Devasthana: Contentment and the Dharma of Kings

Verse 1 (12.21.1)

अत्रैवोदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम् । इन्द्रेण समये पृष्टो यदुवाच बृहस्पतिः ॥

atraivodāharantīmamitihāsaṃ purātanam | indreṇa samaye pṛṣṭo yaduvāca bṛhaspatiḥ

On this they recount this ancient tale: what Brihaspati said when Indra questioned him at a certain time.

Verse 2 (12.21.2)

संतोषो वै स्वर्गसमः संतोषः परमं सुखम् । तुष्टेर्न किंचित्परतः सा सम्यक्प्रतितिष्ठति ॥

saṃtoṣo vai svargasamaḥ saṃtoṣaḥ paramaṃ sukham | tuṣṭerna kiṃcitparataḥ sā samyakpratitiṣṭhati

Contentment is the equal of heaven; contentment is the highest happiness. Nothing lies beyond contentment; it is the right and firm foundation.

Note on the text: Speaker: the page heads Devasthana for the whole adhyaya and the CE agrees (12.21 begins devasthāna uvāca). Verse 1 introduces verses 2–5 as what Brihaspati told Indra, but they are not separately headed, so they stay with Devasthana. Recension variant, kept: Wikisource सा सम्यक्प्रतितिष्ठति against CE susamyak paritiṣṭhati.

Verse 3 (12.21.3)

यदा संहरते कामान्कूर्मोऽङ्गानीव सर्वशः । तदाऽऽत्मज्योतिरचिरात्स्वात्मन्येव प्रसीदति ॥

yadā saṃharate kāmānkūrmo'ṅgānīva sarvaśaḥ | tadā''tmajyotiracirātsvātmanyeva prasīdati

When a man draws in his desires from every side, as a tortoise draws in its limbs, then the light of the self soon grows clear in the self alone.

Note on the text: Recension variant, kept: Wikisource तदाऽऽत्मज्योतिरचिरात्स्वात्मन्येव प्रसीदति against CE tadātmajyotir ātmaiva svātmanaiva prasīdati.

Verse 4 (12.21.4)

न विभेति यदा चायं यदा चास्मान्न बिभ्यति । कामद्वेषौ च जयति तदाऽऽत्मानं च पश्यति ॥

na vibheti yadā cāyaṃ yadā cāsmānna bibhyati | kāmadveṣau ca jayati tadā''tmānaṃ ca paśyati

When he fears nothing and nothing fears him, when he conquers desire and aversion, then he sees the self.

Verse 5 (12.21.5)

यदाऽसौ सर्वभूतानां न द्रुह्यति न काङ्क्षति । कर्मणा मनसा वाचा ब्रह्म संपद्यते तदा ॥

yadā'sau sarvabhūtānāṃ na druhyati na kāṅkṣati | karmaṇā manasā vācā brahma saṃpadyate tadā

When he wrongs no creature and craves nothing from any, in deed, thought and word, then he attains Brahman.

Note on the text: Recension variant, kept: Wikisource न द्रुह्यति न काङ्क्षति against CE na krudhyati na duṣyati.

Verse 6 (12.21.6)

एवं कौन्तेय भूतानि तंतं धर्मं तथातथा । तदाऽऽत्मना प्रपश्यन्ति तस्माद्बुध्यस्व भारत ॥

evaṃ kaunteya bhūtāni taṃtaṃ dharmaṃ tathātathā | tadā''tmanā prapaśyanti tasmādbudhyasva bhārata

In this way, son of Kunti, beings come each to perceive this or that dharma in one way or another, by their own selves; so understand this, O Bharata.

Note on the text: Corrected वुध्यस्व → बुध्यस्व (misprint in Wikisource; वुध् is not a root; the critical edition reads budhyasva). Recension variant, kept: तदाऽऽत्मना प्रपश्यन्ति against CE tadā tadā prapaśyanti.

Verse 7 (12.21.7)

अन्ये साम प्रशंसन्ति व्यायाममपरे जनाः । नैकं न चापरं केचिदुभयं च तथाऽपरे ॥

anye sāma praśaṃsanti vyāyāmamapare janāḥ | naikaṃ na cāparaṃ kecidubhayaṃ ca tathā'pare

Some praise conciliation, others exertion; some neither of the two, and others both.

Note on the text: Recension variant, kept: Wikisource साम ('conciliation'; Wikisource's gloss: प्रीतिम्) against CE śamam ('peace').

Verse 8 (12.21.8)

यज्ञमेके प्रशंसन्ति संन्यासमपरे जनाः ॥

yajñameke praśaṃsanti saṃnyāsamapare janāḥ

Some praise sacrifice, others renunciation.

