंस्महि । शकुने ब्रूहि यच्छ्रेयो वयं ते श्रद्दधामहे ॥

idaṃ śreyaḥ paramiti vayamevamamaṃsmahi | śakune brūhi yacchreyo vayaṃ te śraddadhāmahe

"We had thought this alone to be the highest good. O bird, tell us what is best; we trust your word."

Verse 9 (12.11.9)

यदि मां नाभिशङ्कध्वं विभज्यात्मानमात्मना । ततोऽहं वः प्रवक्ष्यामि याथातथ्यं हितं वचः ॥

yadi māṃ nābhiśaṅkadhvaṃ vibhajyātmānamātmanā | tato'haṃ vaḥ pravakṣyāmi yāthātathyaṃ hitaṃ vacaḥ

"If you do not distrust me, and you examine yourselves by your own judgement, then I will tell you the truth, a beneficial word."

Verse 10 (12.11.10)

शृणुमस्ते वचस्तात पन्थानो विदितास्तव । नियोगे चैव धर्मात्मन्स्थातुमिच्छाम शाधि नः ॥

śṛṇumaste vacastāta panthāno viditāstava | niyoge caiva dharmātmansthātumicchāma śādhi naḥ

"We will listen to your word, dear sir; you know the paths. We wish to abide by your instruction, O righteous one. Teach us."

Verse 11 (12.11.11)

चतुष्पदां गौः प्रवरा लोहानां काञ्चनं वरम् । शब्दानां प्रवरो मन्त्रो ब्राह्मणो द्विपदां वरः ॥

catuṣpadāṃ gauḥ pravarā lohānāṃ kāñcanaṃ varam | śabdānāṃ pravaro mantro brāhmaṇo dvipadāṃ varaḥ

"Among four-footed creatures the cow is the best; among metals, gold; among sounds, the sacred formula; and among two-footed beings, the brahmin.

Verse 12 (12.11.12)

मन्त्रोऽयं जातकर्मादिर्ब्राह्मणस्य विधीयते । जीवतोऽपि यथाकालं श्मशाननिधनान्तकः ॥

mantro'yaṃ jātakarmādirbrāhmaṇasya vidhīyate | jīvato'pi yathākālaṃ śmaśānanidhanāntakaḥ

These sacred formulas, beginning with the birth-rite, are laid down for the brahmin at the proper times through his life, down to the last rite at the burning-ground.

Verse 13 (12.11.13)

कर्माणि वैदिकान्यस्य स्वर्ग्यः पन्थास्त्वनुत्तमः । अथ सर्वाणि कर्माणि मन्त्रसिद्धानि चक्षते । आम्नायदृढवादीनि तथा सिद्धिरिहेष्यते ॥

karmāṇi vaidikānyasya svargyaḥ panthāstvanuttamaḥ | atha sarvāṇi karmāṇi mantrasiddhāni cakṣate | āmnāyadṛḍhavādīni tathā siddhiriheṣyate

His Vedic rites are the unsurpassed road to heaven. All rites, moreover, are said to be perfected by sacred formulas, and success here is held to rest on the firm declarations of the tradition.

Note on the text: Three lines: CE 12.11.13a, 13c and 14a (Wikisource's verse boundaries differ from the CE's). The alignment left this verse unmatched.

Verse 14 (12.11.14)

मासार्धमासा ऋतव आदित्यशशितारकम् । ग्रसन्ते कर्म भूतानि तदिदं कर्मशंसिनाम् ॥

māsārdhamāsā ṛtava ādityaśaśitārakam | grasante karma bhūtāni tadidaṃ karmaśaṃsinām

The fortnights, the months and the seasons, the sun, the moon and the stars, and all beings, draw action into themselves. This is the view of those who commend action.

Note on the text: Line 1 is CE 12.11.14c; line 2 corresponds to CE 15a, where the critical edition reads īhante sarvabhūtāni tad ṛtaṃ karmasaṅginām (recension variant: ग्रसन्ते कर्म भूतानि). The alignment left this verse unmatched.

Verse 15 (12.11.15)

सिद्धिक्षेत्रमिदं पुण्यमयमेवाश्रमो महान् ॥

siddhikṣetramidaṃ puṇyamayamevāśramo mahān

This sacred field of accomplishment is the great hermitage itself."

Note on the text: A single line, as the page prints it (12-11-15a): it is CE 12.11.15c, the last half-verse of the critical edition's verse 15. Nothing is lost. The alignment left it unmatched.

Verse 16 (12.11.16)

अथ ये कर्म निन्दन्तो मनुष्याः कापथं गताः । मूढानामर्थहीनानां तेषामेनस्तु विद्यते ॥

atha ye karma nindanto manuṣyāḥ kāpathaṃ gatāḥ | mūḍhānāmarthahīnānāṃ teṣāmenastu vidyate

"But those men who revile action and have gone down the wrong road, fools who have lost their true aim, are guilty of sin.

Verse 17 (12.11.17)

देववंशान्पितृवंशान्ब्रह्मवंशांश्च शाश्वतान् । संत्यज्य मूढा वर्तन्ते ततो यान्त्यशुचीन्पथः ॥

devavaṃśānpitṛvaṃśānbrahmavaṃśāṃśca śāśvatān | saṃtyajya mūḍhā vartante tato yāntyaśucīnpathaḥ

Abandoning the eternal lines of the gods, of the ancestors and of Brahma, those fools live on, and so they go along unclean paths.

Note on the text: Corrected शाश्चतान् → शाश्वतान् (misprint in Wikisource; श्च for श्व; the critical edition reads śāśvatān). Line 2 ends यान्त्यशुचीन्पथः where the critical edition has yānty aśrutīpatham (recension variant).

