Bhishma Describes the Cruel Man

Verse 1 (12.162.1)

आनृशंस्यं विजानामि दर्शनेन सतां सदा । नृशंसान्न विजानामि तेषां कर्म च भारत ॥

ānṛśaṃsyaṃ vijānāmi darśanena satāṃ sadā | nṛśaṃsānna vijānāmi teṣāṃ karma ca bhārata

I know non-cruelty by observing the good, always; but cruel men, and what they do, I do not know, O Bharata.

Verse 2 (12.162.2)

कण्टकान्कूपमग्निं च वर्जयन्ति यथा नराः । तथा नृशंसकर्माणं वर्जयन्ति नरा नरम् ॥

kaṇṭakānkūpamagniṃ ca varjayanti yathā narāḥ | tathā nṛśaṃsakarmāṇaṃ varjayanti narā naram

As men avoid thorns, a well and fire, so do people shun a man of cruel deeds.

Verse 3 (12.162.3)

नृशंसो दह्यते व्यक्तं प्रेत्य चेह च भारत । तस्मात्त्वं ब्रूहि कौरव्य तस्य धर्मविनिश्चयम् ॥

nṛśaṃso dahyate vyaktaṃ pretya ceha ca bhārata | tasmāttvaṃ brūhi kauravya tasya dharmaviniścayam

The cruel man plainly burns, both after death and here, O Bharata; therefore tell me, O Kaurava, the sure determination of dharma concerning him.

Verse 4 (12.162.4)

स्पृहाऽस्यान्तर्गता चैव विदितार्था च कर्मणाम् । आक्रोष्टा क्रुश्यते चैव बन्धिता बध्यते स च ॥

spṛhā'syāntargatā caiva viditārthā ca karmaṇām | ākroṣṭā kruśyate caiva bandhitā badhyate sa ca

Longing lies hidden within him, and he knows the aims of deeds; he reviles and is himself reviled, he binds and is himself bound.

Verse 5 (12.162.5)

दत्तानुकीर्तिर्विषमः क्षुद्रो नैकृतिकः शठः । असंभोगी च मानी च तथा सङ्गी विकत्थनः ॥

dattānukīrtirviṣamaḥ kṣudro naikṛtikaḥ śaṭhaḥ | asaṃbhogī ca mānī ca tathā saṅgī vikatthanaḥ

He proclaims what he has given, is uneven in his dealings, petty, treacherous and crooked; he shares none of his enjoyments, is proud, clinging and boastful;

Verse 6 (12.162.6)

सर्वातिशङ्की पुरुषो बलीशः कृपणोऽथवा । वर्गप्रशंसी सततमाश्रमद्वेषसंकरी ॥

sarvātiśaṅkī puruṣo balīśaḥ kṛpaṇo'thavā | vargapraśaṃsī satatamāśramadveṣasaṃkarī

he suspects everyone, is sly-eyed or else a miser, is forever praising his own side, and hates and confuses the orders of life;

Note on the text: Corrected वर्गप्रशंसीं → वर्गप्रशंसी (misprint in Wikisource; stray anusvara) and आश्रमद्वेपसंकरी → आश्रमद्वेषसंकरी (misprint; प for ष, as in the page's own footnote and CE āśramadveṣasaṃkarī). Wikisource's बलीश (a deceitful, crow-like glance) is kept against CE bāliśa.

Verse 7 (12.162.7)

हिंसाविकारी सततमविशेषगुणागुणः । बह्वलीको मनस्वी च लुब्धोऽत्यर्थं नृशंसकृत् ॥

hiṃsāvikārī satatamaviśeṣaguṇāguṇaḥ | bahvalīko manasvī ca lubdho'tyarthaṃ nṛśaṃsakṛt

he is ever inclined to the perversions of violence, makes no distinction between merit and fault, is full of falsehood, haughty and exceedingly greedy: he is a doer of cruel deeds.

Verse 8 (12.162.8)

धर्मशीलं गुणोपेतं पाप इत्यवगच्छति । आत्मशीलोपमानेन न विश्वसिति कस्यचित् ॥

dharmaśīlaṃ guṇopetaṃ pāpa ityavagacchati | ātmaśīlopamānena na viśvasiti kasyacit

He takes the dutiful and virtuous man for a sinner, and judging others by his own character, he trusts no one.

Verse 9 (12.162.9)

परेषां यत्र दोषः स्यात्तद्गुह्यं संप्रकाशयेत् । समानेष्वेव दोषेषु वृत्त्यर्थमुपघातयेत् ॥

pareṣāṃ yatra doṣaḥ syāttadguhyaṃ saṃprakāśayet | samāneṣveva doṣeṣu vṛttyarthamupaghātayet

Where others have a fault, he exposes what should be kept hidden; and though the faults are the same, he strikes others down for the sake of his livelihood.

Note on the text: Corrected दोपः → दोषः and दोपेषु → दोषेषु (misprints in Wikisource; प for ष; CE 12.158.9 reads doṣaḥ, doṣeṣu).

Verse 10 (12.162.10)

तथोपकारिणं चैव मन्यते वञ्चितं परम् । दत्त्वाऽपि च धनं काले संतपत्युपकारिणे ॥

tathopakāriṇaṃ caiva manyate vañcitaṃ param | dattvā'pi ca dhanaṃ kāle saṃtapatyupakāriṇe

He also thinks the man who helps him has been cheated; and even when he has given wealth, in time he burns with regret toward his benefactor.

Verse 11 (12.162.11)

भक्ष्यं पेयमथालेह्यं यच्चान्यत्साधु भोजनम् । प्रेक्षमाणेषु योऽश्नीयान्नृशंसमिति तं वदेत् ॥

bhakṣyaṃ peyamathālehyaṃ yaccānyatsādhu bhojanam | prekṣamāṇeṣu yo'śnīyānnṛśaṃsamiti taṃ vadet

Food, drink, things to lick, or any other good fare: he who eats it while others look on, him they call cruel.

Verse 12 (12.162.12)

ब्राह्मणेभ्यः प्रदायाग्रं यः सुहृद्भिः सहाश्नुते । स प्रेत्य लभते स्वर्गमिह चानन्त्यमश्नुते ॥

brāhmaṇebhyaḥ pradāyāgraṃ yaḥ suhṛdbhiḥ sahāśnute | sa pretya labhate svargamiha cānantyamaśnute

He who, having first given a portion to the brahmins, eats together with his friends, wins heaven after death and enjoys endless reward here as well.

Verse 13 (12.162.13)

एष ते भरतश्रेष्ठ नृशंसः परिकीर्तितः । सदा विवर्जनीयो हि पुरुषेण बुभूषता ॥

eṣa te bharataśreṣṭha nṛśaṃsaḥ parikīrtitaḥ | sadā vivarjanīyo hi puruṣeṇa bubhūṣatā

Thus, best of the Bharatas, the cruel man has been described to you; a man who wishes to prosper should always avoid him.