Note on the text: Dropped the second line, which the page prints in quotation marks and backticks (`नैकं न चापरं केचिदुभयं च तथाऽपरे।।'): it merely repeats line 2 of the previous verse (12-21-7b), is not in the critical edition at this place, and is no part of the verse. The CE verse 12.21.8 has three lines (8a yajñam eke praśaṃsanti saṃnyāsam apare janāḥ; 8c dānam eke…; 8e ke cit sarvaṃ…); line 1 here is 8a, and 8c and 8e are the next Wikisource verse. The result is a one-line verse. Wikisource's sentence also runs on into the next verse. The alignment found no match.

Verse 9 (12.21.9)

दानमेके प्रशंसन्ति केचिच्चैव प्रतिग्रहम् । केचित्सर्वं परित्यज्य तूष्णीं ध्यायन्त आसते ॥

dānameke praśaṃsanti keciccaiva pratigraham | kecitsarvaṃ parityajya tūṣṇīṃ dhyāyanta āsate

Some praise giving, some the receiving of gifts; some, giving up everything, sit in silent meditation.

Note on the text: = CE 12.21.8c and 8e (variant: Wikisource केचिच्चैव प्रतिग्रहम् against CE ke cid eva pratigraham); together with the previous verse they form CE 12.21.8. The alignment found no match.

Verse 10 (12.21.10)

राज्यमेके प्रशंसन्ति प्रजानां परिपालनम् । हत्वा छित्त्वा च भित्त्वा च केचिदेकान्तशीलिनः ॥

rājyameke praśaṃsanti prajānāṃ paripālanam | hatvā chittvā ca bhittvā ca kecidekāntaśīlinaḥ

Some praise kingship, the protection of the people; some, bent on one single course, slay, split and cut down.

Note on the text: Recension variant, kept: Wikisource प्रजानां परिपालनम् against CE sarveṣāṃ paripālanam.

Verse 11 (12.21.11)

एतत्सर्वं समालोक्य बुधानामेव निश्चयः । अद्रोहेणैव भूतानां यो धर्मः स सतां मतः ॥

etatsarvaṃ samālokya budhānāmeva niścayaḥ | adroheṇaiva bhūtānāṃ yo dharmaḥ sa satāṃ mataḥ

Having considered all this, the settled view of the wise is that the dharma which wrongs no creature is the one the good accept.

Verse 12 (12.21.12)

अद्रोहः सत्यवचनं संविभागो दया दमः । प्रजनं स्वेषु दारेषु मार्दवं ह्रीरचापलम् ॥

adrohaḥ satyavacanaṃ saṃvibhāgo dayā damaḥ | prajanaṃ sveṣu dāreṣu mārdavaṃ hrīracāpalam

Freedom from malice, truthful speech, sharing, compassion, self-control, begetting children upon one's own wives, gentleness, modesty and steadiness.

Note on the text: Corrected हीरचापलम् → ह्रीरचापलम् (misprint in Wikisource; the conjunct ह्र dropped its र, ह्रीः + अचापलम्; the critical edition reads hrīr acāpalam). Recension variants, kept: Wikisource दया दमः against CE dhṛtiḥ kṣamā.

Verse 13 (12.21.13)

एवं धर्मं प्रधानेष्टं मनुः स्वायंभुवोऽब्रवीत् । तस्मादेतत्प्रयत्नेन कौन्तेय प्रतिपालय ॥

evaṃ dharmaṃ pradhāneṣṭaṃ manuḥ svāyaṃbhuvo'bravīt | tasmādetatprayatnena kaunteya pratipālaya

Thus Manu Svayambhuva declared dharma to be the chief aim; therefore, son of Kunti, uphold it with effort.

Note on the text: Recension variant, kept: Wikisource एवं धर्मं प्रधानेष्टं मनुः स्वायंभुवोऽब्रवीत् against CE dhanaṃ dharmapradhāneṣṭaṃ manuḥ svāyaṃbhuvo 'bravīt.

Verse 14 (12.21.14)

यो हि राज्ये स्थितः शश्वद्वशी तुल्यप्रियाप्रियः । क्षत्रियो यज्ञशिष्टाशी राजा शास्त्रार्थतत्त्ववित् ॥

yo hi rājye sthitaḥ śaśvadvaśī tulyapriyāpriyaḥ | kṣatriyo yajñaśiṣṭāśī rājā śāstrārthatattvavit

The Kshatriya who is ever established in the kingdom, self-controlled, alike to what pleases and what displeases, eating what remains of the sacrifice, a king who knows the true meaning of the teachings on kingship,

Verse 15 (12.21.15)

असाधुनिग्रहरतः साधूनां प्रग्रहे रतः । धर्मवर्त्मनि संस्थाप्य प्रजा वर्तेत धर्मतः ॥

asādhunigraharataḥ sādhūnāṃ pragrahe rataḥ | dharmavartmani saṃsthāpya prajā varteta dharmataḥ

devoted to restraining the wicked and upholding the good, setting his subjects on the path of dharma, should conduct himself by dharma.