Verse 18 (12.11.18)

एतद्वोऽस्तु तपोयुक्तं ददामीत्यृषिचोदितम् । तस्मात्तदध्यावसतस्तपस्वित्वमिहोच्यते ॥

etadvo'stu tapoyuktaṃ dadāmītyṛṣicoditam | tasmāttadadhyāvasatastapasvitvamihocyate

"Let this be yours, together with austerity; I give it," so the sage urged. Therefore those who live in it are here called ascetics.

Verse 19 (12.11.19)

देववंशान्ब्रह्मवंशान्पितृवंशांश्च शाश्वतान् । संविभज्य गुरोश्चर्यां तद्वै दुष्करमुच्यते ॥

devavaṃśānbrahmavaṃśānpitṛvaṃśāṃśca śāśvatān | saṃvibhajya guroścaryāṃ tadvai duṣkaramucyate

To keep up the eternal lines of the gods, of Brahma and of the ancestors, and to share out duty and serve the elder, that is truly called hard.

Verse 20 (12.11.20)

देवा वै दुष्करं कृत्वा विभूतिं परमां गताः । तस्माद्गार्हस्थ्यमुद्वोढुं दुष्करं प्रब्रवीमि वः ॥

devā vai duṣkaraṃ kṛtvā vibhūtiṃ paramāṃ gatāḥ | tasmādgārhasthyamudvoḍhuṃ duṣkaraṃ prabravīmi vaḥ

The gods attained supreme glory by doing what is hard. Therefore I tell you that bearing the burden of the householder's life is hard.

Verse 21 (12.11.21)

तपः श्रेष्ठं प्रजानां हि मूलमेतन्न संशयः । कुटुम्बविधिनाऽनेन यस्मिन्सर्वं प्रतिष्ठितम् ॥

tapaḥ śreṣṭhaṃ prajānāṃ hi mūlametanna saṃśayaḥ | kuṭumbavidhinā'nena yasminsarvaṃ pratiṣṭhitam

Austerity is the best, and this is the root of creatures, beyond doubt: the ordering of a household, on which everything rests.

Note on the text: Corrected कुटुम्वविधिनाऽनेन → कुटुम्बविधिनाऽनेन (misprint in Wikisource; व for ब; the critical edition reads kuṭumbavidhinānena).

Verse 22 (12.11.22)

एतद्विदुस्तपो विप्रा द्वन्द्वातीता विमत्सराः । एतस्माद्वनमध्ये तु लोकेषु तप उच्यते ॥

etadvidustapo viprā dvandvātītā vimatsarāḥ | etasmādvanamadhye tu lokeṣu tapa ucyate

Brahmins who have gone beyond the pairs of opposites and are free from envy know this as austerity. Only after it is austerity spoken of in the forest, in the world.

Verse 23 (12.11.23)

दुराधर्षं पदं चैव गच्छन्ति विघसाशिनः । सायंप्रातर्विभज्यान्नं स्वकुटुम्बे यथाविधि ॥

durādharṣaṃ padaṃ caiva gacchanti vighasāśinaḥ | sāyaṃprātarvibhajyānnaṃ svakuṭumbe yathāvidhi

Those who eat what remains reach a station none can assail, dividing their food morning and evening among their own household according to the rule.

Verse 24 (12.11.24)

दत्त्वाऽतिथिभ्यो देवेभ्यः पितृभ्यः स्वजनाय च । अवशिष्टानि येऽश्नन्ति तानाहुर्विघसाशिनः ॥

dattvā'tithibhyo devebhyaḥ pitṛbhyaḥ svajanāya ca | avaśiṣṭāni ye'śnanti tānāhurvighasāśinaḥ

Those who have given to guests, gods, ancestors and their own people, and eat what is left, are called eaters of remnants.

Verse 25 (12.11.25)

तस्मात्स्वधर्ममास्थाय सुव्रताः सत्यवादिनः । लोकस्य गुरवो भूत्वा ते भवन्त्यनुपस्कृताः ॥

tasmātsvadharmamāsthāya suvratāḥ satyavādinaḥ | lokasya guravo bhūtvā te bhavantyanupaskṛtāḥ

Therefore, holding to their own dharma, of good vows and truthful, they become teachers of the world and are found unblemished.

Verse 26 (12.11.26)

त्रिदिवं प्राप्य शक्रस्य स्वर्गलोके विमत्सराः । वसन्ति शाश्वतान्वर्षाञ्जना दुष्करकारिणः ॥

tridivaṃ prāpya śakrasya svargaloke vimatsarāḥ | vasanti śāśvatānvarṣāñjanā duṣkarakāriṇaḥ

Reaching the heaven of Indra, free from envy in that world of bliss, those who did what was hard live there for endless years."

Verse 27 (12.11.27)

ततस्ते तद्वचः श्रुत्वा धर्मार्थसहितं हितम् । उत्सृज्य नास्तिकमतिं गार्हस्थ्यं धर्ममाश्रिताः ॥

tataste tadvacaḥ śrutvā dharmārthasahitaṃ hitam | utsṛjya nāstikamatiṃ gārhasthyaṃ dharmamāśritāḥ

Then, hearing his words, beneficial and joined with dharma and purpose, they gave up their disbelieving ways and took refuge in the householder's dharma.

Verse 28 (12.11.28)

तस्मात्त्वमपि सर्वज्ञ धैर्यमालम्ब्य शाश्वतम् । प्रशाधि पृथिवीं कृत्स्नां हतामित्रां नरोत्तम ॥

tasmāttvamapi sarvajña dhairyamālambya śāśvatam | praśādhi pṛthivīṃ kṛtsnāṃ hatāmitrāṃ narottama

So you too, all-knowing one, taking up enduring steadfastness, rule the whole earth with its enemies slain, O best of men.