Verse 16 (12.21.16)

पुत्रसंक्रामितश्रीश्च वने वन्येन वर्तयेत् । विधानमाश्रमाणां वै कुर्यात्कर्माण्यतन्द्रितः ॥

putrasaṃkrāmitaśrīśca vane vanyena vartayet | vidhānamāśramāṇāṃ vai kuryātkarmāṇyatandritaḥ

Having passed his royal fortune to his son, he should live in the forest on its produce, and tirelessly perform the duties laid down for the stages of life.

Note on the text: Recension variant, kept: Wikisource विधानमाश्रमाणां वै कुर्यात्कर्माण्यतन्द्रितः against CE vidhinā śrāmaṇenaiva kuryāt kālam atandritaḥ.

Verse 17 (12.21.17)

य एवं वर्तते राजन्स राजा धर्मनिश्चितः । तस्यायं च परश्चैव लोकः स्यात्संफलोदयः ॥

ya evaṃ vartate rājansa rājā dharmaniścitaḥ | tasyāyaṃ ca paraścaiva lokaḥ syātsaṃphalodayaḥ

The king who lives thus, O king, firm in dharma, will find both this world and the next fruitful.

Note on the text: Lines 1–2 are a variant of CE 12.21.16a and 16c (Wikisource य एवं वर्तते राजन्स राजा धर्मनिश्चितः; तस्यायं च परश्चैव लोकः स्यात्संफलोदयः against CE ya evaṃ vartate rājā rājadharmaviniścitaḥ; … saphalo nṛpa). The alignment found no match.

Verse 18 (12.21.18)

निर्वाणं हि सुदुष्प्राप्यं बहुविघ्नं च मे मतम् ॥

nirvāṇaṃ hi suduṣprāpyaṃ bahuvighnaṃ ca me matam

But liberation, in my view, is very hard to reach and full of obstacles.

Note on the text: One line, as the page prints it (12-21-18a); = CE 12.21.16e. The alignment found no match.

Verse 19 (12.21.19)

एवं धर्ममनुक्रान्ताः सत्यदानतपः पराः । आनृशंस्यगुणैर्युक्ताः कामक्रोधविवर्जिताः ॥

evaṃ dharmamanukrāntāḥ satyadānatapaḥ parāḥ | ānṛśaṃsyaguṇairyuktāḥ kāmakrodhavivarjitāḥ

Thus, following dharma, intent on truth, giving and austerity, endowed with the virtue of gentleness, free of desire and anger,

Note on the text: = CE 12.21.17 (variants: Wikisource सत्यदानतपः पराः against CE satyadānatapaḥparāḥ). The alignment found no match.

Verse 20 (12.21.20)

प्रजानां पालने युक्ता धर्ममुत्तममास्थिताः । गोब्राह्मणार्थे युध्यन्तः प्राप्ता गतिमनुत्तमाम् ॥

prajānāṃ pālane yuktā dharmamuttamamāsthitāḥ | gobrāhmaṇārthe yudhyantaḥ prāptā gatimanuttamām

intent on protecting their subjects, set in the highest dharma, fighting for the sake of cows and Brahmins, they reached the supreme state.

Note on the text: Recension variant, kept: Wikisource धर्ममुत्तममास्थिताः against CE damam uttamam āsthitāḥ; गोब्राह्मणार्थे युध्यन्तः against CE gobrāhmaṇārthaṃ yuddhena.

Verse 21 (12.21.21)

एवं रुद्राः सवसवस्तथाऽऽदित्याः परंतप । साध्या राजर्षिसङ्घाश्च धर्ममेतं समाश्रिताः । अप्रमत्तास्ततः स्वर्गं प्राप्ताः पुण्यैः स्वकर्मभिः ॥

evaṃ rudrāḥ savasavastathā''dityāḥ paraṃtapa | sādhyā rājarṣisaṅghāśca dharmametaṃ samāśritāḥ | apramattāstataḥ svargaṃ prāptāḥ puṇyaiḥ svakarmabhiḥ

So too the Rudras together with the Vasus, the Adityas, O scorcher of foes, the Sadhyas and the companies of royal sages took refuge in this dharma; and, unwavering, by their merits and their own deeds they reached heaven.

Note on the text: Three lines, as the page prints it (12-21-21a, b, c); = CE 12.21.19 a, c, e.